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    • #74153
      katrina7777
      Participant

      I just purchased a home with T1-11 wood siding. Several areas have rot at the bottom. I have had several contractors look at it and get different answers to this question: I know when you install the siding that you need to caulk and seal the vertical sections where they meet but DO you need to caulk/Seal the BOTTOM of the siding where it meets the house? Some say yes, that way critters and the like cant crawl up between but some say no, that you need a moisture/vapor barrier and somewhere for the moisture to drip out??? Does anyone know how to contact the T1-11 Manufacturer or know for sure seal the bottom edge it or not?

    • #303165
      tomh
      Participant

      T-111 siding should not be sealed at the bottom. Panels mounted vertically above another panel should be separated by a Z-bar flashing. When siding is built above a roof, either L or step flashing is used behind the panel. Never caulk flashed joints as this will CAUSE rot.

      The siding is typically very tight at the sill-plate with 6-inch nailing schedules. There is no reason to caulk that joint, and it is desirable to allow any moisture to move downward, rather than accumulate near the bottom of the panel. Critters cannot get behind properly fastened T-111 siding. Sealing bottom edges with primer and paint can greatly reduce moisture from being drawn into the panel, which is the most common source of rot.

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