# Sealing up siding -keep out wasps



## Gustavas (Oct 4, 2014)

seems like a clear silicone caulk world work.


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## chipmb2985 (Nov 28, 2014)

Sounds like that would work. I think the only thing I'm worried about is the vinyl siding breathing. 

In my google searching, it seems like some people say you can seal them and some say not to lol.


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## chipmb2985 (Nov 28, 2014)

Some sources say that you can caulk vertically only. I'm not really sure what's right, but I might just caulk the vertical spots around the door, and leave the bottom portion (horizontal) alone.


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## Gustavas (Oct 4, 2014)

you could always just treat it with a residual pesticide.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Reason not to do it has nothing to do with vinyl siding having to breath.
Vinyl expands and contracts a lot, if somethings stopping it from moving it can cause it to buckle or seams to open up.
You may get away with it in this case if it's done on one end.


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## chipmb2985 (Nov 28, 2014)

Gustavas said:


> you could always just treat it with a residual pesticide.


I've used a bug repellent spray on it last year and it worked amazing with stink bugs because they sometimes crawl that area too. But for some reason wasps are invisible to every repellent spray I've used. 

Besides the kill on contact stuff that is lol.. I've even tried spraying a bunch of that stuff in the area and they still go back in after a couple mins.


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## chipmb2985 (Nov 28, 2014)

joecaption said:


> Reason not to do it has nothing to do with vinyl siding having to breath.
> Vinyl expands and contracts a lot, if somethings stopping it from moving it can cause it to buckle or seams to open up.
> You may get away with it in this case if it's done on one end.


Thanks! I'm probably just going to do the one vertical side around door and call it a day. Just hoping that won't cause any issues for siding.


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## chipmb2985 (Nov 28, 2014)

This is probably a dumb question, but are you supposed to paint over caulk if used for siding?


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## AugustBorn (Mar 22, 2015)

It can actually expand quite a bit and that's why a gap was left there in the first place. By caulking it you do increase the risk of it buckling but it won't necessarily happen.

If you do see it start to buckle on hot days you can easily scrape out the caulk. But odds are you'll be just fine.



> While wood siding is fastened tightly to the house, vinyl siding literally hangs from nails driven through horizontal slots at the top of a panel's nailing hem. The reason for the loose nailing has to do with the vinyl's (and polypropylene's) need to expand or contract as the temperature changes: A 12-foot length of plastic siding can expand as much as 5/8 inch with seasonal temperature swings.
> 
> I quickly grabbed that from here for you: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,266296-3,00.html


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## concrete_joe (Oct 6, 2014)

wasps, hmmm. i would ask around with the bug folks, see if dusting those areas with a bellows using a wasp hating powder would keep them away.


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## Gustavas (Oct 4, 2014)

chipmb2985 said:


> I've used a bug repellent spray on it last year and it worked amazing with stink bugs because they sometimes crawl that area too. But for some reason wasps are invisible to every repellent spray I've used.
> 
> Besides the kill on contact stuff that is lol.. I've even tried spraying a bunch of that stuff in the area and they still go back in after a couple mins.



If there is already a nest there, that's exactly right. but if you spray now, it will prevent nests.


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## TheOriginalFreak (Sep 6, 2021)

AugustBorn said:


> It can actually expand quite a bit and that's why a gap was left there in the first place. By caulking it you do increase the risk of it buckling but it won't necessarily happen.
> 
> If you do see it start to buckle on hot days you can easily scrape out the caulk. But odds are you'll be just fine.


There may be a ready made solution for your siding, otherwise, if you can get your hands on some spare siding that matches yours you can caulk a 1" strip over the existing siding along the door moulding. Not certain how easy or effective this will be given the contour of your siding, but this would mimic how 'poorman's vinyl' (not cut on side to fit, you just patch together 12' lengths as needed around your house) in that one piece of vinyl siding will slip freely under the next piece like a set of old sliding closet doors from the '70s. One of the biggest issues will be if the contour of your siding allows for a second slat overtop and still maintain a tight seal between the bottom siding and the top small piece of siding.
good luck and if you figured this out, please let us know what did and did not work.


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## TheOriginalFreak (Sep 6, 2021)

TheOriginalFreak said:


> There may be a ready made solution for your siding, otherwise, if you can get your hands on some spare siding that matches yours you can caulk a 1" strip over the existing siding along the door moulding. Not certain how easy or effective this will be given the contour of your siding, but this would mimic how 'poorman's vinyl' (not cut on side to fit, you just patch together 12' lengths as needed around your house) in that one piece of vinyl siding will slip freely under the next piece like a set of old sliding closet doors from the '70s. One of the biggest issues will be if the contour of your siding allows for a second slat overtop and still maintain a tight seal between the bottom siding and the top small piece of siding.
> good luck and if you figured this out, please let us know what did and did not work.


Here's a picture of what I am trying to describe.


http://www.bobshowto.com/aaardcwspRIotje/P0001073.JPG


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