Caulk Wood Plank Siding Before Painting

For regular hardiplank lap siding the kind you paint after installation caulking at butt joints is optional.

Caulk wood plank siding before painting.

The nails holding up the siding should not be caulked. However if you re working on certain surfaces the caulk will not stick without a primer base coat. For best results use caulks that comply with either astm. Unfortunately it will not stick well to stained surfaces.

For caulk that will be painted over a latex caulk should be used. Under normal circumstances you can apply caulk before priming. 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. Similar to paint previous coats of.

Joe i think your image is specifically for colorplus where they don t recommend caulking. There are several different types of caulking on the market. Caulk should dry before painting over it otherwise it can cause new paint to crack and warp. 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.

Some specialty caulks may need a primer before paint is applied but most caulking is paintable. A high quality paintable caulk is recommended. Unlike similar sounding silicone caulks siliconized acrylic caulks can be painted so they enhance the finished appearance of the paint job. Sometimes the old caulk in the siding joint is cracked and you need to cut the old caulk out with a razor knife.

Basically any crack on the exterior of the house should be filled. Scrape away any peeling paint adjacent to the caulked areas. Don t caulk the horizontal joints on siding where the siding courses overlap. The different kinds of caulking for your home.

Let the caulk cure for a few days before power washing the exterior. 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. Is the old caulking removed before new coats are applied. Caulk adheres very well to clean bare wood and vinyl.

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. This allows for the caulk to get in and fill the gap correctly. This can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars to eradicate. This from installation instructions.