January 2002
Over time all exterior wall sealant systems, including caulk, leak. Caulks work from a few days to a few years, which makes it impossible to predict when and where maintenance will be required. Since wall siding systems vary in their reliance on sealants through proper system selection and design a caulkless wall system may be developed. A caulkless wall siding system would not require sealants, or caulk, thereby eliminating both the initial expense and the routine maintenance associated with caulk.
The purpose of this research is to design, evaluate, install, and monitor wall siding systems that do not require caulk, either initially or during routine maintenance.
Prepared for:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Policy Development and Research
Prepared by:
NAHB Research Center
20 pages