Managing and repairing home features and installations can be hectic for a few homeowners, but specific techniques and tools have made life convenient and practical. Repairing home boards, tiles, walls, wallpapers, floors, and ceilings requires a firm hand, a thorough understanding of carpentry, and the skills to use the technical tools. Caulking is one of the procedures that rescues 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 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 damage around the house. For example, a single approach can fill the cracks you usually see around the bathtubs, sinks, bathroom tiles, and electrical or plumbing gaps.
What is caulk?
Caulk is a waterproof material that fills and seals joints between building materials. It 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.
What is caulk made of?
The caulking material comprises silicone or acrylic and is also available in polyethylene and rubber. It shall consist of 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. Different types of caulk are used for different purposes, but they are mainly used to fill 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 type 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 types of caulking material work 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?
The best caulk for baseboards is acrylic latex caulk because it contains silicone and is waterproof. In addition, acrylic latex caulk fills 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 disadvantage of using PCBs is that they do not break down easily and remain in the body for a prolonged time, so 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 the environment. There is growing public awareness, and many people are concerned about using PCBs and caulking compounds. The reason is that caulking is a prevalent concept, and many people worry 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 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 baseboard moldings. Even after careful measurements and cuttings, you must fill the gap using the acrylic latex caulk. The product is very convenient to use as it can dry up quickly 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. In some conditions, the house baseboards also require caulking and ceiling edges to make the place and floor more secure. Significant reasons were observed for caulking the baseboards.
Mostly, the baseboard’s gaps are unappealing and can affect the reliability and capacity for heating or cooling purposes since they allow light winds to enter the home space. The process of caulking baseboards is easy, super-fast, and affordable. A current measure is adopted to fill in the gaps 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 the video on how to caulk baseboards:
Should you caulk baseboards?
Yes, it would help if you caulked the baseboard because of the following benefits:
- Protection against water and moisture
Based on the temperature, air conditions, and rainfall scenarios, water can easily come into the open gaps between the floor and the baseboards. Water can easily damage the wooden floors and baseboards and even 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 prevent water from getting below the baseboard. - Decorative purposes
To maintain safety and maintenance purposes, it is imperative to maintain 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. Sealing the gaps will increase the cosmetic appearance, and caulking will beautify the house structure. Unsealed spaces give negative vibes and indicate poor installation. - Block entry for insects
Open spaces and gaps within the house structure allow water to spill and insects to enter. This creates an easy route for ants and bugs, creating an unwanted situation. Caulking, which is an easy and inexpensive process, will protect the home against such insects. However, it is a 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 ultimately serve the purpose of a long-term effect. For example, the gaps may develop again, and the caulking seal might be more complex 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 also easier to paint, 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 caulking as small cracks along the roof edges can be fixed. Roof repair caulking material is weatherproof and water-resistant for 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