Elastomeric
or Acrylic Urethane caulking is recommended for most
projects. These products have excellent adhesion to many surfaces.
Some caulking products will carry the term "elastomeric",
yet some contain very little elastomeric resin. Most premium
Elastomeric caulks will range from $5-$7 per tube, but is
well worth the investment. Premium caulk stretches
200% or more. It sets (dries) quickly, reducing down time
before painting. If caulking is painted too quickly, paint
will usually crack as the caulk tightens and pulls while curing.
Most caulking should still dry a minimum of 8 hrs prior
to painting for best results. Elastomeric, and Acrylic Urethane
Caulk will outperform commonly-available cheap latex caulk, or "siliconized" acrylic caulk in every
way.
Some projects will require the use of
Solvent-based Urethane,
or Solvent- based Elastomeric Caulking. This type of product
is used on hard-to-stick surfaces, many areas of the exterior,
and interior areas exposed to excessive moisture. Generally
speaking, solvent -based caulks will exceed the performance
of water-based caulking. However, solvent-based caulking products
are more difficult to apply and require solvent for tooling.
Water-based Elastomeric /Urethane caulking will be more than
adequate for most projects.
For some people, this quick tack time of high performance
water-based caulking can make it slightly more difficult to
apply and smooth. You have to do a pretty good job applying
the correct amount of caulk out of the gun, reducing the amount
of tooling (finger-smoothing) required. You can only go over
the caulk with your finger once or twice, due to the fast-setting.
Smoothing is greatly aided by having a cloth thoroughly wet.
Slightly wet your finger every time you smooth. If the caulk
begins to get sticky, just keep wetting, and smoothing will
be much better. When you apply additional caulk, just pick
up from the previous stopping point and smooth only in the
one direction you are caulking. Smooth toward the area not
yet caulked-- Don't smooth towards the area you just finished.
For long runs, break into short runs to keep caulk from drying
before tooling. It's very important to angle cut only a small
tip on your caulk tube. You can always cut larger if you are
not applying heavy enough to fill the crack after tooling.
If you are wiping a lot of caulk off your finger after you
smooth, you are applying too much pressure, or you are applying
too much caulk. Keep a bright light in the area you are caulking.
Be sure to smooth down edges of caulk bead completely.
Adhesive tub & tile caulk is sometimes used for interior
caulking. Some painters use paintable tub & tile caulk
for caulking the entire interior of newly constructed homes.
They like the long open (wet) time, for easy tooling, and
the convenience and ease of use of the squeeze tube. Tub &
Tile caulk is superior to standard latex caulk, and many common
acrylic caulks. This caulk does, however, have significant
tightening and shrinkage over large cracks. It will serve
as an excellent caulk when recaulking previous work that has
cracked out, or for cracks that are small.
For larger gaps, we like Elastomeric Patching Caulk(Gun Grade).
Elastomeric caulk is superior to most readily available caulks.
It is certainly overkill for some interior caulking, but we
see great long- term results by using only premium elastomeric
or urethane caulking products.
Use a drip-free caulk gun for a superior job. A
Drip-Free
Caulk Gun will allow the most control during application,
which helps reduce the amount of hand tooling required.
No type of caulk serves all purposes. Many homes will
require two or more types of caulk for various surfaces
and conditions. You must seek caulking that is acceptable
based on your specific project requirements. We will
be happy to assist you in determining the products to
consider for
your project.