To caulk, or not to caulk. That is the question.
Hello!
I'm hoping you can tell me if I should caulk the gap between the stucco and the metal and/or metal to wood above my window. I am a DIY homeowner and Is that metal a drip screed or something? The stucco had originally overlapped the metal from above but was thin there and had cracked along the top edge and was falling off. We get wind and fog and rain often in this area (San Francisco). Is that gap supposed to be filled or left open to let water out? I am so tempted to caulk it.
Your advice and wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
You don't need caulking. You need to replace the wood trim over the window and the flashing.
Apparently, the old flashing is steel and has rusted through. I looks like steel where the paint is chipping off. For whatever reason, water is running behind the flashing causing the wood to rot.
The gap between the flashing and the stucco is good. This allows water out that penetrates the stucco and runs down. Caulking this gap is something frequently done that causes more harm than good.
There is a possibility the back of the flashing isn't tight to the wall, causing water to run behind the flashing and onto the wood trim.
To remedy this situation, the wood trim needs to come off above the window, and the stucco cut off above the trim at least 2-3 inches. After putting on new trim and flashing, the stucco can be patched back. It is a good idea to leave a gap between the bottom of the stucco and the trim, the way it is now. If you don't leave a gap, a small crack will appear over the flashing. This will be your water exit so it should never be caulked.
Thanks so much for visiting my site, and the great question.