Caulking Cedar Lap Siding

Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time.

Caulking cedar lap siding.

Corner boards are applied to the sheathing with siding fitting tightly against the narrow edge of the boards allowing for expansion and an adequate caulking bead. I m not a painter but i do install cedar siding and i always caulk all the joints. Whether you are repainting replacing a window or replacing the siding on your house the caulking around the window trim is a very important element. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity.

It is generally not a good idea to use caulking on wood siding. The corner boards and the ends of the siding are nailed to the corner studs which anchors the wood for a maintenance free joint. Think of a wood home as a living thing. It needs to move and breathe.

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. The answer depends on the manufacturer and installation method used when the siding was first installed.

If i install a non finished product i usually go with a 3m paintable caulk. When deciding how to use caulk on your siding however it is generally more important to consider where you should not use it. How to caulk the window trim on lap siding.