I'm going to help a friend repair a small fence for keeping her small dog contained. The fence is lightweight plastic of some sort, and mounted to a rail that runs along the exterior wall of her house. We're going to need to remove the rail and shorten it a little bit. When I put it back on the wall I'm going to caulk the old screw holes to make sure no water gets into them. Should I also caulk around / between the rail and the wall to keep water from getting trapped between the rail and the wall?
Best Answer
If the fence is plastic there should be no need to worry about water damaging any of it's pieces.
If the rail is removed and there's a chance of water getting through to the house it is a good idea to caulk the top and sides of the rail. Urethane caulk is durable and paintable, but very hard to tool (very sticky). 100% silicone is the most water proof, but not paintable. Latex will work get a 40 year-type for exterior use.
If the fence is attached to a section of the house that is constructed of wood or may allow water to enter the house, than yes caulk away.