Caulk Wood Plank Siding Before Painting

Basically any crack on the exterior of the house should be filled.

Caulk wood plank siding before painting.

Caulk adheres very well to clean bare wood and vinyl. Similar to paint previous coats of. This allows for the caulk to get in and fill the gap correctly. This is the beginning of rotting wood water stains mold and mildew and possible flooring damage.

Joe i think your image is specifically for colorplus where they don t recommend caulking. Sometimes the old caulk in the siding joint is cracked and you need to cut the old caulk out with a razor knife. For best results use caulks that comply with either astm. However if you re working on certain surfaces the caulk will not stick without a primer base coat.

Caulk and seal all cracks in the siding as well as any open seams joints or gaps with a quality acrylic or siliconized acrylic caulk. If doing so exposes bare wood recaulk all cracks between any two nonmoving materials. If the siding joint is so tight that the caulk only bridges the gap it may split again. For regular hardiplank lap siding the kind you paint after installation caulking at butt joints is optional.

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. Old caulking that has failed and allowed water to migrate behind the siding can cause wood rot decay and if left undetected mold will most likely grow in your walls. Some specialty caulks may need a primer before paint is applied but most caulking is paintable. Unfortunately it will not stick well to stained surfaces.

Is the old caulking removed before new coats are applied. Let the caulk cure for a few days before power washing the exterior. There are several different types of caulking on the market. A high quality paintable caulk is recommended.

Under normal circumstances you can apply caulk before priming. This from installation instructions. Scrape away any peeling paint adjacent to the caulked areas. For caulk that will be painted over a latex caulk should be used.

The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. When exterior caulking becomes defective it allows moisture and rain to seep between siding boards behind the trim and eventually reach the drywall of the interior. Don t caulk the horizontal joints on siding where the siding courses overlap. The different kinds of caulking for your home.