Caulk Like a Pro
Now that you’ve re-piped your home and installed a new sink and bathtub in your master bathroom, there is one small easy step to do, caulking. It’s a project you’ve been curious about doing yourself for a while now and what a perfect opportunity to try it out! These caulking steps and tips will walk you through how to get the smoothest and cleanest results with a caulk gun.
Materials
- Razor scraper
- Painter’s tape
- Paper towels
- Caulk
- Caulk gun
- Aerosol Glass cleaner
Clean and Prep the Surface
Prior to starting the caulking process, ensure the perimeter you are caulking is clean of any old caulk, residue, and dust to have a long-lasting caulk job. Once the area is free of any residue, run a wet paper towel and then a dry towel. Let the surface dry for at least an hour prior to applying the caulk.
Instructions
1. Choosing the right caulk sealant. First and foremost, when purchasing caulk, ensure the caulk you are using is 100% silicone and not acrylic, 100% silicone is longer lasting. A silicon-based caulk is standard for areas with high moisture to keep mildew and moisture away.
2. Dripless gun or standard gun caulk gun. Choosing a caulk gun depends on your comfort level with this tool. A standard gun caulk gun will continue to apply pleasure once you release the trigger. A dripless gun may allow you to have more control with the amount of caulk you squeeze out.
3. Prepping the caulk. Cut the tip at a 45-degree angle, this will allow for a more precise application and you already have the gun at an angle, this will prevent stuttering and help you get a nice smooth bead. Open the caulk tube with the cutter or spout cutter built into the caulk gun, load the caulk tub and let’s get started!
4. Spread the silicon as evenly as possible. Avoid applying to large areas at a time, doing large at one time will allow for the caulking gun to run out caulk and produce air bubbles.
5. Smoothing the caulk. Once you have evenly applied caulk around the fixture, use your wet finger as a tool to smooth the surface and remove excess product.
PRO TIP– to get a professional finished look, use an aerosol glass cleaner to smooth the caulk. Spray the glass cleaner over the bead, it will allow you to spread the bead evenly as with water with an “extra touch”.
Some caulk may dry sooner than others. Silicone caulk can take approximately 24 hours to fully cure. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 4 to 12 hours before exposing the fresh caulk to water. You take care of the caulking, here at Aloha Plumbing, Sewers & Drains, we’ll take care of all your plumbing needs!