Caulking Old Wood Siding

Caulk prevents water from seeping behind vulnerable areas of the outbuilding and developing into rot.

Caulking old wood siding.

Trim boards that sit on top the siding. When it comes to things like old windows traditional glazing putty is a much better choice. Think of a wood home as a living thing. On most new homes the trim goes up after the siding is installed which creates a large gap that should not be caulked.

Line up the ends and using the old piece as a guide mark the new clapboard with a utility knife. Siding is often textured and if you slide the tip of the tube along the bumpy texture the bead of caulk will. Place a full length piece of the damaged siding on the face of the replacement. Caulking on the exterior siding joints at the corner board if done carefully does not need to be smoothed with a finger.

Apply an epoxy consolidant to soft wood and coat the rest with. Most other areas were caulk is necessary should be lightly smoothed with your finger. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. Flashing acts as a waterproofing layer for this type of siding and caulking will prevent the flashing from doing its job.

Scoring prevents the wood from chipping when you cut it. Do ride the smooth edge when caulking a seam between a window and textured siding. Be sure to remove any caulk where the siding overlaps as old houses need to breathe. The hole should be about 3 16 of an inch for most caulking joints.

Removing all the silicone is difficult to accomplish as there is almost always some residue and when you remove it from wood it inevitably grips onto the wood fibers and pulls them with it resulting in a mutilated work piece that requires lots of repair. Even an old outbuilding can benefit from a little caulking. It needs to move and breathe. It has a similar lifespan of 20 30 years and at the end of that time it can be removed without damaging the wood.

In the old days the builder would install the trim bring the siding up to it and caulk the corner. Fill any dents and holes with either a wood or epoxy filler. Score the cut line with the utility knife guided by a square. Pull out loose nails and renail using stainless steel siding nails.

Many professionals like those at james hardie also agree that you should not use caulk on fiber cement siding unless there is no metal flashing underneath. Placing caulk over large portions of wood siding prohibits the natural movement of the wooden panels and can cause extensive damage to the exterior of your home.