When splits, cracks, and gaps appear on the outside of your house, it is better to caulk them immediately. Because the longer it takes, the wider the cracks are. Before carrying out home maintenance, there is something you must acknowledge.
When should you caulk the cracks and splits?
The cracks will be wider if you ignore them. Source: Bob Vila
You should caulk splits, cracks and gaps immediately when you notice them. They often start at their medium point. If you ignore them, they will become wider. Generally, the gaps will be narrower in the winter and wider in the summer. You should check around your house to see if there is anything needed to be touched monthly or yearly. However, the sooner the better. Do it as soon as possible to prevent water and bugs from entering your house.
Type of caulk for your project
There are many types of caulk available in the market. Sometimes it will be confused to choose the right one. It is not only about finding a good purveyor. You also have to determine what kind of caulk you need. It depends on the project that you have to work with, for instance, exterior siding and trim, kitchen and bathroom, concrete and masonry, roof, gutter,…
Different types of exterior caulk, of course, have their own characteristics. These characteristics can benefit one project but for another project, it can be not suitable. Here are the most common maintenance projects.
Siding and trim
You should spend on good caulk
For cracks and splits in the siding, it is critical to use high-quality caulk. Don’t try to save money on caulk used for exterior siding or you will have to caulk it again and again. Good caulk will lock out water and protect your house from rot and peeling paint. You can use either hybrid caulk or polyurethane caulk. They can offer better adhesion and flexibility. Their prices are quite high but they are really worth your investment.
Concrete and masonry
When it comes to cracks in concrete and masonry, it will be wiser to choose a specialty caulk. The common caulk only can seal cracks in a short time. If you use them, you may have to caulk the cracks frequently. This not only takes your time but also gives the concrete surface a bad look. To seal cracks in concrete and masonry, it is recommended that you should use durable urethane caulk. It can keep water out and protect your foundation better than the common types of caulk.
Roofing
When choosing a good caulk for roofing, you have to consider natural elements. Caulk used for sealing cracks in roofing is easily exposed to sunlight and temperature variations. That is the reason why many professionals suggest choosing solvent-based sealant. Now, in the market, there are some caulks which can be applied on wet surfaces. So if you need to seal the cracks but the rain does not stop, you should choose them for your best convenience.
Both exterior caulk and interior caulk aim at sealing the cracks and splits. However, when choosing exterior caulk, you have to put additional attention because if an outdoor seal fails, water can get in the wall which leads to bad troubles.
Gutter
Of course, the caulk used to seal cracks or splits in gutters must be 100% waterproof or it cannot collect and carry away rain. Besides, the caulk has to be tough enough so that is can handle the abrasion from debris and ice. You can use hybrid caulk or solvent-based caulk. Both of them are fine to seal cracks and splits in gutters.
Notes when caulking
If it is the first time you caulk, there are some notes for you to have to do it better.
Keep the surface clean and dry
If you do not keep the surface clean before caulking, no matter how good the caulk is, it cannot last for long. Just a few months or even a few days if the weather is harsh, you will notice the cracks. These cracks can even be wider than the old ones, which makes it harder for you to seal them.
Remember to keep the surface clean and dry before caulking. Source: DIY Network
So the first rule is to keep it clean and dry. You need to remove all the dirt and failed caulking layers. Using a can opener, scraper or screwdriver will be much easier to remove the caulking layers. Besides ensuring that the new caulking can hold, removing all the old caulking also makes the surface look better.
For all the surfaces, it is needed to make it dry. But in the situation that it keeps raining, there are several types of caulks that can be applied on wet surfaces.
Prime wood surface before caulking
When you have to caulk wood or wood-based materials, it is better to prime it first. This is because primer can stick better than caulk and you can provide a great adhesion surface for caulk.
Never use paint to caulk
Some people often use paint to fill the tiny gaps as they notice that paint can seal the gaps immediately. However, the cracks will soon appear because paint just has a temporary effect. Then, the paint will be crack and leave a rough and bad surface. Add to that, moisture is able to get behind the paint, making it peel. Therefore, you should never use paint to seal the cracks, even the smallest ones.
Smooth the caulk
Sometimes you should smooth the caulk with your finger. This not only makes the caulk to be neater but also shapes the bead so that withstand movement will be much better. In case the cracks are too large and you cannot smooth them with your fingers, just use a spoon.
Things to consider when buying a caulk
Choose the right caulk for your material. Source: YouTube
There are several factors you need to consider before buying a caulk.
- Materials: A particular type of caulk can go well with certain surfaces to provide better adhesion. So, the material is an important factor to consider before making a decision.
- Moisture: Moisture is another factor that you should take into account. For instance, in wet conditions, you need to choose waterproof caulk.
If you want more information about caulk, you can go to Go Paint Sprayer (address: https://gopaintsprayer.com/best-exterior-caulk/). Articles on this web are provided by professionals in the caulk field. There is much useful information about caulk that you can obtain on the web for the best caulking projects. There are also detailed reviews about some of the best exterior caulk available on the market so that you can narrow your choice. These reviews mention the general features, the pros, and the cons. And if you are a newbie, there is clear instruction of how to apply caulk properly. The web also mentions two types of caulk, including latex caulk and silicone caulk, as well as their features to help you choose the one that is most suitable.
Home maintenance has never been an easy task. And sometimes you need to seal cracks and gaps in pipes, windows, doors, roof,…If you have never done it before, it will be a little bit tricky as you have no idea where to start, what to do, how to choose the right caulk, what caulk suitable for your project,…You will be overloaded with questions. The article provides general information about caulk so that you can give high-performance caulks.
