Caulking Lap Siding Bottom Edge

For the same reason do not caulk exposed nail heads.

Caulking lap siding bottom edge.

Think of a wood home as a living thing. Wherever hardie siding meets a trim board the company recommends you leave a 1 8 gap between the siding and the trim and apply a 3 8 bead of approved caulking to protect and seal the edge of the siding. In my opinion caulking between the seams in any lapped siding either horizontal or vertical is not good practice but not just because of any potential vapor barrier effect. All penetrations such as over driven fasteners and site cut edges of siding need to be sealed with caulk and paint.

Window weep hole should not be caulked. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. Garage door panels should not be caulked. Trim boards that sit on top the siding.

Refer to the colorplus touch up section for details do not use caulk on hardieplank lap siding with colorplus technology. One way to prolong the useful life of the siding is to keep it well maintained. Designed to let water out of your windows these small openings should never be. The worst failure we have seen yet.

Caulk across the top edge of the siding where it meets the top of the wall around windows and doors across the bottom edge of the siding where it meets the foundation and any other area where gaps exist. Lp siding products also come in sheets in when water runs down the face of the siding it tends to hang on the bottom edge wicking up and causing the bottom edges to swell and delaminate. It needs to move and breathe. The bottom edge of lp lap siding is where the failure is first evident.

The corner boards and the ends of the siding are nailed to the corner studs which anchors the wood for a maintenance free joint. While a diyer or a novice painter might attempt to produce a cleaner look by.