Caulking Old Cedar Siding

Think of a wood home as a living thing.

Caulking old cedar siding.

The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. If i am installing a prefinished product which i do mostly i use a color osi match caulk. The western red cedar lumber association publishes a number of downloadable booklets concerning the design installation and finishing of cedar siding. When you try to restrict either it is at your peril.

Is the old caulking removed before new coats are applied. Left unstained cedar s red hue will fade to gray within about a year. Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time. I m not a painter but i do install cedar siding and i always caulk all the joints.

Other technical resources can be found elsewhere on their website. If you re shopping for the best caulk for cedar siding here is what to look out for. The wood s structural integrity will remain unless the wood is exposed to excessive moisture which can cause curling cracking and wood rot. Basic maintenance repair and painting of cedar wood siding using gardner flex n fill and behr premium plus exterior paint.

Below is a link to their installation guide. It seals the spaces thereby protecting your home from invasion by pests and keeping the moisture and cold outside. Caulking windows to give them a finished look inside and out and seal out leaks and drafts is a fairly common diy task. If overused or incorrectly placed siding caulk can cause more damage to your exterior than good.

The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. It is generally not a good idea to use caulking on wood siding. Grumpy chicago gutters. 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.

It needs to move and breathe. When deciding how to use caulk on your siding however it is generally more important to consider where you should not use it. Caulk comes in two forms. Recommendations for caulks are located on page 10.

But if done incorrectly it can lend a sloppy amateurish look. 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.