How to Caulk Outdoor Lights
Water can penetrate outdoor lights that are not sealed. When water enters the outdoor light fixture, the copper contacts held within the light's housing can corrode and cause the outdoor light to stop working. To properly seal an outdoor light, you need to seal the three sides of the light fixture that are prone to water intrusion with silicone caulk. Silicone caulk is formulated to repel water and last between 20 and 30 years, depending on the amount of UV light exposure. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Clean rags
- Tube of silicone caulk
- Utility knife
- Three-inch wood screw
- Drop-in caulk gun
- Bowl of clean water
Instructions
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1
Wipe the area around the outdoor light with clean rags to clear the area of debris that will interfere with the application of the silicone caulk.
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2
Cut the hollow nozzle of the silicone tube on a 45-degree angle with the utility knife. The opening of the nozzle should be around 3/16-inch wide.
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3
Puncture the tube of silicone by sliding the three-inch wood screw down the opening in the nozzle and through the protective barrier located at the bottom of the nozzle.
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4
Insert the tube of silicone caulk into the drop-in caulk gun and pump the trigger of the caulk gun until you notice the sealant pushing up the hollow nozzle. Release the pressure of the caulk gun to stop the silicone from emitting from the end of the caulk tube.
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5
Place the tip of the nozzle in the corner where the outdoor light fixture meets the wall on the top of the fixture, squeeze the handle of the drop-in caulk gun and drag the drop-in caulk gun to deposit a bead of silicone along the top seam of the light fixture.
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6
Repeat the process to apply silicone sealant to the two vertical sides of the outdoor light.
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7
Dip one finger in the bowl of clean water.
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8
Run your wet finger along the silicone to smooth out the bead of silicone sealant. This will ensure that the silicone caulk completely fills the void between the wall and the outdoor light housing and it makes the bead of sealant less visible.
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9
Inspect the sealed seams to ensure that there are no voids left in the silicone caulk. Add additional silicone to areas where you notice voids and smooth the added silicone with a wet finger to blend it into the bead of sealant.
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10
Allow the silicone sealant to fully cure and then re-inspect the three seams to ensure that the silicone caulk did not separate from the outdoor light or wall while it was curing.
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