How to Use Caulking

Caulking is more important than most people realize. Caulking protects your walls from water damage in the tub or shower. Caulking is used to seal holes and cracks, both inside and out. A lot of people have started using caulking around the inside and outside of their windows to keep out the cold drafts in winter and keep the hot air out in summer. Learning to use caulking can keep you from having to pay someone to come to your house and do it for you.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Caulk Caulking gun Box cutter or scissors Damp cloth rags Small paint scraper

1. Remove the old caulking, if you haven't done so already, using the paint scraper and some water for lubrication. (This tedious, but very necessary, especially if the old caulking has mold or mildew on it.)

2. Purchase your caulking supplies from your local home improvement store. You will need to choose the type of caulking that you want. Clear silicone and white caulk are usually used in bathrooms because they are used around tubs and showers and will not need to be painted (which is hard to do with these two types). You can also find paintable caulking if you are going to use it somewhere else, like around your windows.

3. Cut the tip of your caulk tube spout at an angle. The angle will help you position the gun correctly, and help you fill in any holes better.

4. Load the caulking tube into the caulking gun, positioning the end of the tube at the plunger end of the gun and the spout at the top end. You may also find some caulking guns with triggers instead of plungers, but the end of the caulking tube still goes in the same place.

5. Position the caulking gun at a starting point where you will be applying the caulking and pushing in on the plunger (or squeezing the trigger). The angle that you cut in the spout is the guide for the angle that you will need to hold the gun.

6. Apply the caulking slowly, moving along the length of the area and keeping your bead size consistent. You should not be right up against the surface, but just level with the outside of the bead.

7. Press the caulk into the corner of the area where you applied it using your pointer finger. Don't press too hard; you simply want to make sure that the caulking seals to both surfaces without air bubbles. You may find that it will be easier and a lot less messy if you wet your finger slightly as you go along.

8. Wipe your finger frequently with a cloth, and wipe off any excess caulking on the application area.

References

• Caulking Supplies