[DIherself]

I need to caulk a 4-foot long gap between exterior asbestos siding and wood clapboard, on the fourth rung of an 8-foot ladder. I can't climb up any higher to see the gap but I can hold a little mirror in my left hand to see it. I have several inches to spare with my right hand above the gap.

There is no way I could use a caulk gun to fill this gap.

I was wondering if I could fill a pastry bag with the caulk and squeeze it out with my right hand alone, using the mirror to check my work. I know the best way is to try it first, but I don't want to waste the caulk and I thought maybe someone might give me some tips (pardon the pun).

The gap is about a half inch wide. I'm going to use backer rod, so actually I'd be caulking along the rod, with the caulk touching the asbestos edge and the wood clapboard edge.

Thank you from Florida.

 

[Colbyt]

Years ago I started using disposable pastry bags to speed fill small gaps in drywall before the bedding coat so I can't think of any reason other than product waste why you could not do the same with caulk.


Tip: Find a cup that will hold the bag for easier filling and don cut the tip until you are ready to caulk and have worked the air out of the bag.

 

[Calson]

I would expect that what is needed is flashing and not caulk. I would also expect that a lot of roofers have been laid off and are in need of some work for cash. Put a posting in Craigslist and look for existing postings by experienced roofers looking for work.

Forget about having a handyman or carpenter do the work as the cost will be the same and work will not be done right.

I have spent thousands of dollars to fix the mistakes of past roofers at my own house. I want to be sure that if I am having something done for the second time that it is the last time.

 

[Old Thomas]

Why can’t you climb up a step or two more?

 

[Nealtw]

When in doubt, fake it,

 

[Colbyt]

And there is this https://www.amazon.com/90-Degree-Caulking-Tip-pack/dp/B00FVAIPJC



and a flexible version but that wasn't the question asked.

 

[DIherself]

Colby, great idea to use a cup before squeezing out the caulk from the gun into the bag. I hadn't thought about that yet. I like to go thru it in my mind first. In fact, I have a large (do it all at once) and a small pastry bag (do a little, see how it goes, climb down)....

Calson, yeah, my subconscious was nagging at me cuz the gap is so big.... but I thought well, they built this old house and didn't use flashing; they used caulk. I peeled some o' that old caulk off (what's left of it, I confess). Sure would be nice to just caulk it and get it over with. Maybe I should use flashing. I'm guessing you're suggesting flashing cuz it's a big gap? I'll send pictures tomorrow.

Old Thomas, you're not that old if you have to ask me why I won't go up a step or two more. My reason: chicken. There's only two more steps before the flat top, which is where I could land my elbows if I had to and still be on the ladder. Otherwise, I'd have to hold on to the corner of the house. Corners are tricky anyway. I'll send a picture tomorrow.

Neal, that squirt tube you have coming out of the caulk tube is fascinating. But I'd still have to use a caulk gun, which would take two of my arms and hands (that's all I have), and I need my left arm/hand to be free, thank you very much. I am not accustomed to this type of work....

Calson, can flashing be installed without nailing? I dont' like nail holes, if they can be avoided. This old house, built in 1940, had no nail holes, used dovetail and freeze boards. If I knew of a roofer who would "solve the gap problem, however he thinks best in his eperience," before it rains next week, I'd call him tonight. I've spent the last three days cleaning the gap, researching caulk, and am ready to fill the pastry bag tomorrow unless ......

Thank you all so much!

 

[mark sr]

Caulk has it's limits, the wider the gap the less likely it is to hold up long term. I wonder if gluing flashing in place with adhesive caulk would work. Your [or somebody] really needs to get further up the ladder to visibly see what's needed and make the repair.

 

[Colbyt]

Neal, that squirt tube you have coming out of the caulk tube is fascinating. But I'd still have to use a caulk gun, which would take two of my arms and hands (that's all I have), and I need my left arm/hand to be free, thank you very much. I am not accustomed to this type of work....

Thank you all so much!

Wait.


Using a pastry bag or mortar bag accurately is still a 2 handed process. One must twist the bag closed at the top and the other directs the tip to where you want the stuff to go.


Let's see your pictures and at least listen to the advice.


Now I am the worlds biggest chicken when it come to climbing so trust me when I say the following. The right ladder or even a scaffold plus the right shoes, stiff soled work boots add greatly to the security factor.


It sounds like you are using a step ladder and that is probably not the correct ladder for this job.


The higher the duty rating of the ladder the stiffer is usually is and the more secure you feel. One has to balance the ability to move it along with those factors. I personally never feel comfortable when my head is above the top rung of an extension ladder.

 

[Bondo]

I need to caulk a 4-foot long gap between exterior asbestos siding and wood clapboard, on the fourth rung of an 8-foot ladder. I can't climb up any higher to see the gap but I can hold a little mirror in my left hand to see it. I have several inches to spare with my right hand above the gap.

There is no way I could use a caulk gun to fill this gap.

I was wondering if I could fill a pastry bag with the caulk and squeeze it out with my right hand alone, using the mirror to check my work. I know the best way is to try it first, but I don't want to waste the caulk and I thought maybe someone might give me some tips (pardon the pun).

The gap is about a half inch wide. I'm going to use backer rod, so actually I'd be caulking along the rod, with the caulk touching the asbestos edge and the wood clapboard edge.

Thank you from Florida.

Ayuh,...... Buy putty in a can, 'n pack it into place with a putty-knife,......

 

[DIherself]

Here's pictures. The 3-foot+- piece of asbestos siding is warped, I think. The corner overlaps and so the whole thing won't go against the house flush, which would close the gap. My pinkie finger will fit between the wood and the siding, and that's the widest of the gap. My forefinger goes to my first knuckle, and that's how wide the gap is at the widest corner.

Maybe flashing is a good idea. But are the gaps still too wide for caulk even with backer rod?

I'm now going to read the newest. The ladder is 8 feet tall with six rungs. The closups are from the fourth rung. Thank you. I'll be back.

 

[huesmann]

Jam some backer rod in there and then caulk.

 

[DIherself]

Correction: The warped corner piece (pic#1) is about a foot long, goes from the corner to the V cut in the tile there.

The piece popped out as I was cleaning the siding. The nail was dangling from the siding's wood strip. A guy came by and hammered it in but it wouldn't go in all the way. Today I sprayed the nail with lubricant but it still wouldn't go in flush. The corner piece won't fit it like it should like a puzzle piece. Or the nail is hung up on the piece below. Maybe I should be happy the siding didn't break with all that hammering and that corner piece overlapping even after I peeled the old caulk off.

A pastry bag, even with two hands, would be easier for me than a heavy caulk gun.

I'd want to pick the most durable and waterproof of caulk or putty.

 

[Colbyt]

First major point: I am about 99% sure that is not asbestos siding.


It is that crappy old Masonite stuff. I wold get a small block of wood or a mending plate and run a screw through whichever and over time pull it back tight. Then secure it with screws and remove the block of wood or the mending plate. Caulk or fill the hole.


At that point caulk the angle but do not caulk the bottom unless you still have a gap bigger than 1/8".


And buy yourself a 300 pound duty rated extension ladder so you can caulk all that angle from the peak down.

 

[DIherself]

Masonite? Best news never. Will check out. I need to know for sure, so that whatever caulk I use will stick to it. I don't understand about the block of wood/mending plate. Maybe a way to straighten out the warped piece while leaving it in place? If so, I can research it as I do understand the concept, and spare you explaining it. If not, is there a name for what you describe so I can look it up?

I've been using an 8-foot stepladder. I could probably do it with a 10 footer. I really really appreciate your help. Tighten up a couple more things and I'm ready to get up there and get er done, thanx to all of youz and I really mean it.

If you're interested in learning a hack for reusing a pastry bag, check out "Home Hack|The Best Way to Fill a Piping Bag, Domestic Geek," but if you've been doing it for years, you probably already know all the tricks.

Thank you ag

 

[Colbyt]

If you run a screw into that soft old crap it will go right though it. A fender washer, a block of wood, a mending plate anything to distribute the pressure over a wider area and don't try to pull it down all in one week.

 

[DIherself]

okay, Colby, got it. Thanx again. I have an old piece of Masonite I can practice on and see how softly the screw goes in with just a screwdriver. I don't think asbestos is screwably soft, is it?

BTW to Huesmann: Duh... but I think you were kidding...

 

[mark sr]

Masonite is fairly soft, even when new. There shouldn't be any issue putting a screw into it. The main issue is whether or not the screw will hold.


Masonite siding paints nicely and will last forever IF it never gets wet - hard to do when it's used on the exterior.

 

[DIherself]

If it is Masonite, the siding has held up for over 50 years, nailed in with white flat-head nails about an inch long, ring-shanked near the nead, and of very small diameter, having examined them when a few popped out.

Does the fact that the original siding was installed with nails make more of a case to confirm Masonite? Or maybe the original nail holes were started with a drill which could be either Masonite or asbestos if drilled?

If it's Masonsite, I could just softly nail in that corner piece and straighten it that way, couldn't I? That would be marvelous!

There are cracks here and there in the siding. You can see that V cut in the first picture. Now I wonder if the two substances crack the same, as a clue. I could send pictures of my best cracks if it'll help narrow this down.

Can we agree that whether it's Masonite or asbestos, it takes a good amount of force to make a crack?

 

[DIherself]

Oh, I chiseled off the edge of the corner Mas/asb/tile ///// and I could then push it flush under the //// wood edge, but it took a lot of strength to hold it against the house, but popped out when I let go. It looks like the wood hammered to the tile got warped and pushed out the tile since they're attached... duh?