Water can seep in around butt joints and trim so these areas need to be caulked.
Caulking siding tips.
Use a damp foam brush a trowel a beading tool or your trusty fingers to create a good lookin bead and ensure the caulk is sticking to the sides of the joint properly.
Most other areas were caulk is necessary should be lightly smoothed with your finger.
White caulk on brick or concrete looks terrible.
Smooth the caulk as you go along.
Everything you need to know when to use caulk on exterior siding.
Here s how to make the right choice.
For new homes or areas that have never been caulked apply the clear caulking after the painting is finished.
When james hardie siding products butt into wood based materials a 1 8 gap will allow for expansion and contraction of the wood based product.
This is a must do for all houses.
If you have any large gaps in the concrete consider using gray urethane or siliconized acrylic concrete caulking.
Trim boards wood windows.
Both work a little differently always squeeze a bit of caulk out on a piece of scrap material to test it first.
Choosing the right caulk for your siding.
There are a few different tools available like a caulking gun or a squeezable tube.
Do not caulk the underside of your siding i e caulk each piece of siding to the one beneath it.
What must be caulked caulking corners.
Butt joints but not all butt joints.
Remove after tooling but before the caulk dries.
This stuff won t dry out in extreme conditions and it sticks to.
Caulking around windows doors eaves and trim edges gives added insurance that leaks will not occur.
Where two pieces of siding meet.
Tool smooth the caulk.
Moisture likes to hide in corners edges and under ledges.
Caulking on the exterior siding joints at the corner board if done carefully does not need to be smoothed with a finger.
When searching for the right kind of caulk for your exterior siding quality.
Siding windows and doors.
Siding caulk can be used on several different areas of your exterior siding to.
Should they always be caulked.
You can also use caulk to repair cracks in your siding.
If the hole in the tube is too large you will find yourself removing an excessive amount of caulk.
For an even neater bead line the joints with blue painter s tape.