Managing and repairing home features and installations can be hectic for a few homeowners, but certain techniques and tools have made life convenient and practical. Repairing home boards, tiles, walls, wallpapers, floors, and ceilings requires a firm hand and a thorough understanding of carpentry and the skills to use the technical tools. Caulking is one of the procedures, rescuing multiple projects around the house, including the outdoors and the indoors. It is considered to be versatile enough to serve the purpose. The rubbery or the chalky sealant will help you fix things in a jiffy allowing carpenters to close off big spaces and wide gaps for safety and even decorative purposes. This is an indispensable way or tool to prevent damages around the house. For example, the cracks you usually see around the bathtubs, sinks, bathroom tiles, electrical or plumbing gaps can be fulfilled with a single approach.
What is caulk?
Caulk represents waterproof material that fills and seals joints between building materials. Caulking is defined as using and applying a watertight seal to secure seams and small joints wherever there is damage around the house. People caulk the gaps, usually present around the windows, doors, and other house fixtures in most situations.
What is caulk made of?
The caulking material is composed of silicone or acrylic, also available in polyethylene and rubber. Caulk material comprises one of four base or backbone polymers: polyurethane, latex, silicone, or rubber. The quality of the basic compound determines the durability, elasticity, and paintability of the caulk. The different quality of the caulk is used for different purposes, but mostly they are used to fill the gaps to seal and glue different parts of the house.
The different kinds of caulking compounds available in the market are geared to do the specific kind of job in the house; for example, there are certain kinds of caulk material available appropriate for concrete or brick and metal surfaces, while the other type of caulking material works seamlessly on glass or ceramic tile. In addition, the quality is different as some of the caulking base compounds are resistant to moisture and water or even extreme temperatures. In most scenarios, they are made of latex, silicone, acrylic, or a combination of all three.
What caulk to use for baseboards?
For baseboards, the best calc is acrylic latex caulk because it has silicone and it is waterproof. In addition, acrylic latex caulk filling small gaps and cracks around baseboards and prevents mold.
The caulking process was first observed in a wooden shipbuilding procedure to fill the gaps and spaces between the planks of words to make the shipping vessel watertight and resistant. This was the first observed use of caulking in history, and nowadays, it is one of the most commonly used methods and approaches seen in home building and home repairing. Historically, exposure to caulk could lead to potential poisoning because it contains certain chemical compounds and other materials that may be toxic, such as adhesives, paints, asbestos, ceilings, and other chemicals known as PCBs. They are human-made chemicals, not at all organic. One of the disadvantages of using PCBs is that they do not break down easily and remain in the body for a prolonged time, due to which they were banned in the US around 1979. Multiple research and scientific evidence have proved the adverse effects of these chemicals on humans, animals, and even the environment. Nowadays, there is a growing public awareness, and many people are concerned about using PCBs and caulking compounds. The reason is that caulking is now a very prevalent concept, and many people are now concerned about the hostile effects on homeowners’ health.
What happens if caulk gets wet before it cures?
If caulk gets wet before it cures, the moisture cannot evaporate quickly, leading to mold and mildew growth. Caulk cures quicker in a dry and well-aired surroundings. Homeowners need to dry the area before caulking because moisture can create damage.
No matter how precise the measurements are, there are always small gaps above and below the house’s baseboards’ moldings. Even after careful measurements and cuttings, you need to fill the gap using the acrylic latex caulk. The product is very convenient to use as it can dry up very fast and be painted after 6 to 8 hours of caulk application. The latex also comes in various textures and pigments, allowing for matching wallpaper, wall paints, or floor types. The house baseboards, in some conditions, also require caulking and ceiling edges to make the place and floor more secure. There are significant reasons observe for caulking the baseboards. Mostly the baseboard’s gaps are not only unappealing, but they can also affect the reliability and capacity for heating or cooling purposes since they can allow light winds to enter the home space. The process of caulking baseboards is easy, super-fast, and affordable as well. A current measure is adopted to fill in the gaps that usually occur at the top, against the wall, or even at the bottom adjacent to the flooring. However, the common reasons for baseboard caulking are described as follows.
How to Caulk Baseboards?
To caulk baseboards, please do the following steps:
- Begin by scraping off the old caulk.
- Tape off the wall.
- Prepare the caulk and caulking gun.
- Lay the caulk entire side end to end
- Smooth out the Caulk.
- Pull the tape
See video how to caulk baseboards:
Should you caulk baseboards?
Yes, it would help if you caulked baseboard because of the following benefits:
- Protection against water and moisture
Based on the temperature with air conditions and rainfall scenarios, the water can easily come into the open gaps between the floor and the baseboards. Water can easily cause damage to the wooden floors and baseboards and even to the other features of the house. Caulk can easily serve as a bonding agent and prevent water from falling into the gaps as the sealant will turn down the water from getting below the baseboard. - Decorative purposes
To maintain safety and maintenance purposes, it is imperative to keep the home fixtures’ aesthetic and creative sense. The openings and wide hollow spaces between the baseboards and on the floor will render an unattractive and unpleasing look. By sealing the gaps, the cosmetic appearance will increase, and caulking will beautify the house structure. Unsealed spaces give negative vibes as well as indicate poor installation. - Block entry for insects
Open spaces and gaps within the house structure allow the water spillage and allow insects to enter. It creates an easy route for ants and bugs, therefore creating an unwanted situation. Caulking, which is an easy and inexpensive process, will protect the home against such insects. However, it is one-time spending and allows homeowners to ignore pest treatment, which is an expensive technique.
However, despite caulking being an effective and affordable technique, it may not completely serve the purpose of a long-term effect. For example, the gaps may develop again, and the caulking seal might be harder to remove. In addition, it needs frequent care and preservation, which might be heavy on the pockets. Despite this, caulking is preferable as few skills are required, and anyone with basic carpentry skills can lead the job. It is easier to paint as well, allowing you to match the surroundings.
Apart from that, caulking can be beneficial for rescuing the wallpaper. Caulking can prevent the wallpaper from stemming from the walls as the seal can be applied on the edges for smooth corners. Old wallpapers sometimes start to come off, and the adhesive can keep it intact for a long time. Home roofs can also be repaired using the caulking method as small cracks along the roof edges can be fixed. Roof repair caulking material is weatherproof and water-resistant to be used on wet or dry surfaces. Furthermore, you can also make your caulking material at home using a mixture of baking soda and wood glue.
From 2022 onwards, Mark has also been contributing author of home repair articles at nimblefreelancer.com.
Read more on Mark Brown's biography page.
Contact Mark: mark@nimblefreelancer.com
