What's the best outdoor sealant/caulk?
 

Hey everyone,

I'm about to paint my house (200 years old) and there are gaps all over the
trim that need to be sealed before painting.

What's the best sealant/caulk to use? Needs to be paintable, durable etc.
I've used LEXEL with good success in smaller projects and was thinking of
using it again for this.

Any suggestions for something better?

Thanks for any advice

I've always had good results using GE silicones.

On Wed, 4 May 2005 07:41:30 -0400, "John"
scribbled this interesting note:

Hey everyone,

I'm about to paint my house (200 years old) and there are gaps all over the
trim that need to be sealed before painting.

What's the best sealant/caulk to use? Needs to be paintable, durable etc.
I've used LEXEL with good success in smaller projects and was thinking of
using it again for this.

Any suggestions for something better?

Thanks for any advice


Depends on what your goals are. Do you just want a good exterior caulk
or do you want better? I've had very good results with the 50 year DAP
painter's caulk-clear. I've found the clear, as opposed to the white
or other colors, works better and cracks less. On the other hand, if
you don't mind the extra mess, you could go with a one part urethane
caulk. These are flexible and resist the weather. The come in
different colors so one might be a close match to your paint color.

Good luck.


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

John wrote:

Hey everyone,

I'm about to paint my house (200 years old) and there are gaps all over the
trim that need to be sealed before painting.

What's the best sealant/caulk to use? Needs to be paintable, durable etc.
I've used LEXEL with good success in smaller projects and was thinking of
using it again for this.

Any suggestions for something better?

Thanks for any advice



That is like asking what is the best truck!

If you are just needing cosmetic coverage, then any good latex
caulk will work well and is easy to apply and work with. If
you are looking for something that will truly be a sealant,
then I would go with something like a Vulkem product, or a
Geocell product like Geocell 2300. PL2000 is another good
product if you can find it.

Be aware that all of the products in the second category are
adhesive sealants and if you use them, you are NOT going to be
able to remove them easily. They are also more difficult to
work than the latexes.

I would stay away from silicone as it is not paintable and I
have had serious problems with its adhesive qualities on wood
and masonry.

Here is a site for Vulkem (use the urethanes):

http://www.tremcosealants.com/commercial/products/product_category.asp?category=1

Geocell is available at most roofing suppliers and I haven't
been able to find PL2000 in a while.

--
Robert Allison
Rimshot, Inc.
Georgetown, TX

On Wed, 04 May 2005 15:01:24 GMT, Robert Allison
scribbled this interesting note:

John wrote:

Hey everyone,

I'm about to paint my house (200 years old) and there are gaps all over the
trim that need to be sealed before painting.

What's the best sealant/caulk to use? Needs to be paintable, durable etc.
I've used LEXEL with good success in smaller projects and was thinking of
using it again for this.

Any suggestions for something better?

Thanks for any advice



That is like asking what is the best truck!

If you are just needing cosmetic coverage, then any good latex
caulk will work well and is easy to apply and work with. If
you are looking for something that will truly be a sealant,
then I would go with something like a Vulkem product, or a
Geocell product like Geocell 2300. PL2000 is another good
product if you can find it.

Be aware that all of the products in the second category are
adhesive sealants and if you use them, you are NOT going to be
able to remove them easily. They are also more difficult to
work than the latexes.

I would stay away from silicone as it is not paintable and I
have had serious problems with its adhesive qualities on wood
and masonry.

Here is a site for Vulkem (use the urethanes):

http://www.tremcosealants.com/commercial/products/product_category.asp?category=1

Geocell is available at most roofing suppliers and I haven't
been able to find PL2000 in a while.

What we typically use is NP-1, which is another one part urethane
caulk or sealer. More difficult to work than painter's caulk, but it
does its job wonderfully. As with what you recommend, we buy NP-1 at
the roofing supply house.


--
John Willis
(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Silicone

GE actually makes a paintable silicone now, I just used it to seal around my
french doors and painted over it. Looks pretty good.

http://www.gesealants.com/sealants/d...nextreme.shtml



"borgunit" wrote in message
news:1c8f3$4279295f$455da0d2$1586@allthenewsgroups .com...
Silicone

Avoid silicones like the plague, unless you use Dow Corning 795.
I would suggest Sonneborn's NP1 or any of several other one part
urethanes. Silicone does not paint. Silicone does not stick in
the long haul.


(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"John" wrote in message
...
Hey everyone,

I'm about to paint my house (200 years old) and there are gaps
all over the
trim that need to be sealed before painting.

What's the best sealant/caulk to use? Needs to be paintable,
durable etc.
I've used LEXEL with good success in smaller projects and was
thinking of
using it again for this.

Any suggestions for something better?

Thanks for any advice

I would stay away from silicone as it is not paintable and I
have had serious problems with its adhesive qualities on wood
and masonry.

I agree wholeheartedly. I'm sure there's a "paintable" silicone
available, but my experience with silicone adhering to wood and masonry
is that it doesn't. I hate to see it on a house, but if it needs to be
ripped out it's great. It comes out out in nice long strings.

I should add that I'm in the one-part urethane camp. It's hard to work
but it's great stuff.

"Hopkins" wrote in message
oups.com...
I would stay away from silicone as it is not paintable and I
have had serious problems with its adhesive qualities on wood
and masonry.

I agree wholeheartedly. I'm sure there's a "paintable" silicone
available, but my experience with silicone adhering to wood and masonry
is that it doesn't. I hate to see it on a house, but if it needs to be
ripped out it's great. It comes out out in nice long strings.

Of course, nothing else will adhere where the silicone was. Urethane for me.

Bob

This all good information. I definately want a sealant, one that lasts.

I'm going to look for some of the one part polyurethane products mentioned.

No one recommends Lexel?
http://www.sashcosealants.com/home_i...ts/lexel.shtml

I'm not even sure what it's classified as but it seems to be real sticky.
When cured it feels very rubbery and stretchy. Not sure of the longterm use
since I moved.

Thanks again for the info..

Johnny

I haven't used Lexel but I have to admit, from the link, it sounds like
an interesting product. Sounds like it's along the lines of urethane --
great adhesion and stays flexible.