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Paint Building a Home Design Dilemma

Should you caulk between tongue and groove boards?

last year

We are in the painting stages of our new build and the painters caulked all of our tongue and groove. They just painted our bedroom ceiling and the tongue and groove lines almost disappear. Does anyone know if tongue and groove is supposed to be caulked between each board? Attached is a picture of my bedroom ceiling and our inspiration photo (Studio McGee).

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Comments (22)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
I have no idea why they would do that . Did you show them this inspo pic ?I do see the grooves in your ceiling . Maybe the Mcgee wood was a bit different than yours so just looks a bit different . Are you sure they caulked the grooves?
Alona
Original Author
last year
Yes, they caulked all the grooves. We also did tongue and groove on the walls in our back foyer and they caulked between every board. :( Can caulk be removed?
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Christophern, it's nice to know that there are people close buy that have the same interests. I actually live in PA. My husband was doing some landscaping at Fort Ritchey and was told they were going to tear down the pavillions to make way for a new road. DH asked the supervisor in charge of the project if he could salvage some of the boards, and after many hours of hard labor we salvaged a good deal of the top of one of the pavillions. The security guys apparently didn't like us working there so the pavillions were knocked down and buried. Tons of beautiful yellow pine tongue and groove boards destroyed. Many of the boards were 14 to 16 feet long. That kind of broke my heart, but we have our own little piece of history to put in our home. Thanks, mightyanvil, for the table. I had no idea that yellow pine was so soft. I haven't tested any stains to see what they would look like, but I think I will give that a try. Right now I have some old barn boards as a chair rail in my living room that will have to come out. I kind of hope we can do it carefully to save them. That makes me think that I should start with the kitchen. Until the living room is gutted and redone, it would look odd there.
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Comments (7)
Boards? There's a gazillion types of milled lumber...ship lap, tongue and groove, butt joint, yada yada. If you are going to use any of these as finish materials in the interior you should first install taped gypsum board against the wall studs. Unless you don't care about crawly critters and their friends. Lumber materials expand and contract with moisture, humidity and temperature. So you must have all sides and edges of each piece backprimed before installation to reduce the movement. Regardless of preparation, you can expect movement throughout each year, with joints expanding and contracting. This is especially true in high humidity areas like baths and kitchens. Since wood is an organic material, high humidity may also encourage mold, unless you exercise a regular cleaning and maintenance schedule. I certainly wouldn't call a wood wall finish in a bathroom a "green wall", unless you are referring to either paint color or unattended mold condition. Good luck with your project.
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PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
Sort of defeats the purpose of nickel gap… Unlikely you will be able to remove it and get a consistent gap.
millworkman
last year
last modified: last year
Your inspiration appears to be T&G Vee Joint. Your ceiling "appears" to be the same. There is no reason or way any interior Vee Joint T&G product should be caulked at the Vee Joints. Completely incorrect installation with any caulk at those joints.
Kendrah
last year
It seems absurd that they would have caulked it. It makes me wonder if they were nervous about it holding in a ceiling installation and instead of pondering their installation methods, they just went nuts with the caulk gun? It really makes no sense.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
The worst part is the joints will probably still open up with seasonal humidity changes…
Alona
Original Author
last year
Is the only solution to have them remove all the T&G? There is a lot.
Alona
Original Author
last year
I appreciate everyone’s help! I’m meeting with the contractor today. Wish me luck!
Alona
Original Author
last year
Our Millwork guy just said that a thin bead of caulk is typically put between each board to prevent large seasonal gaps. He said as long as the entire v groove isn’t filled with caulk, then it should be fine. Is this accurate? I hate to question him, but I’m wondering if they are just trying to avoid having to redo it.
doods
last year
last modified: last year
Will be interested to hear what he has to say, sorry you have to deal with this.
millworkman
last year
last modified: last year
" Our Millwork guy just said that a thin bead of caulk is typically put between each board to prevent large seasonal gaps. "

Maybe IN the T&G, NOT in the face Vee Joint, ever!

" but I’m wondering if they are just trying to avoid having to redo it. "

Exactly.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
last modified: last year
I too am curious as to why the extra work to do this ? IMO not life altering so my money would be spent elsewhere and in a bedroom really live with it is my opinion . I guess if the contractor owns his mistake then replace boards at his expense.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
Are you in Hawaii? If so are there seasonal changes? If the climate is fairly consistent this makes no sense
bichonbabe
last year
Should not have been caulked and I would make the contractor redo it. Caulking totally ruins the look. I have the same ceiling in the midwest and it does open up a tad seasonally, but it's not a big deal.
Alona
Original Author
last year
Designers Consortium - that sounds like the most logical way to do it.

WestCoast Hopeful - we live in Ohio so we do have seasonal changes.

I just met with the builder. He says they always caulk between T&G. He did agree that the amount of caulk used was inconsistent and is detracting from the look in our back foyer - he thinks the vaulted ceiling looks fine and that once we have light in there we will be able to see the definition between boards. The painter is now removing the caulk in our back foyer with a piece of folded sand paper. The T&G is MDF. I asked if this is going to destroy the MDF and he said no, that once they paint and sand it will be fine. Attached are two pics after he sanded a small space. He was going to do one wall and have me come back to see what I thought.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
They needed to have painted each piece and sides before install.

Sorry thought your name was Aloha! Oops
millworkman
last year
last modified: last year
" The T&G is MDF. I asked if this is going to destroy the MDF and he said no, that once they paint and sand it will be fine. "

MDF? Then the movement is even less of a concern. I would have him agree to replkce it if it does not come out correctly but it comes primes fro a reason. I would throw the guy off my job were it me. And if his boss truly thinks this is the way it should have been installed he can go with him.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
last year
I had a natural pine ceiling in my home in Michigan. The joints between boards looked horrible until they were caulked then painted. I'm going with the painter's judgement here.
JP L
last year
he thinks the vaulted ceiling looks fine

Do YOU think the ceiling looks fine? Respectfully, he's the contractor and you want a good working relationship, but don't let him tell you that it's all good here if you really hate it.
Alona
Original Author
last year
It’s not the look I was going for. If it’s not going to cause issues down the road, then I guess I can try to be reasonable, but if it’s going to crack and look horrible in a few years (or sooner), then I want to fix it now at their expense not mine.
bichonbabe
last year
I can’t imagine that you’re going to be happy . Get it redone now on their dime . It’s a major feature of your house and should be installed correctly.
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
Re do it now. This is 100% CORRECT from above

@ Designers Consortium

"This should have been primed and painted before install. Each piece.. All that would be needed would be to fill and touch up the nail holes. You'd get the shadow line gapping with a finished surface, through all of the seasons. No raw wood exposed in mid winter. It's quick assembly line work to do it that way. The GC just has to plan it in advance."

My guess?? Really bad planning and timing. He didn't have/couldn't get the paint subs, he DID have the trim sub!. So.......... he went full speed ahead and slammed it up. Then he was stuck with the raw edges and made it the painters problem.

And now? YOURS. So it's......do over!!!!!!!!!

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