Caulking Cedar Siding Joints

Siding caulk can be used on several different areas of your exterior siding to help prevent water damage and moisture buildup.

Caulking cedar siding joints.

The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. When you try to restrict either it is at your peril. Generally we do not recommend caulking butt joints on cedar siding. If i am installing a prefinished product which i do mostly i use a color osi match caulk.

Some of the most commonly caulked areas of siding include both corners and crevices as well as some butt joints and window and door trim boards. Caulking on the exterior siding joints at the corner board if done carefully does not need to be smoothed with a finger. The hole should be about 3 16 of an inch for most caulking joints. Where two pieces of siding meet.

If i install a non finished product i usually go with a 3m paintable caulk. Think of a wood home as a living thing. The answer depends on the manufacturer and installation method used when the siding was first installed. All butt joints will be flashed.

It dries in just an hour and serves for up to 35 years. My question is limited to the seams in which the siding contacts vertical trim. Butt joints but not all butt joints. I m not a painter but i do install cedar siding and i always caulk all the joints.

If you re in the market for the best exterior caulk for cedar siding you will appreciate what the red devil 077010 has to offer. I m about to put up siding on a building enclosure that includes a wrb taped xps and furring strips. Butt joints are a perfect example of poor joint design they re too small to accommodate a bond breaker so the caulk can t stretch properly once applied but they re also too large to simply leave alone. The siding will be a combination of lap wood siding front and colorplus hardie plank the rest.

This is a high performance formula that comes in a 10 1 oz bottle. I am in agreement with martin not to use caulking as it seems to cause more. Should they always be caulked. It needs to move and breathe.

Most other areas were caulk is necessary should be lightly smoothed with your finger.