Caulking Wood Siding Before Painting

Caulk adheres very well to clean bare wood and vinyl.

Caulking wood siding before painting.

Particularly at the corners where they are mitered together. Caulk is a substance designed to seal a joint between two surfaces and to fill small holes. When you re filling small cracks to prepare for painting cut the tip carefully to keep the hole tiny about 1 16 in. Caulking tips the time to caulk is after you have cleaned and repaired any damage to the walls and millwork.

It is best to avoid a fast dry acrylic caulking for exteriors use. Choose the right caulk for the job. However if you re working on certain surfaces the caulk will not stick without a primer base coat. When you take special care with caulking siding before painting you can count on your exterior paint job lasting longer.

Unfortunately it will not stick well to stained surfaces. While paint does tend to somewhat glue these pieces together caulking them is never advised and can cause permanent damage. The tiny hole lets out just enough caulk to fill typical small to medium size cracks. Under normal circumstances you can apply caulk before priming.

Hardie plank butt joints and corner trim areas should be caulked to seal up any exposed joints. Cracks and holes in any surface collect water which causes paint to peel. Silicone acrylic latex solvent based elastomeric and butyl rubber to list the most common. The next place would be the soffits or the plywood underneath.

John burbidge author of the book watching paint dry shows how to properly caulk windows doors and cornerboards on the exterior of a house prior to pain. Water is meant to exit through the bottom of each board. Also avoid caulking tongue and groove siding boards together. Be sure to work with a reputable and professional painting company in your area to complete this project.

Also any butt joints and joints at the peak of diagonal fascia boards. Bottom of siding boards should not be caulked. Filling cracks and holes with caulk in your home s trim and siding before painting not only makes the paint job look better but also makes the paint last longer. These are fine for interior millwork but not the best for exterior jobs.

If you are working on finished wood do not apply caulk until after you ve primed.