# Caulk?



## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

Ok so I was walking around the exterior of my house today. I noticed the caulk around the windows and other places is all cracked up and stuff. I am guessing I need to invest in some caulk and recaulk everything. But what kind of caulk do I get. 

There are so many different types of caulk and different brands. Is one better then the other?


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

A guy I know who does exterior painting and windows uses DAP products. I've had good luck with it. It is a lot like painting, do a good job on the prep and it will last that much longer.

On interior tub/shower/sink applications I tried and am sold on the Gorilla (Glue) brand silicone caulk.


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## bigcountrysg (Oct 9, 2006)

What kind of prep work is there? I can't just go over the old? Do I have to remove the old caulk?

You are talking to a guy that doesn't know much on home repair. But I can rebuild your car.


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## Burksee (Jan 15, 2003)

LOL! I'm a car guy too but I am just way to cheap to pay someone to do most of my home repairs. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Scraping out/away all of the loose, peeling stuff is a good start, get one of those 3 in 1 tools and one that got small hook you can dig and pull with, I get carried away sometimes. I also take an old spray bottle, fill it paint thinner (*not oily mineral spirits) and go back over the area I'm going to caulk and spray/wipe it down with a rag and the paint thinner. I think helps clean, prep and dry the surface for better adhesion.


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## MPT (Oct 7, 2004)

You should try to scrape off the old at least so you can cover it up. The best for outdoor use is butyl.


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

This stuff (at Dillman and Upton-Rochester) is not cheap stuff but for long term sealing and gereral window, door caulk, it is the best I have ever used. It stays semi-soft and will allow for weather change, expand and shrinkage. Comes in several colors and is about $5-7 a tube. Have a wet rag ready to smooth in in, it is messy and will not clean up easy, just do it right and your good for 10 years or more. Every other product I used was not as good.


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## mdad (Dec 4, 2007)

Are you planning on painting the caulked areas? You can not paint over 100% silicone caulk. If you are going to paint over it get the siliconized latex for easy cleanup and paintablity.


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## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

x2 on mdad.


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## tinmarine (Nov 19, 2007)

Greenbush future said:


> This stuff (at Dillman and Upton-Rochester) is not cheap stuff but for long term sealing and gereral window, door caulk, it is the best I have ever used. It stays semi-soft and will allow for weather change, expand and shrinkage. Comes in several colors and is about $5-7 a tube. Have a wet rag ready to smooth in in, it is messy and will not clean up easy, just do it right and your good for 10 years or more. Every other product I used was not as good.


That's actually vulcum. It's a polyurethane and it's good stuff. That's what I was going to recommend.
They were bought out by Tremco, so now it's called TremPro. A company like Fasteners, or Fastenal will carry it and it will probably be cheaper there as well. I think it's about $4 at Fastenal IIRC.
It will stretch with the house and last much longer than a silicone or even a butyl rubber (good stuff too). When you apply it, you can use glass cleaner to smooth it out. Just apply the caulk, spray with windex and smooth it out. It will allow the calking tool (yes you can buy calking tools) to glide over the caulk and you can smooth it right out. If you don't, then IT WILL STICK. Stick to everything. You can even spray your finger with windex (or even WD40) and smooth it out that way if you prefer. A penetrant like Kroil will take it off your fingers if it isnt dried on (shouldn't be).
Make sure the area you're caulking is free from dirt and dust or nothing will stick. It will just clog up with the dirt and not adhere to the surface. 

http://www.tremcosealants.com/industrial/products/product_detail.asp?id=34


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## radiohead (Apr 11, 2006)

I've always had good results with Solar Seal caulking products.


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## Kenifish2 (Mar 15, 2009)

I have used many caulks over the years as a painter and any poly based will last the longest by far. Vulcum is great, but for your application i would recommend Quad, it can be found at Home Depot. The reason for Quad is, it is not as heavy as Vulcum and easier to apply and it shrinks down a bit so it will cover old caulk well, same applications techniques would apply for it, good luck.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

> Vulcum is great, but for your application i would recommend Quad, it can be found at Home Depot.


I would reccomend OSI Quad as well. Great stuff, and you will probably never have to caulk again, but don't go to Home Depot, they are way too high on Quad (as is usual with everything they carry). Go to your local building supply yard, Quad should be no more than $5.50 a tube purchased individually.


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## Celtic Archer (Nov 16, 2009)

radiohead said:


> I've always had good results with Solar Seal caulking products.


I agree have had very good luck with Solar Seal over the past 20 years or so.


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## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

Solar seal, Quad, & Flexseal are all pretty good exterior caulks.


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## Richard Cranium (Feb 27, 2008)

tinmarine said:


> That's actually vulcum. It's a polyurethane and it's good stuff. That's what I was going to recommend.
> They were bought out by Tremco, so now it's called TremPro. A company like Fasteners, or Fastenal will carry it and it will probably be cheaper there as well. I think it's about $4 at Fastenal IIRC.
> It will stretch with the house and last much longer than a silicone or even a butyl rubber (good stuff too). When you apply it, you can use glass cleaner to smooth it out. Just apply the caulk, spray with windex and smooth it out. It will allow the calking tool (yes you can buy calking tools) to glide over the caulk and you can smooth it right out. If you don't, then IT WILL STICK. Stick to everything. You can even spray your finger with windex (or even WD40) and smooth it out that way if you prefer. A penetrant like Kroil will take it off your fingers if it isnt dried on (shouldn't be).
> Make sure the area you're caulking is free from dirt and dust or nothing will stick. It will just clog up with the dirt and not adhere to the surface.
> ...


I too would recommend this product. I worked construction for 18 years and this was by far (at that time) the best product out there. The only draw back we discovered was if you got any on your fingers, you might just as well cut the back end of the tube off, dip your fingers into it and smear your whole body in caulk. The stuff was as bad as if not worse than roofing tar .


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