{"id":10325,"date":"2016-01-28T08:00:27","date_gmt":"2016-01-28T14:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/?p=10325"},"modified":"2024-01-30T16:07:59","modified_gmt":"2024-01-30T22:07:59","slug":"how-to-caulk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/blog\/how-to-caulk\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Caulk"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Learn how to caulk in your kitchen, bathroom and more with Blain&#8217;s Farm &amp; Fleet.<\/h2>\n<p>Before you start caulking, you need to have the right <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/home-improvement\/paints\/surface-preparation-sealants\/caulk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">caulk<\/a> for the job. The main objective is to create a seal that&#8217;s air- and water-tight. With caulk, you can seal up drafts, keep plumbing water-tight and more. Learn how to caulk with Blain&#8217;s Farm &amp; Fleet.<\/p>\n<h3>Choosing the Right Caulk<\/h3>\n<p>Typically, caulk is made with silicone or latex. Latex is easier to apply and clean up than silicone. However, silicone lasts longer, especially in extreme temperatures and direct sunlight. It&#8217;s also more flexible. There&#8217;s also a caulk that&#8217;s &#8220;siliconized,&#8221; which combines the durability of silicone with the easy-to-use latex or acrylic.<\/p>\n<p>There are also specialty caulks for specific projects, instead of just an all-purpose caulk. It&#8217;s best to check the label to make sure it&#8217;s the right caulk for your intended project.<\/p>\n<h3>How to Caulk<\/h3>\n<p><strong>1<\/strong>. Once you have the right caulk for the job, you need to clean the surface that you&#8217;ll be caulking. This includes removing old caulk with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=caulk+remover\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">caulk-removing tool<\/a>. A wire brush will work on concrete or masonry applications, where the surface won&#8217;t be damaged. After the old caulk is removed, clean up any peeling paint, dirt, rust or moisture. You need a clean surface for the caulk to actually create a bond. Apply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?categorynew=4%7cHome%20Improvement%2fPaints%2fSurface%20Preparation%20%26%20Sealants%2fMasking%20%26%20Painting%20Tape\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">masking tape or painter&#8217;s tape<\/a> on either side of the area you&#8217;re caulking to create a straight edge.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2<\/strong>. Load the tube of caulk into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?categorynew=4%7cHome%20Improvement%2fPaints%2fSurface%20Preparation%20%26%20Sealants%2fCaulking%20Guns\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">caulking gun<\/a>. Next, cut the caulk tube&#8217;s nozzle to the appropriate bead size. Cut the nozzle at a 45 degree angle, so the flat end can be used to easily apply an even bead. Use an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=awl&amp;categorynew=1%7CHome%20Improvement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">awl<\/a>, nail or stiff wire to pierce through the inner seal of the caulk tube. Do a test run on a piece of cardboard or newspaper before you begin caulking to make sure it&#8217;s the size you want.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3<\/strong>. Start caulking. Squeeze the caulking gun with consistent pressure to form an even seal. To smooth the caulk, use your finger (only if you&#8217;re wearing gloves) or a wet caulk-smoothing tool to push caulk into the gaps you&#8217;re sealing. Caulk needs to be smoothed before it dries.<\/p>\n<p>4. Remove any tape before the caulk has completely dried. Once the caulk has dried, clean the area around the new caulk. For silicone caulk use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.farmandfleet.com\/s\/?keyword=mineral+spirits\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">mineral spirits<\/a> and use soap and water for acrylic caulk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With some caulk and a caulking gun, you can easily seal up gaps in your home. Learn how to successfully complete your caulking projects.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":10329,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1509],"tags":[511,858,1482],"content_type":[1371,1373],"class_list":["post-10325","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tools-diy","tag-plumbing","tag-diy-projects","tag-home-maintenance","content_type-how-to","content_type-article"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Basics of How to Caulk | Blain&#039;s Farm &amp; Fleet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With some caulk and a caulking gun, you can easily seal up gaps in your home. 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