Caulking Tips
Summary: Caulking takes practice. With the correct tools and by reading the instructions, you'll soon develop the patience needed for a first-class caulking job. Also, check out these recommended manufacturers for your caulk purchases.
Related Articles: Caulks, Techniques, Caulk Joints
Caulking Techniques & Tips
Every successful job depends upon having the right material for the job and the right tools to install the material properly. Common sense dictates that if you attempt to install a quality product with inadequate or inferior tools, you will achieve less than excellent results. Caulking is no different.
Before you start your caulking job, take inventory of your caulking "tools." Here is what you should have: high quality cartridge caulk gun, putty knife, scissors - knife - or razor blade, 5 inch long piece of thin, rigid wire, back up filler strip (for those deep cracks in excess of 1/2 inch deep), clean dry cloth, rounded synthetic sponge and bucket of warm water (if using a water based caulk), or correct solvent (if using a solvent based caulk.)
Just like anything, there is a right and a wrong way to caulk. The first thing to do is to make sure you have purchased the right caulk for the right job! Determine this by carefully reading the label on the caulk tube. Make sure that it says on the label that the caulk will stick to what you are caulking. If in doubt, ask for some help. Don't "hope" that it will work.
Once you have the right caulk, read the directions on the label. Yes, I know this sounds boring. I mean, really, who has those extra two minutes it's going to take to do this? Do you think it is worth two minutes to ensure a first-class job? I thought so.
Water based caulks can often be applied to wet or dry surfaces. Non-water based caulks, especially silicone, will not remotely stick to wet or damp surfaces. The trick to a successful job is taking your time. All too often, people squeeze the heck out of the gun and caulk squirts out all over the place. The key, in my opinion, is the right size hole in the tube. Trim the nozzle of the tube a little at a time. Remember, you can always trim the tube a little more. There is no way of reducing the hole if you cut off too much. I always make the hole of the tube about 60 to 70 percent the size (width) of the crack I am trying to fill. Depending upon weather conditions, caulk only two or three feet of the crack and stop. Tool the joint with your finger and wipe the excess caulk onto a paper towel.
If you apply the perfect amount of caulk, there will be no excess when you tool the joint. This is very difficult to do. I know of only two or three painters who really have perfected this science. However, once again, the key is taking your time. Simply slow down, and squeeze the gun slooooowly. This is especially critical if you are caulking against a rough surface such as brick. If you get excess caulk on brick, it is almost impossible to remove. Caulk, remember, is like glue! It sticks very rapidly to things. You can make a big mess on brick if you are not careful.
If you have never caulked before, buy a tube (caulk is really very inexpensive) and experiment! Nail a few different sized scrap boards together and caulk the seam or the corner of the overlap. Simply imagine that you are caulking a new window edge against a piece of trim.
Silicone caulks are a challenge. Take your time and use lacquer thinner to tool the joint. Ventilate well, if indoors!
Caulk Manufacturers
- Bostik
- DAP Inc.
- Liquid Nails
- ITW TACC Miracle Adhesives
- NPC Colored Sealants
- OSI Sealants, Inc.
- Red Devil Inc.
- Sashco Sealants
- Degussa Sealants
- 3M
|
|
Comments:
Mark 21 Feb 2008, 10:17
I install walk in bathtubs. The very most critical and critized part of
any job I have done in the caulking and how smooth it looks in the end
product. These are custom made tubs with doors in them. They sit 1/16th
to 1/2" from each of 3 walls. They are fiberglass. Every tub I do there
always seems to be difficulty somewhere along the seem to make it perfectly
smooth. I use water on my finger, and , I use tons of paper towels to wipe
the left overs off my finger. I put it on in layers often times. But any
ridges or bumps or curves or anything that isn't a perfect and smooth
grouting job can cause extreme anxiety in the customer and has cost me
hundreds of dollars in profit. Any thoughts, videos, books to help me
learn correct caulking, Mark
AsktheBuilder 29 Feb 2008, 12:49
Mark,
You need to do one of two things: 1. Lower the expectations of your customers by showing them photos of things that cause issues. Point them out WHEN you are there for the bid. 2. Develop different levels of pricing for your different customers. Some may be fine with a not-so-perfect job. For those that want perfection, they should be expected to pay you a fair price for the amount of time it takes you to get there. This is what Mercedes, Lexus, Rolls Royce and others who make the best do. They charge more for the discriminating customer.
David 05 Mar 2008, 20:38
I am trying to bond & seal a Oil base exterior trim product to and exterior
wood siding. I want the trim product to bond to the wood so it won't move
or seperate. what would you suggest?
AsktheBuilder 09 Mar 2008, 10:38
David,
I think you want a waterproof urethane glue.
Lori Grierson 11 Mar 2008, 13:39
This is to Mark, who is having difficulty with his finesse in caulking.
Mark, get out a bunch of boxes, the you don't need for anything, and
practice on all of the inside 45's. I promise, that before you know it,
you'll be an expert a caulking, without having to keep going back and
'fiddling' with it, after it's started to set up. Caulking is one of those
things that people get all afraid of, and because of their nervousness,
they screw it up consistently!
The biggest trick, is to get downpat, the size of the bead that you will be needing for each application. Too little, and you'll be 'fiddling' again....too much, and you be sticking you big fat fingers in it, screwing it all up. Practice, practice, practice. Nobody was born, already knowing how to caulk a perfect seam! Lori :)
Lori Grierson 11 Mar 2008, 13:45
Oh, and this is for David, who I think was talking about using an exterior
trim paint (????) If that's the case, just ask your local paint store (you
could even just call them), which product would work best for you. I'm an
old fan of 'Kilz'...and, I love the oil-based, original product. It's
inexpensive, and has never failed me yet. It creates a tremendous bond
between you 'object of art' and your finished coat! But, depending on what
is already on the surface that you are attempting to update, I would still
call a paint store. That's all that they do, and they are normally quite
knowledeable about their product. Don't bother to call a Sherwin Williams
store though, even though they have a wonderful product, they tend to have
quite a turnover with their employees, and those all tend to be quite young
and inexperienced.
Lori
Matt 12 Aug 2008, 22:12
For caulking - I have found that a silicone spatula head cut to the shape
of the bead I want - works great in almost every application - no more
fingers (after all silicone really isn't good for you) - the product goes
farther and it works in almost every tight angle and place I need to do -
the best part is that every caulked edge is consistent and symentrical
regardless of how much of the darn stuff comes squeezing out of the tube.
The spatula head works so well theres even someone selling a little widget
on TV thats just about the same idea --
1655graff 22 Oct 2008, 23:11
What is the "right" caulk for our 1973 covered porch?
- The floor is concrete. 4x4 Redwood posts sit on the concrete (with interior and exterior redwood panels between them) are the "walls." Large glass panes rest on redwood sills that bridge the 2 sets of redwood panels and are incased in strips of trim. - There's water stains in many the lower interior panels. There is a water barrier behind both sets. We'd like to properly seal/waterproof both sets of panels and the posts and we'll likely paint the panels and posts.
Liz 30 Nov 2008, 14:32
I have just recaulked my bathtub with clear polyseamseal caulk and let it
cure for 7 days. While taking a shower after this, I noticed the caulk was
getting "cloudy" on some edges and other areas and appeared the way it did
while it was drying.
What is the problem? Thanks.
Robbie 30 Jan 2009, 10:26
When you put the tube in the caulk gun what is the best way to break the
seal because I just put a tube in the gun and tighten it down and no caulk
came out it just broke the tube and caulk came out the back of the tube so
now I can't use the caulk
View all comments |
