Caulking & Sealing Your Home

More tips on sealing your home from the elements

Do-it-yourselfers will find many caulking compounds in a wide range of prices. Most materials are packed in cartridges and can be applied easily with a caulking gun. For large jobs, 5-gallon containers of caulking for guns are used. Manufacturers usually print on each cartridge a description of the material, its performance quality, and directions for application.

Caulking materials that adhere to wood, glass, metal, plastic, and masonry should be selected since these materials expand and contract. Resistance to weathering, cracking, shrinkage, water, and mildew are also important. Some manufacturers will state the life expectancy of their product, if properly installed, inside or outside the home.

Follow these pointers for successful application of caulking materials: 

• Use a caulk gun with an automatic release. When you press the release lever the caulk stops flowing instantly. This device makes caulking so much less messy it is well worth the extra dollar or so for the caulk gun.
• Cut the tip of the cartridge at an angle. Cut only about 1/4" off the tip so that the hole is 1/8" to 1/4" in diameter. This is adequate to create a bead of caulk large enough for most cracks.
• Remove old, dried sealing materials. Clean area with a solvent to remove grease or other substances that would prevent a tight bond.
• Deposit caulk at the bottom of the seam so it fills without bubbling.
• Never apply caulk to a porous surface.
• Prime before application.
• Never skimp. Use enough caulk to fill the crack or seam.
• If caulk shrinks during drying, reapply.
• Push the tip over the caulk so it forms a smooth bead across the area being sealed. 

Fifty years of evolution in silicone caulks brings us an assortment of products formulated for just about every substrate. Although the competition is stiff in most areas, there is no substitute for the strength of silicone on hard surfaces like metal, glass, and tile.

There are a wide range of water-base caulks, from painter’s caulk to elastomeric sealants. Latex caulks can be used just about anywhere as long as you choose the right product for the job. Some water-base products are flexible and weather resistant for exterior joints; others are intended to hide only interior seams that are to be painted.

Kitchen and bathroom caulks resist water and mildew. Most caulks are mildew resistant, which means that mildew will not degrade the product. Mold and mildew, though, can stain cured caulk. So in the kitchen and bathroom where water and mildew are common, a product with an added biocide is a good idea.