Caulking Cement Fiber Siding

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.

Caulking cement fiber siding.

Best caulk for fiber cement siding or hardiplank siding lets you have the perfect sealing your surface needs. We only caulk butt joints on cedar siding if previously caulked. But you are correct that it is very difficult to paint. Butt joints however should be nailed tightly together and should not be caulked.

Flashing acts as a waterproofing layer for this type of siding and caulking will prevent the flashing from doing its job. Fiber cement boards don t expand and contract much but leave a little room for expansion at the end joints and then fill the gap with caulk. We organize include fiber cement siding gap repair advice from the manufacturer as well as from builders and building inspectors. That is why we are showing you some other products for various surfaces along with our top pick.

However this detail may not be effective at sealing the ends allowing water to be absorbed and swell the board ends. Caulking around windows doors eaves and trim edges gives added insurance that leaks will not occur. Fiber cement boards are caulked only when there is no metal flashing behind them. When james hardie siding products butt into wood based materials a 1 8 gap will allow for expansion and contraction of the wood based product.

So what i would tell you to do is to use a colored caulk to choose the caulk in the color of the siding. We provide a table of all fiber cement siding installation clearance or gap specifications caulking requirements storage or moisture requirements. What you want to use is a silicone caulk because it s the most permanent one. Natural siding boards are designed to expand and contract with the elements and we do not want any adhesive to prevent their natural movement.