Caulk Shiplap Siding

Water is meant to exit through the bottom of each board.

Caulk shiplap siding.

Caulk makes the entire project come together and look seamless. Unpainted caulk is impossible to clean and attracts dust. The siding expands and contracts with temperature and humidity. Run a bead of caulk along the edge of the newly installed shiplap siding.

Make the seams as smooth as possible. Insert the new piece of shiplap siding into the cut out area and nail with concrete covered siding nails. Bottom of siding boards should not be caulked. The process of filling them all is tedious and slow but in my opinion very necessary.

For best results use paintable caulk. Be sure to paint the caulk even if it s the same color as your shiplap. While paint does tend to somewhat glue these pieces together caulking them is never advised and can cause permanent damage. Don t apply too much caulk.

Smooth and evenly distribute the caulk into the gaps by dragging your finger along the bead of caulk. After the caulk is dry use the sandpaper to sand away the rough edges and built up caulk. Also avoid caulking tongue and groove siding boards together. Use this product for exterior siding outdoor living areas bathrooms exposed to high levels of steam and moisture or any other area where weather or moisture may play a role.

Smooth out the caulk with your finger or putty knife. Press any excess caulk on your finger into each gap created by the lap siding and then smooth. Step 7 sand the edges. In my opinion caulking between the seams in any lapped siding either horizontal or vertical is not good practice but not just because of any potential vapor barrier effect.

It is specifically designed for exterior siding and is manufactured using recycled materials that are extremely dimensionally stable and resistant to rot and decay. Step 6 seal with caulk. Cut a tiny opening with a utility knife not the cutter on the caulk gun.