Has anyone used OSI EP-1000 Caulk on Hardi Plank siding Butt Joints? How did it work?

Arthur W
by Arthur W
  10 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on May 02, 2012
    I used some basic latex DAP painters caulk on a few of the but joints on my cabin project last year...so far so good.
  • I have used this product for quite a while. I normally use it for door installs and some past wood siding repairs. Have not used in for Hardi Plank but my experience would tell me that this would be a good product to use for the butt joints. But I would question why your using for the butt joints? Are you placing any asphalt paper behind the joints to keep the water out? I typically do not use any sealants between these joints with exception of end cuts on corners or where they meet a window or door.
  • Arthur W Arthur W on May 02, 2012
    The siding is already installed on the house, no asphalt paper was installed at the joints as Hardi recommends now. Regular caulk cracks in a short time
  • Arthur W Arthur W on May 02, 2012
    Thanks for the answers, but I'm still hoping for more ideas.
  • The issue with any type of sealant, regardless of brand is proper application. Butt joints are particularly difficult due to the type of movement that can occur and the inability to properly tool the material. An ideal caulk joint forms a hour glass shape with the thicker sides being attached to the materials and the thin more stretchy middle not being attached to either side. This give the sealant a better grip with least amount of tension in middle allowing for movement without tearing. An example of this would be using a thin and thick rubber band. Cutting the length of each to about one half inch long, you can easily grip the larger band, but its difficult to stretch because of it being thicker in middle. Take the same length but thinner rubber band you can pull much easier and it flexes quite well. Now take this same condition with a sealant, but using the thicker or larger surface being attached to the siding, and the thinner section being in the middle. Now you have the best of both worlds working for you. In the case of the siding Butt Joint, your working with a thin surface to begin with, and seeing the edges of the surfaces are pretty close if not touching themselves its impossible to get a good surface attachment without creating a thicker center where the sealant will be pushed behind the open joint. Thus a early failure of the sealant joint. I would try to push a thin aluminum strip up between each joint area. Put a 180 degree bend on one end and make the length of the strip long enough so when you push it up it reaches the top of the board under it. Thus allowing the metal edge that is bent over to catch on the edge of the lower siding section., This in turn will keep the metal strip from falling out. This will prevent any water from dripping behind the siding and eliminating the need for any sealant. The strips only need to be about one inch wide or so and should not be too difficult to cut, bend and slide up under each butt joint on the siding. Hope this helps.
  • Pam Pam on May 06, 2012
    Great explanation. This was interesting even to me and I have never had to replace or install siding. But when I do have to replace, I can suggest to the carpenter how I want him to do it so that I have no leaks and help keep my siding from rot in the future.
  • Arthur W Arthur W on May 06, 2012
    Thanks for the answers, but I'm still hoping for more ideas.
  • Arthur, can you elaborate a bit more on your question. Normally butt joints are not caulked if properly backed with paper or flashing. What is it that your looking to do, or are you having a problem that your looking to solve?
  • Arthur W Arthur W on May 07, 2012
    The Hardi Plank siding was installed when the house was built and was not backed with paper or flashing. it was just caulked with regular caulk and recaulked when painted a couple of years ago. But regular caulk cracks quickly. I am looking for one to not crack for a while.
  • The reason its cracking is explained by my first post. There is really nothing you can use to prevent this cracking from happening, It is simply the adhesion properties to the edge of the siding that is failing. Your only concern here is to see how much of an overlap was done when it was applied. if you can see the tar paper, plywood, or what ever was put on the wall before the siding went up near the top edge of the butt joint, the only proper method to fix this is to slide flashing up behind the joints. If you still see the under course of the siding and its going up beyond the bottom of the course above meaning you cannot see the top edge of the board below I would simply clean out the old caulk and not worry about it as the bottom board is protecting the wall. The bottom line is there is no sealant unless you coat over the top of each board, which would be ugly that will flex enough and still hold onto each edge of the board without adhesion failure.