Caulking Old Wood Siding

Trim boards that sit on top the siding.

Caulking old wood siding.

Most of the caulk on store shelves is basically one of four types. When it comes to things like old windows traditional glazing putty is a much better choice. Here are the step by step procedures as discussed in our painting and stripping old wood siding overview page. Carefully use a pry bar to remove the siding.

Apply an epoxy consolidant to soft wood and coat the rest with. If the siding joint is so tight that the caulk only bridges the gap it may split again. It is generally not a good idea to use caulking on wood siding. The selection in the caulk aisle at home centers is mind boggling but actually choosing the right one is pretty simple.

Painting and repairing old wood siding step by step. Sometimes the old caulk in the siding joint is cracked and you need to cut the old caulk out with a razor knife. 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. Think of a wood home as a living thing.

Be sure to remove any caulk where the siding overlaps as old houses need to breathe. Placing caulk over large portions of wood siding prohibits the natural movement of the wooden panels and can cause extensive damage to the exterior. Pull out loose nails and renail using stainless steel siding nails. The caulk not only protects the wood but gives a nice clean look to the architectural details of the structure by removing shadow lines.

On most new homes the trim goes up after the siding is installed which creates a large gap that should not be caulked. Wash it down with a hose once the caulk has dried the outbuilding can be given a good rinsing with a garden hose and scrub brush to knock off dirt sawdust and other debris that may prevent paint. As homeowners with this kind of siding know wood naturally expands and contracts with fluctuations in temperature and precipitation. These siding joints can be caulked successfully if the gap is wide enough for the caulk to get into the crack.

Score the calk on the edges as the ends split easily. Caulk by its adhesive nature will try to limit this movement leading to widespread failure and cracking in the caulk over time. Remove the old siding. When you try to restrict either it is at your peril.

In the old days the builder would install the trim bring the siding up to it and caulk the corner. It needs to move and breathe. Elastomeric polyurethane latex or silicone. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity.