Sealing Gaps in Exterior Siding
Discover different exterior applications for a high-quality sealant.
Sponsored by GE sealants
We’ve teamed up with Jordan Smith of Smith House Co. to show you the best way to seal gaps in siding transitions using GE Supreme Silicone Window & Door Sealant. From exterior light fixtures to siding boards and everything in between, Smith shares tons of expert tips that will help you seal your exterior like a pro.
Here’s the Transcript:
Today we’re outside of Austin, Texas, where I’m finishing up some final details on the exterior of my house. For that, I’ll be using GE Supreme Silicone Window & Door Sealant to address the gaps in transitions on the siding.
For my first application, I’m addressing the gap between the siding boards. We intentionally leave a small gap to allow the board to expand and contract. But we need to fill that with a good sealant so that water doesn’t get back there and cause rot.
To get started, I used denatured alcohol to clean the joint, which provides a good substrate for the silicone to adhere to. I also adjust how much of the tip I cut away depending on the siding gaps I’m filling.
I really like that the GE Supreme Silicone Window & Door Sealant can expand and contract. It’s not going to crack as the weather changes, and it has strong adhesion. It’s going to stick to the wood siding tenaciously, so it’s not going to pull away as the seasons change.
Let’s Look at Lighting
The next application is for an exterior light where the electrician cut through the siding but didn’t seal around the light fixture. If left open, water could get in and cause rot. The gap on this application was a bit tighter, so I cut the tip to create a smaller hole so I could be very precise with the sealant.
I also used a caulking tool to get in around the light fixture — this let’s me fine-tune things. Another thing I really like about this product is it’s mold resistant, which means mold won’t grow on it over time. This is a highly visible area right by the door and we don’t want mold growing on it.
Quick Repair
The final application is a repair where two buildings came together. The joint was originally caulked with an inferior product, so now I’ve got to clean that product out and replace it with 100% silicone. We cut our tube with a very large opening, which allowed us to get a lot of product deep into the groove and close the gap.
When tooling the bead, it’s important not to let too much build up on the end of your finger. So I pull down a few inches at a time and then wipe my finger so I’m not touching all the sides of the buildings and making a big mess.
GE Supreme Silicone Window & Door Sealant is the perfect sealant for this application because it’s 100% weatherproof and resists UV degradation, which is perfect for this application because we get a lot of sun down here in Texas.
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