Caulking performs a crucial and sometimes neglected purpose in your house, whether it’s sealing around the tub, keeping the winter chill at bay, or covering unsightly gaps in crown moulding. Caulking is used to fill gaps by using different chemicals like soudal silicone between different construction components and keeps water and outside air where they belong.
While today’s high-tech caulk is extremely durable, it will eventually wear out. If it starts to fail, fix it as quickly as possible to avoid more harm to your property.
Caulking Considerations
Consider the following factors when selecting caulk for a certain job:
- Materials: Some caulks stick to particular materials better than others.
- Moisture: Use a caulk that is resistant to both water and mildew in locations that are constantly moist, such as around a tub or sink.
- Temperature: Some caulks may only be used in warm weather, while others aren’t made to withstand drastic temperature swings.
- Choose a caulk that will survive the environment and is flexible enough to endure movement in the joint while caulking outside.
- While most caulks can be painted over once they’ve dried, others can’t.
- Application: Some caulks are simple to use and clean up with water, while others are more difficult to work with and require solvents. While curing, some caulks have a strong odour, and a few even emit hazardous vapours.
Application Tools
Though most caulk comes in tubes that need to be applied with a caulking gun, it’s also available in squeeze tubes for smaller tasks and pressurised cans for larger gaps such around door frames and windows.
Caulking guns have a cradle that holds the tube, a plunger that pushes the caulk out, and a trigger that controls the flow of the caulk. They range in price from around $2 for the most basic devices to more than $200 for battery-powered units that function with a single button press. Those priced between $10 and $20 have major upgrades such as:
- Dripless: When the trigger is released, the flow ceases without the need to manually disengage the plunger.
- Cutter: This tool is used to cut the tube nozzle down to size.
- Punctures the aluminium seal in caulking tubes using a seal punch.
- High Ratio: A higher plunger push leads to reduced hand fatigue.
Priming the wood
Before applying a floor leveller, wood floors must be prepped. The floor must be coated with a water-soaked leveller to prevent the wood from swelling. It will constrict as it dries, potentially creating fractures in the underlayment and tiles above.
Applying Caulk
Make sure you only use a new caulk. If in doubt, squeeze a small amount out and leave it to dry overnight to check if it hardens properly. Caulking is a learned technique that requires some practise, so practise on scrap until you get the hang of it.
To begin, cut the nozzle at a 45-degree angle that is the same width as the space you want to fill. Cutting a hole that is too large consumes caulk and makes the bead more visible and difficult to smooth out.
Puncture the seal on the tube using the caulking gun’s punch or a nail.
Insert the tube into the pistol and tighten the plunger. Squeeze the trigger until the caulk begins to flow from the nozzle. Place the nozzle in the gap and, while pressing the trigger, gently move the pistol toward you at a 45-degree angle. The bead should be able to fill the space on both sides of the joint.
Even out the bead using a clean moist finger, damp towel, or special caulk smoothing tool before it skims over.
When working with silicone and other solvent-based caulks, wear disposable gloves to keep your hands clean. Use painter’s tape on both sides of the gap to produce a straight line. Remove the tape after applying the caulk and smoothing it out.
