Paint will not hide the gap between the wall and the baseboard. Caulking is required to cover the gap. Knowing how to caulk baseboards will make for a professional looking job. Caulk and a caulking gun is all you need for applying caulk.
Masking tape can be a nightmare when trying to peel it off after months or possibly years. Often it seems like a sandblaster is the only way to go. Fortunately I stumbled across a neat solvent that removes old tape, stickers and adhesive in situations like this. It is called Un-Du. If you are in a bind with old tape, check out their cool web site.
Beige masking tape is now just one of many job specific tapes on the market. Each of the colored masking tapes now has a different type of adhesive that keeps them from adhering
forever to a surface. The tapes are labeled with the optimal amount of time you can leave them in place.
Urethane caulks are a great way to deal with cracks that need to be painted. Silicone caulks do not accept paint or pigment. Urethane caulk will accept water and oil based paints. Be sure you wait the appropriate amount of drying time for the paint type you intend to use.
Urethane caulk is hard to find. I got some excellent information from one company and ran into just three other caulk companies that make a urethane caulk. My search even took me to several national home centers. I could only come up with the one brand I already knew about! Here's what I found, including a couple of professional-grade caulking guns.
Caulks have been around for years. Most caulks made up until 30 or so years ago were solvent based. Water based caulks were introduced in the 1950's and 60's and worked fairly well. Caulks have steadily improved into a water based caulk called a urethane caulk which has many benefits over silicone caulks, including its paintability.
Mildew that turns caulk black really frustrates lots of people. It even surprised me about 18 months ago when I re-caulked my kids' tub. I had a beautiful joint and six months later it showed signs of mildew. I couldn't believe it.
My guess is that you have seen them everywhere just like I have. They are smeared, humpy, glopped, too fat, etc. I'm talking about unattractive caulk joints. The biggest mistake people make is to start caulking before all your tools are set up. Apply slowly, making sure to stop every few feet to wipe off excess for a smooth application.
Mildew-proof caulks (not to be confused with mildew-
resistant caulks) are made by many of the top caulk manufacturers. While nearly every caulk manufacturer uses mildewcides in their caulk products, the top mildew-proof caulks incorporate a significant amount of the best mildewcides to resist mildew over time. The caulk also comes in colors other than white and Polyseamseal makes custom colors to match Kohler Plumbing fixtures.
Removing caulk to replace it because of mold and mildew is a time consuming job. The good news is that the replacement caulk can now contain a mildewcide to kill mildew off. Some of these are colored caulks that come with lifetime guarantees.
Your choices of caulk at the store will be mind blowing. Not every caulk works well for every job. There are caulks for porous and non-porous materials. Make sure you pick the right one.
Caulks are one of the most basic building materials used in today's building and remodeling projects. However, the caulks themselves are highly advanced. The variety of caulking compounds available to the builder and homeowner today is almost overwhelming. There are caulks for stopping water and air infiltration, minimizing radon infiltration, sanitation purposes, temporary roof repairs, driveway and masonry wall crack filling, crack filling for painting and many other uses. Think of a use and caulk can probably "fill" it.
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.
