Caulking Considerations You Should Not Overlook

If you're planning on making caulking a profession, then you’ll probably be looking for a sealant gun to help you work efficiently with your caulking projects.

Sealing or caulking is one of the most effective actions to fill and seal cracks, gaps or any joints inside and outside your home. Most caulking materials like silicone are easy to use, durable and virtually waterproof and weatherproof. This makes them a good choice if you want to improve the look of your home and lengthen the service life of any surface. The fact that you can use caulks on practically any surface including tiles, sidings, mouldings, bathtubs, plumbing fixtures, window panes, skylights, baseboards, roofing, blacktop, plaster walls, gutters and even your fireplace makes them ideal for you to use over multiple applications.

If you're planning to make a serious career out of caulking, there are some caulking considerations that you shouldn't overlook:

Never ignore loose caulk – loose caulks are one of the reasons that floor tiles get dislodged over time. Water is likely to cause mould, which makes the tiles slippery and hazardous.

Caulks can act as a glue equivalent or as a sealant – as you have read earlier, caulk is the best sealant material that can also be treated as a glue equivalent because of its flexibility and durability in sealing joints. Caulks can also prevent your tiles from becoming loose.

Never apply new caulks without removing the old – if you want to feel like a caulking pro, always remember the rule of remove, clean and re-apply. That is, remove the old caulks and thoroughly clean the surface before you re-apply.

There are different types of caulking material – you may hear about water-based caulks, latex caulks, acrylic latex caulks, PVA caulks or silicone caulks. Water-based caulks are those that can be cleaned by simply using a solution of mild soap and water. Silicone caulk on the other hand will require a sharp, single-edge razor to do the job properly.

When choosing the right caulk, make sure you consider the surface – different surfaces might require different caulking materials for utmost efficiency. For one, PVA or polyvinyl acetate and latex caulks are mildew-resistant, so they're good to use inside bathrooms or on surfaces that are often exposed to wet or damp conditions. When working with fibreglass or ceramic tile walls, silicone caulk is the best option.

Always wait at least overnight for your caulks to dry – whatever your choice of material, caulks will always take time to set in, dry and really harden. For bathroom caulking projects, wait at least overnight before you subject the newly caulked tiles to damp conditions.

Considering the above points, you are now ready to start your own caulking project.

Contact us at Sealants and Tools Direct if you want to buy your own caulking equipment.