Best Caulk For Sill Plate

Latex caulking can harden and crack and pure silicone caulking can pull away from the masonry if it becomes wet.

Best caulk for sill plate.

In this article we will go over typically caulked areas on the exterior typical northwest style homes and also areas that should never be. Stuff a wad of fiberglass insulation into each opening to support the foam as it hardens see figure a in the horizontal callout. If you have a solid concrete foundation also run a bead of caulk where the sill plate meets the concrete. Fasten the sill plate to the concrete slab following the recommendations of the local building code.

Over time it can crack and chip allowing water to seep or. Ordinary foam sill sealer works best as a capillary break but it doesn t always work so well as an air seal. The best way to air seal the sill plate is to place a sill sealer also called a sill gasket on the concrete before laying down the sill plate. Caulking is a sealant that fills gaps cracks nail holes and similar imperfections on the surface.

Some codes require that the sill plate be bolted to the slab while others recommend a metal. Use around the perimeter of windows to help seal the window to the header sill jack stud and jamb. In other words caulking is applied where moisture would otherwise penetrate and cause deterioration. Look for a sealant labeled minimal expansion.

If you have a concrete block foundation also seal the openings on top with expanding foam. Best uses for silicone sealants silicone is very flexible and acts as a water and moisture repellant making silicone sealants the best caulk for windows and bathrooms. Flexible foam sealant designed for use on both wood and masonry is the best type of caulking for sealing the sill plate.