BP'ers, 

Here is a caulking question from a friend of mine in Savannah. Since you guys knocked the ball out of the park on the Ceramic Paint question I posted last week I thought I would give y'all a swing at this one.

Thanks,

Brian 

Brian,

While at Jekyll Island, were there specific caulking products that you liked to use on historic materials, such as historic wood.  The question stems from choosing a caulk/sealant to use on the Coach & Paint Shop "barn" doors at the Roundhouse.  Historically, caulking (which included asbestos) was applied to the tops of horizontal and diagonal elements of the doors' structure where they meet with the tongue and groove boards of the doors.  This mainly was a seal to prevent water from going behind the structural elements.  

I have been getting advice from too many ends at this point.  We want the caulk to be paintable.  I have restoration companies and architects (and others - did you know that there is a Sealant & Waterproofing Institute?) most highly suggesting Sonneborn NP-1 which is a urethane based product. I am considering going with a Sherwin Williams product b/c we are using the SW A-100 paint system.  Urethanes would have better adhesion and durabilty than most latex-based caulks, but we are concerned about reversability.  Therefore I am looking for good latex options.  I am considering Sherwin williams 1100A, but are there some other good choices out there.  I am going to call DAP on Monday and see what the comparable product are to SW, but any advice you can give would be wonderful.  

I have to talk to Stewart about this, but my understanding is that the main protection of the caulk would be to divert water/moisture from behind the wood element, and not to create a weatherseal to the interior of the building.  I believe that, with the current proposal for museum use, we would be looking into a secondary interior door/barrier system that would insulate/weatherize the door openings.  Can you think of anybody with APT or NPS that may have advice??

Thanks,


Tracy Bakic
Preservation Planner/Project Manager

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