A lot of the old caulk beads around the trim in my house are cracked. Not the biggest problem in the world, but annoying nonetheless. I decided to re-do a lot of the caulking this winter, as the house has contracted and the gaps that the caulk beads fill are currently at their largest.

Does anyone have any tips? I really suck at getting a nice bead. I usually try to smooth it out with my finger, but I tend to make a mess.

Also, which caulk is best for flexibility? I prefer one that can is paintable.

 

I'm no expert, but I learned to never try to fix it by touching it.

 

There is a tool that you can get at home depot or walmart that looks like > and helps smooth the bead down. That's what I used for my bath tub

 

Once you start the bead, don't stop!

 

^^^^^

I use my finger and as long as I go in a complete run without stopping it works great. My contactor uncles all use their fingers.

 

works like a charm

 

Spit and a finger. Or if you are more civilized you can use a cup of water. With a wet finger it goes smoother... No pun intended

 

You can use a popsicle stick instead of your finger.

 

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Using these pointers, I'm sure I'll learn to love teh caulk.

 

I replaced the baseboards in my whole house and caulked them. I had my girlfriend follow me with a wet finger the smooth it down. Then I'd go back and add more to the bigger gaps. I used painters caulk with silicone. Silicone makes it flexible for a long time. Just look for something that says its paintable. The labelling is usually pretty good.

 

also make sure you release the pressure on teh handle so the caulking doesnt keep on coming out, and when you are finished, if there is any left, put a large nail in the hole so the rest doesnt dry up

 

Mix a couple drops of DISH SOAP in a small cup of water, then wet your finger.

The silicone / caulk will not stick to your finger at all. And have bunch of paper towel to wipe your finger after each.


100% silicone caulk.

 

Depending on how much caulk you need and the size of the bead you may want to get a simple caulk gun. I caulked my flat top roof over the summer and it was pretty easy and I got decent lines without having to mess with it once it was on.

 

If you are gonna paint it 100% silicone is a , you need a latex caulk.

 

True.

 

do NOT use silicone for caulking your trim.

use ALEX (Acrylic Latex) painters caulk.

application/cleanup is really easy... just bead it on as heavy/light as you need... and then go around the room with a wet sponge or even your finger to smooth the bead and remove excess.

really the only trick is to make sure you have a large bucket of warm water around... and make sure you do all the cleanup within an hour of application. once it dries you cant do much with it.

before you paint, make sure you prime. if you don't prime it... the paint will peel off with the lightest pressure.

 

oh, and avoid GE's latest product.. i forget the name... but it's some fancy dressed up ALEX and they're charging $4-8 a bottle! it's no different then regular ol' ALEX if you ask me.... which you can usually get for $0.80 a bottle at HD.

make sure you buy more than you think you need... you'll be surprised how fast you can go through the shit.

 

Interesting thread - never thought that much about caulking, except that I use my finger to smooth the bead and clean up with warm water. I like the popsicle stick idea though.

 

reason why you may have made a mess in the past is using too much or too thick of a bead. Cut the tip very small. A nice thin bead (depends on size of crack) will spread nicely when you run your finger along it. Practice makes perfect. Latex all the way. Stuff at home depot is great. Dap? I have no idea.

 

I can't believe there's a whole thread about caulk and this is the only non-serious line in the whole damn thing. :shakehead

 

just had some new home warranty work done on my house and the guy came and touched up the bathtub and shower. as soon as he applies the caulk, he sprays 409 on it and then just runs his finger through it. 409 helps to heep it moist and it comes off easy....it also helps the caulk to move around enough, i guess, so he can take it off....and cleanup is easier too.

 

So you had a strange man in your bathtub, playing around with his caulk, trying to keep it moist so it can move around enough?

 

Yes, I wanted to throw something out there myself, but just didn't feel right.

One night my buddy and I went to Walmart and he had to get some caulk. Two guys and a tube of caulk in Walmart -- yeah, we were like 12 year olds.

"Dude, you have a lot of caulk"
"Oh yeah man, my hands are wrapped tightly around my caulk"

You get the idea. Pathetic.

 

^^^when I used to paint houses me and my buddy exhausted almost every caulk joke. It is childlish but so funny. Just think of all the different colored caulk around, the jokes can go on and on.

BTW, use a damp rag or towel instead of just your finger. I found this works the best and doesn't mess your finger up. Just a bucket of water, a towel and your caulk and you are set man.

 

So I pumped caulk all week and now I'm exhausted.

I have to say, the best tip is "leave well enough alone." I quickly learned that, after smoothing out caulk once, trying to make it look "better" is where the devil lurks.

I used ALEX on most of the gaps between the wall and the trim, and silicone in places where I didn't need to paint. ALEX is much, much easier to apply than silicone; silicone just makes a mess. However, it dries much more flexible than ALEX, so it's better in areas that expand/contract a lot (as long as you don't need to paint it).

Anyway, thanks for all the tips!

 

I use a wet finger or a wet rag, or a wet finger inside of a wet rag; and I know this is obvious but remember to remove the old bad chaulk

 

see we are good for something

 

I spent a good part my New Years Eve trying to remove and replace the caulking in my fiance's condo (which has been practically vacant for over a year). I was using laquer thinner and a putty knife and it wasn't the funnest/easiest of chores. Anyone have better suggestions for removing the old caulking?

And to add to the funnies:
In HS, we had caulk as a vobulary word and this one guy just kept laughing. The teacher finally said "Are you so immature that you can't handle caulk?" To which I said "I'm sure he handles it all the time"

 

Use a utility knife score the old caulk carefully, then pry away. Use a razor scraper to clean out the rest.