How to Caulk a Window
The caulk around your window and window frame serves two purposes: It provides a clean, visual border between different materials (window and trim, trim and wall), and it seals off the small spaces around the window and the wall to stop air and moisture from going through. Applying the caulk is relatively simple once you get the hang of it, but it does take a little practice, so consider doing some test runs on scrap wood if you've never caulked before. For complicated trim layouts, just remember to caulk any line where there is a gap, or where different materials meet.
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Things You'll Need
- Putty knife
- Small wire scrub brush
- Caulk gun
- Caulk
- Razor knife
- 3-inch nail
- Damp cloth
Instructions
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1
Use a putty knife to scrape the joints around the window frame where it meets the wall and where it meets the window, and remove any old caulk or debris.
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2
Go over those areas with a wire scrub brush to dull and rough up the surface. This will help the caulk adhere.
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3
Put your tube of caulk into the caulk gun. Cut a diagonal hole at the end of the tube, using a razor knife. Make the hole approximately 1/4 inch wide.
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4
Push a 3-inch nail into the hole that you just cut so it breaks the seal inside. Squeeze the caulk gun trigger until caulk starts to come out through the tip. Press the release latch at the other end to stop the flow of caulk.
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5
Set the tip of the tube at one end of the window frame where it meets the wall. Squeeze the trigger slowly, and pull the caulk gun backward along the joint, making a thin, flat, even line of caulk. Don't stop moving the gun as you lay the caulk. Press the release latch when you get to the end of the line to stop the flow of caulk.
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Repeat for each line around the trim and the window, everywhere that two different materials meet, whether there is a gap or not. Immediately wipe up any errant caulk with a damp cloth. Let the caulk set overnight.
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Tips & Warnings
Use only caulk formulas recommended by your window manufacturer.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
