Poor caulking is the most common exterior complaint from owners
of new homes. Water penetration can turn your dream home into a
nightmare. For the builder it can be a recurring one, because
water not only damages the house cosmetically, but can also
cause serious structural damage.
The Proper Caulking Bead
I like to cut the nozzle squarely with a cross section producing
the appropriate bead size. I hold the gun at about 45º to the
work surface and push the caulking ahead, forcing it into the
joint. The joint bead should have a flat to slightly concave
surface, and when I use quality caulking I have better,
longer-lasting results. Finger tool the bead with a moistened
finger only if you absolutely have to, but never wet your finger
in the mouth or on the tongue, as you may ingest hazardous
materials. Read product labels carefully - some caulking are
hazardous, even through skin contact.
Many like to cut the nozzle at about 45º and pull the caulking
gun. Either way is fine, as long as you ensure the caulking is
pressing into the joint to be filled. Avoid pulling the caulk
into a spaghetti-like string... because then you'll be tempted
to stick your fingers into it, and make a mess!
Cleanliness is job #1. Clean the surfaces to be caulked with
dilute acetone or a solvent. Even the oils on your fingers can
cause caulking, especially silicone caulking, to not adhere
properly.
More About Caulking
Air infiltration through the outside walls of the home causes a
great deal of heat loss. This can be corrected by the addition
of caulking. The caulking should be applied wherever two
different materials or parts of the house meet.
There are certain tools that you will need to caulk your home.
You will need a ladder, a caulking gun, caulking cartridges or
compound, backer rod or some other materials for stuffing large
openings, and a putty knife or large flat-head screwdriver.
There are several types of caulking some of which will last
longer than others. The three recommended types are 100%
silicone caulking, silicone with latex caulking, and acrylic
with silicone caulking.
Caulking products of the aforementioned types have much greater
resilience and durability, and although they are more expensive
to purchase, their life expectancy is far greater and worth the
investment. Caulking is very time consuming. Therefore if you
use the most durable products, it will be years before you have
to caulk again.
Before applying the caulking compound, clean the area of paint
build-up, dirt or deteriorated caulk with solvent and a putty
knife or large screwdriver. Look around the edges of a window or
door. There should be filler in all of these cracks. If it is
old, brittle, or broken, or if it's missing altogether, you
should reseal it with a new application of caulking.
Drawing a good bead of caulk will take a little practice. Your
first attempts may be a bit messy. Make sure the bead overlaps
both sides for a tight seal. A wide bead may be necessary to
make sure that the caulking adheres to both sides.
Caulking compound also comes in rope form. Unwind it and force
it into cracks with your fingers. You can fill extra-wide cracks
this way. Caulk around pipes and other holes that show from the
outside. Fill extra wide cracks like those at the sills (where
the house meets the foundation) with backer rod. In places where
you can't quite fill the gaps, finish the job with caulking.
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