Caulking: Pro tips

Lessons learned from miles of caulking

I’ve emptied at least 5,000 tubes of caulk in my career—that’s a bead about 20 miles long! I’ve filled in gaps so flawlessly that the caulk was virtually imperceptible, but there’s been plenty of times that I’ve globbed things up pretty good.

To help you get a top-notch caulking job with a lot less frustration, I’m going to share a few tips I’ve learned along the way.

Choose the right caulk for the job

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Caulks and solvents

Caulks are designed for different conditions at different parts of the house. Your results will be better if you use the right type.

The selection in the caulk aisle at home centers is mind-boggling, but actually choosing the right one is pretty simple. Most of the caulk on store shelves is basically one of four types: elastomeric, polyurethane, latex or silicone. Here’s how I make the right choice:

1. Siding, windows and doors: Polyurethane is my hands-down favorite. It’s paintable. It doesn’t shrink. It stays flexible. It adheres better than silicone, and it doesn’t attract dust and dirt the way silicone does.
2. Roofing: I like an elastomeric or rubberized product. This stuff won’t dry out in extreme conditions, and it sticks to everything.
3. Interior trim: If I’m sealing gaps and nail holes in trim that’s going to be painted, I always use latex. It cleans up easily and dries fast. It’s also easy to tool—and cheap.
4. Kitchen and bath: This is where silicone products shine. Silicone tools well. It can be purchased with antimicrobial additives, and can be easily removed and replaced when it gets grungy.

My favorite gun

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Old faithful

The most expensive gun on the rack isn’t necessarily the best. Here’s what I look for: I like a gun with a cradle. Tubes seem to fall out of the guns with the rails. I prefer guns with ratchet action rather than friction action. I won’t even consider a gun that doesn’t have a hook. Forget about gun-mounted tube cutters—I’ve yet to see one of them do a good job. I use a utility knife. And if all other things are equal, buy the gun with the longer tube poker. Some aren’t long enough to work on every kind of tube.

Choose the right color

When you’re caulking gaps between prefinished siding and trim, use the color of the siding. When working with stained or natural wood, choose a color a little darker than the wood. A darker color will blend in with the knots and other imperfections.

Push, don't pull

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Proper technique

I always try to push the caulk into the gap rather than drag it over the gap. This greatly increases the odds the caulk will adhere to both surfaces because it forces caulk into the gap—pulling doesn’t. One exception to this rule is when both surfaces are flush. When caulking flush surfaces, if you try to push the tip too hard, it will skate all over the place, and you’ll have a big mess on your hands.

Ride the smooth side

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Avoiding bumps

When one of the surfaces I'm caulking is rougher than the other, I always try to ride the tip on the smoother surface (the brick mold in this case). If you ride the middle or the rough surface (siding), the caulking will duplicate the bumps, sometimes in an exaggerated way.

Cut tips off straight

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Angle cuts don't work

You probably learned to cut the tip at an angle. That works okay in some situations, but an angled tip limits the position the caulking gun has to be in. With a straight tip, I can swivel the gun out of the way of obstacles, and I’m able to caulk right up to an inside corner. And if you have various-size gaps to fill, cut the tip small and do the small gaps first, then cut it bigger for the larger gaps. I guarantee it won’t work the other way around.