Although some people think that a roll of Duct Tape and a Tube of Caulk is all that is needed to repair most things around the home there are a variety of different caulks that can be used for hundreds of different projects. Selecting the right one for the job is as important as deciding to use it at all so lets go over some of the different types of Caulk and when and where they are best used.
Acrylic Latex Caulkis probably your best friend. For most situations in the home you can get away with the basic $2 a tube Acrylic Caulk. Some of the places you might find it is around door jams and anyplace that drywall meets a wood molding. It is good around the interior jams of a window and when you are installing paint grade molding for baseboard you can clean up the corner joints and hit the counter sunk nail heads with a little to fill the gaps. Although Latex Caulk does have some adhesive qualities you should never rely on it alone.
Siliconized Latex Caulkis your next step up in the caulk department. When you are installing outside windows you need a caulk that can last a few years. The Silicon that is found in Siliconized Latex Caulk will give the caulk flexibility and should allow it to last maybe 10 years under the right situation. Although this caulk does have Silicon in it you can paint over it. This caulk can also be used in bathrooms around the base of toilets and tile joints near tubs. Although Siliconized Latex caulk works well in wet areas you may also want to go with a dedicated bathroom caulk that has been formulated just for heavy water conditions. This type of caulk does have some stickyness but should not be used alone as an adhesive.
Pure Silicon Caulk is great for any High Water area. This caulk is often used to install kitchen Sinks as it has decent adhesive qualities and it lasts long where water is a concern. You can use this caulk around tubs and in your bathroom but you can not paint this caulk. This is also a good choice for caulking around outside vents and places where pipes or other items exit your home.
Specialized Caulk Products include adhesives and waterproofing products.
Concrete Crack FillerCaulking is great for fixing cracks in concrete but this is really probably just an overpriced siliconized latex caulk. Don’t depend on this material in high traffic areas.
Liquid Nailsis a great product if you are doing any Framing. This Caulk Type Adhesive can be used to glue Subflooring Plywood to your joists and reduce popping and squeaks. This material is always used with a fastener like a nail and should never be used alone. It should also be used when installing the exterior Plywood, OSB sheathing on your home. Although there are a few different grades of this product it is probably always best to select the waterproof type for both inside and outside work.
Drywall Adhesive is also a great way to reduce nail pops. Apply it to your studs before you install your drywall and it will help to bond your drywall forming a much stronger wall.
Roofing Cementalso comes in similar tubes as caulk for easy application around flashing and shingle nails. Although its really not in the same category it is good to keep in mind when you need to do repairs outside. This material is good for waterproofing but it is messy and not paintable.
Foam in a can is also a great material for filling areas that are too big for caulk alone. Most of the time this material can be used alone. You fill the void with foam and let it harden. You can then cut away extra foam and paint it. If you do need to paint this material always check the can to make sure it will accept the type of paint you will be using.
Rope Caulkis really a glazing material that is used around windows. This material is similar to children’s art clay and can be molded to fit areas around windows.
Other then Caulk you might want to look at any of the foam insulation materials when filling larger voids or cracks.
The proper use of Caulk
Most Caulk tubes will have directions on the side that describe how they can be used. For the most part you want to limit the holes or cracks that you fill to about 1/4″ wide. Anything larger then that will probably result in cracking due to expansion and contraction.
If the material you will be working on needs to be water proof then Silicon is always the best bet but remember that most pure transparent silicon will not take paint.
Always allow caulk to cure for the proper time before using the thing your are working on. If you are caulking new windows or doors then let the caulk set up for a few days before placing the item in to service.
Curing of caulk can actually take days, weeks, months or years. Some materials never fully cure and once they do they tend to crack. This does not mean that the Caulk is not doing its job it just means that caulk is not molten steel (it is not meant to have structural properties other then adhesion) actually one of the main properties of caulk is that it should remain somewhat flexible.
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