Caulking Old Cedar Siding

Below is a link to their installation guide.

Caulking old cedar siding.

Caulking windows to give them a finished look inside and out and seal out leaks and drafts is a fairly common diy task. It is generally not a good idea to use caulking on wood siding. When you try to restrict either it is at your peril. A diyer or a novice painter might attempt to achieve a cleaner look by caulking the siding nails but the nail is guaranteed to push the caulking material out within a few months.

The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. Recommendations for caulks are located on page 10. The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. If your house has siding on the exteriors caulk is a product you might want to install.

Think of a wood home as a living thing. Similar to paint previous coats of. While cedar stands up to the elements fairly well on its own putting a seal or a coat of paint on it can enhance the color and protect the wood from inclement weather. Left unstained cedar s red hue will fade to gray within about a year.

Caulk comes in two forms. Grumpy chicago gutters. If you re shopping for the best caulk for cedar siding here is what to look out for. Basic maintenance repair and painting of cedar wood siding using gardner flex n fill and behr premium plus exterior paint.

Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time. If i install a non finished product i usually go with a 3m paintable caulk. The wood s structural integrity will remain unless the wood is exposed to excessive moisture which can cause curling cracking and wood rot. When deciding how to use caulk on your siding however it is generally more important to consider where you should not use it.

The western red cedar lumber association publishes a number of downloadable booklets concerning the design installation and finishing of cedar siding. It needs to move and breathe. If overused or incorrectly placed siding caulk can cause more damage to your exterior than good. I m not a painter but i do install cedar siding and i always caulk all the joints.

But if done incorrectly it can lend a sloppy amateurish look. It seals the spaces thereby protecting your home from invasion by pests and keeping the moisture and cold outside.