Cement Fiber Lap Siding To Caulk Or Not To Caulk

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One of the inspectors from Allegiance Home Inspection goes over some of the ways to tell if siding needs to be caulked at the butt joints or not. If your lap siding has appropriate vapor barrier behind the joints it does not need to have the caulking maintained.

#sidinginstallation #siding #cementfiber #Caulk

[ochohd]

I have those gaps on my house but can’t really tell it the barrier is on or not. Now knowing that’s it’s pretty much installed incorrectly can I still caulk it? I want to repaint the house and have a seamless finish.

[robf]

If James Hardie board siding is caulked it has been improperly installed as of 2010. Everything you said is correct, I would just add that actually brand name Hardie board siding has had their installation instructions specifically be to not caulk, but instead flash these joints (is the word you we’re looking for I believe). Weather barrier is house wrap behind all of the siding, flashing are metal spline pieces laid between these joints. Likewise there should be no large gaps between.

Reason I say this, as a fellow home inspector, is not to try to up you on knowledge. But, if James Hardie board siding is incorrectly installed, then it’s 50 year warranty is void. I have practically never seen it installed correctly. Most people who bought this expensive siding don’t realize they would likely be better off with vinyl than this stuff when it’s not properly installed

[ademb]

How is the bottom of the cladding supposed to be to ensure you don’t get a draft through the concrete and the bottom cladding? I feel like my house was done wrong as it feels cold in the inside of the house where the base is

[olurotimiadepitan]

Yes, get that light up there and check it.