The term caulking or caulk refers to the product itself or the procedure of using it in which this waterproof filler is used to seal a gap or a seam in a house.
The first time when caulking was used, it was in wooden shipbuilding to fill the seam between the planks of wood to make the container waterproof.
Nowadays, a rubbery or chalky sealant is used that you can see around your house to fill the gaps or cracks around sinks, doors, bathtubs, electrical wiring, plumbing.
It is an indispensable material that is used in preventing water damage to the structures present in your house and helps lower your energy costs by keeping hot or cold air outside the house.
There are various types of caulking present in the market, and each is designed for a special purpose of projects like brick, concrete, ceramics, or metal objects.
So, if there are any open gaps or spaces in your house that need to be filled, here are some great tips to caulk your house smoothly and with a mess-free seal to get the perfect results.
Clean The Spout
Before starting your procedure, you would first need to clean the sprout. For this, it seems that you can never fill the gaps with a partial tube when a plug forms in front of its tip. To clean it out, you can try using a large screw with solid threads to remove the plug from the end. This way, the tip would work well with the silicone products to complete what you are doing.
Taping
Before caulking, the wise thing would be to apply a painter’s tape on the area you are about to seal to control your caulking lines. Once you apply the caulk, you would need to smoothen the joint with your finger and then immediately remove the tape so that it does not get stuck there.
Choose The Correct Caulk
Unlike popular beliefs, choosing the correct for your house is not that difficult and is rather a pretty simple job to do. Most of the caulks you can find in a hardware store can be be basically either of these four types:
- Polyurethane
- Latex
- Elastomeric
- Silicone
Now the question of the hour is which caulk type would suit best with your part of the house. So, for this, here is a smart guide.
- ⮚ For the interior trim of your house, you can use latex to seal gaps and nail holes. It is easy to use and dries out fastly.
- For kitchen and bathroom areas, you would have to go for silicon shine products and tools that can be bought with antimicrobial additives. This caulk is easy to remove and can also be replaced when it gets grungy.
- For the windows, doors, and sidings, the polyurethane one is the best option. The great thing about it is that it is paintable and does not shrink. It sticks better than silicon and stays flexible by not attracting any dirt or dust.
- For roofing, the elastomeric caulk is better because it sticks to everything and would not dry out even in extreme conditions.
