# Help with home improvement mistake. Ooopsie!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-home-improvement-mistake-ooopsie/410134>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 1, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-home-improvement-mistake-ooopsie/410134 "2007-07-01T17:29:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-home-improvement-mistake-ooopsie/410134/1 "2007-07-01T17:29:32Z")

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I am in the process of repainting my house. Here’s what I have done in error, forgive me if I don’t have the lingo down.

Some sort of old brittle, weather cracked, caulking needing replacing during the prep phase of the project. It’s where the siding meets the wooden seater board (?) just above the concrete foundation. No worries.

Off to the hardware store, purchase some silicone caulking and set about scraping off the old and filling with the new. After I completed the project, and in response to a question from a friend I discover this is not paintable caulk. Yikes! :eek:

I had, in fact looked over what the label said but I was being peppered with questions at the time and only skimmed it. When I thought I had seen the word paintable, was, in fact, a handy little guide on the side of the tube listing whether or not it possessed certain characteristics. As in; UV resistant, yes, recommended for bathrooms, yes, paintable, no! :smack:

So like, what do I do now? I did a heck of a job putting it in and while I could, in a couple of days likely pull out the largest chunk of the bead, the feathery parts ( a little on the siding, a little on the board ) present a challenge I’m at a loss to address.

I’m stumped.  
Any suggestions for me? Anyone had any experience with such things? Surely I am not the first bonehead to make such a foolish error?

Thank you in advance for your kind words and advice!

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [July 1, 2007, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-home-improvement-mistake-ooopsie/410134/2 "2007-07-01T17:36:47Z")

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Guess you’re not the first. [This forum](http://forum.doityourself.com/showthread.php?t=271232) says that pigmented shellac finish should do the job.

That, or plant some arbor vitae in front of the foundation.

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**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2007, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-home-improvement-mistake-ooopsie/410134/3 "2007-07-02T03:20:16Z")

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Thanks so much **Finagle**!

That was a wonderful link you provided. And, as it happens, I have the very product mentioned in my basement. What are the chances of that happening?

I will definitely try it out directly.

I am feeling much more confident about overcoming my error, so thanks! 🙂