When james hardie siding products butt into wood based materials a 1 8 gap will allow for expansion and contraction of the wood based product.
Caulking cement fiber siding.
So what i would tell you to do is to use a colored caulk to choose the caulk in the color of the siding.
Natural siding boards are designed to expand and contract with the elements and we do not want any adhesive to prevent their natural movement.
What you want to use is a silicone caulk because it s the most permanent one.
It s got good adhesion and expands and contracts.
Placing caulk over large portions of wood siding prohibits the natural movement of the wooden panels and can cause extensive damage to the exterior of your home.
Caulking around windows doors eaves and trim edges gives added insurance that leaks will not occur.
Best caulk for fiber cement siding or hardiplank siding lets you have the perfect sealing your surface needs.
We only caulk butt joints on cedar siding if previously caulked.
However this detail may not be effective at sealing the ends allowing water to be absorbed and swell the board ends.
Fiber cement boards are caulked only when there is no metal flashing behind them.
But you are correct that it is very difficult to paint.
That is why we are showing you some other products for various surfaces along with our top pick.
We provide a table of all fiber cement siding installation clearance or gap specifications caulking requirements storage or moisture requirements.
Flashing acts as a waterproofing layer for this type of siding and caulking will prevent the flashing from doing its job.
Caulk is usually used with fiber cement siding to prevent water intrusion at the butt joints.
Fiber cement boards don t expand and contract much but leave a little room for expansion at the end joints and then fill the gap with caulk.