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.
Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about this and other ways to improve the comfort and efficiency of your home.
