Hi all,
This is my first post. I’m the editor of a weekly newspaper in a Northern California town, and I work part time as a carpenter, since it pays twice what the news busines does, and that helps with the mortgage. I’m going to paint the exterior of my house this year. I just read the painting article in the new issue (FHB 154) and it helped, but I have a caulking question. My house has horizontal fiberboard lap siding, which has not been painted since it was applied eight years ago. The vertical joints expand and contract, especially on the side facing southwest. They go from looking flush, to having about an eighth-inch gap. The joints were obviouly caulked at one time, but it’s all cracked and stretched now. Should I cut that stuff out and caulk them again? If so, what should I use? And, when should I do it? When they’re open or closed?
Thanks,
Replies
In my opinion
Yes, clean them out
Re-caulk with appropriate caulk, I would use Dap Alex Plus
When they are open.
Wait for further advice from others....
CAG has it right in my opinion, Alex Plus, may not be best, but i sure use a lot of it. You want to make sure the joints are sealed to keep water out, number one enemy of homes in my opinion, and many that are smarter than me! Have fun.
Dan
Just make sure the joints are really cleaned out. Be sure to use a "siliconized" caulk of good quality. Price usually indicacates that.
As CAG said Alex Plus is very good but I think GE makes a better product for your application although it is quite a bit more expensive.
By the way.....Welcome to Breatime. What part of Calif you from? The Mendocino area by chance?
Be siliconized ( ) ( )
NAmaste
andy
"Understanding yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth"
Alan Watts
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
LOL, Andy of the silly cone eyes!
(0)(0).
Excellence is its own reward!
Piff
I was wondering how to do that......you rock.I mean you.....
hehheh
Be heh heh
Namaste
andy
"Understanding yourself is like trying to bite your own teeth"
Alan Watts
http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM
horizontal fiberboard lap siding, which has not been painted since it was applied eight years ago.
Evaluate what you have first, Any swelling along the bottom edges? (Look closely, especially at the bottom courses.) Any swelling around oversunk nail heads? (This stuff is always mis-nailed in my area.)
If either of those, don't waste too much time - it's on it's way out.
_______________________
10 .... I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful.
11 For no one can lay any other foundation than the one we already have--Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11
Yeah, I'd recaulk them. I found a better caulk than Alex plus, though. Its called Big Stretch. Does just what the name implies. When the siding shrinks/expands, so does the caulking.
caldwellbob, I thank you for mentioning Big Stretch, seems to me , most here , haven't heard of it . I love it, open tubes- no problem on plugs, warm or cold always tools well for me, though I don't run out to long of a caulk joint, for it Big Stretch, seems to film over fairly quickly. To the Poster, you are on the right track. Be Safe out there, Jim J
Big Stretch is the stuff! Its especially good for cement siding, where the other brands crack and leave a gap, Big Stretch just strettttttccccchsout!
Who makes big strech, never heard of it out here in ks, maybe I just haven't seen it?View ImageGo Jayhawks
SASHCO in Brighton, Colorado is what the box says. Here in Caldwell, we had always used the Alex caulk, too, but found that the Big Stretch is stretchier, particularly good for use on cement siding and the masonite soffit material. I hate putting the little 1/2x2" pieces over the seams on soffits, but the masonite gaps apart after about a year and the Big Stretch just stretches with it. It is more expensive, but better than a callback, for sure.
Thanks to all for the caulking pep talk. The siding is in good shape, except for the powdering paint on the sunny side and my wife's desire to have a "new look" -- so caulk and paint we will. I use Alex Plus a lot now, but I'll look for Big Stretch. Oops, one more dumb question has just crossed my mind -- I'm going to mark up the siding a bit when I cut out the old caulk. I'm guessing I should primer any cuts, gouges, etc before I re-caulk?
In answer to the question about my whereabouts, it's Healdsburg, about 65 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge.