Fixing drafts around windows, gaps in woodwork, seal a sink, leaking gutters, basement drafts, cranked concrete, spaces around the tub, and dozens of other problems in your home, is as easy as inserting a tube of caulk in a caulk gun and squeeze away! Even though it looks easy, doing a professional caulking joint or also called a caulk line or bead of caulk, takes a little technique. But, first you need to find the correct caulking for your project. At your local hardware store or home center you'll find several shelves stacked with a variety of caulks. With the types of materials used in building a house. These materials expand and contract with changes in humidity and climate. Like the house settling and shifting foundation, or beams sagging and causing cracks. Because of these movements, caulk should be durable and flexible. Caulk should have 3 key properties: 1. It must remain flexible as it ages. 2. It must stretch and recover it's original shape when materials expand and contract. 3. It should stick firmly to the material being sealed and not peel off. There's two types of caulking that do this and works on most projects and they are Latex/Acrylic and Silicone caulking. Latex/Acrylic caulk contains a wide range of ingredients like "polymers" (acrylic) adhere well to porous materials like wood and concrete. Latex/Acrylic are most popular because they clean up with water (unlike silicone) and user friendly and paintable. The quality and performance of latex caulk varies on grade and character of the polymers. The higher quality latex caulk adhere better and stay flexible longer and cost more. Silicone caulk excels on non-porous surfaces, it's flexible and last a long time. Silicone caulking is great for surfaces like: glass, metal, plastic, glazed tile and all other smooth non porous surfaces. The best performing silicone caulks are 100% silicone caulk. They cost more and come in two forms: acid-cure and neutral-cure. Silicone has a strong sent to it. This sent is from the acid reaction that causes the silicone to cure. The new neutral-cure silicone doesn't have the same side effects as the acid-cure silicone so it sticks well to plastic and concrete and can not be painted. Neutral-cure silicone are even more expensive then the acid-cure. Neutral-cure silicone is good for vinyl siding and expands and contract with changes in temperature. Once you choose the right caulk for your project, applying it is the next step. First stuff a piece of foam backer rod into a deep gap. Next run a bead of caulk about half as thick as the gap it spans. Most people squeeze a thick bead of caulk in the gap, hoping that will do the trick. This isn't the best way (depending on size of gap), but if you use the best caulk, it should work. As materials expand and contracts the gaps widen and narrows and the caulk will stretch about 25% in a well formed joint. Using a finger (latex caulk) a caulking tool or spoon will give you an hour glass or curved shape and give your joint a professional look.
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