Should You Seal The Bottom Of Siding

Below the top of the foundation but the lower the vinyl siding is installed the better.

Should you seal the bottom of siding. It comes untreated so you have to paint or stain it after installation if you want it to last and provide maximum weather resistance. After the paint dries apply caulk and then paint the rest of the siding. While my experience is more with vinyl siding sealing the siding to the foundation would deny any moisture that developed behind the siding from driving rain between seams in the siding condensation behind the siding ect an exit at the bottom. A full seal is important because any space that is missing sealant is more susceptible to water damage and chemical bleeding.

While paint does tend to somewhat glue these pieces together caulking them is never advised and can cause permanent damage. Holes occur over time when seals crack around plumbing fixtures on your siding allowing mice entrance into your home. I would be hesitant to seal the siding to the foundation. The bottom of the starter strip the part the bottom panel hooks on to should be at least 1 in.

The sheets are grooved so that the edges will seal when you nail them together but you need to install flashing caulking and trim along the top and bottom edges and around windows and doors to keep water out. Also avoid caulking tongue and groove siding boards together. By sealing gaps in your walls and siding you can successfully secure your home from outdoor pests. For best results seal before applying the siding to the wall.

Inexpensive and simple to do sealing your siding only requires a little time to locate the cracks. Caulking the bottom. This way you can completely seal the cedar front to back top to bottom and around all edges. It is sometimes called t1 11.

It protects the sheathing from rain snow and pests. All cuts in lp siding require paint to seal out moisture and old caulk can let moisture in over time. If you prefer to caulk before painting you should still paint the cut ends first.