 |
|
 |
CAULK COUNTER AT WALL OR BACKSPLASH JUNCTURECAULK COUNTER AT WALL OR BACKSPLASH JUNCTURE: Caulking eventually loses its watertight seal around bathtubs, showers, and sinks. It will therefore be necessary to re-caulk around these areas to help prevent water damage to walls, cabinets, floors, ceilings, structural members, etc. Water allowed on these components can cause severe damage. Good maintenance, which includes keeping these spots well sealed, will help prevent more costly repairs later on. Here are some pointers which will help you do a neat and longer-lasting job when applying caulks. Get a caulking gun to apply these caulks. Usually the smaller caulking guns are easiest to use. Before you start, make sure to clean out all of the old caulk, then wash the joint with a detergent to which you have added a little household laundry bleach (one part bleach to three parts water). Allow the area to dry. This will clean the surfaces and kill any mildew in the joint. Cut the plastic tip of the cartridge nozzle or squeeze tube off at approximately a 45 degree angle, then hold the tube at this same angle to the joint as you move it along. Move the tip toward or away from you, depending on the situation. Always apply caulks neatly. Smearing it all over with your finger is not the way to apply caulk. If necessary, apply masking tape to each side of the joint to be caulked and remove it as soon as you have worked the caulk bead. Do not allow the caulk to dry. The list below will help decide the best type of caulk to use. These materials can be purchased at most any Building Supply Outlet or Home Improvement Center. Should you need assistance you may desire to contact a Painting Contractor or Handyman Service. PAINTABLE SILICONE CAULK is one of the few readily available caulks which will stick to just about anything (if the surface is dry) and that is paintable (meaning the caulk can be painted). It can be used in exterior as well as interior applications. It can be applied between 10°F and 120°F with a service range of between minus 30°F to 200°F. It is excellent for use on windows, doors, siding (stucco and wood), sills, thresholds, eaves, soffits, gutters, downspouts, flashing, air conditioners, pipes, vents, porches, decks, sidewalks, pool perimeters (coping to deck separations), tubs, showers, sinks, countertops, etc. This material comes in basic white and crystal clear. Because of it's flexibility (up to 10 times it's original size) silicone caulk is not particularly good for interior wall cracks because it is not "sandable" and will show through the paint. Provide plenty of ventilation when using this product in interior applica- tions. It's life expectancy is about 20 years. ACRYLIC LATEX CAULK is one of the most commonly used caulking compounds. It offers better adhesion, less shrinkage, and easier application than oil based compounds. Elasticity and weather resistance are rather low, and it will not bleed through most paints. Its life expectancy is about 10 years. ADHESIVE CAULKS act as both a caulk for sealing joints and as an adhesive for a variety of jobs, such as setting loose ceramic tile or securing loose counter tops and lavatories. BUTYL-RUBBER CAULK COMPOUNDS are rubber based caulks having good weather resistance and fair elasticity and shrinkage. They work well between many dissimilar materials and have a life expectancy of up to 20 years. A less expensive form which contains styrene-butadiene rubber does not age as well but is suitable for interior use. OIL BASED COMPOUNDS are the least expensive and the most difficult to work with. They will fill most small cracks, but have low elasticity and a short life span, usually one to five years and can bleed through most paints if not properly sealed. PAINTERS CAULKING COMPOUNDS are fairly flexible and are used mainly to fill small holes and cracks prior to painting. These caulks may be of differing materials. Life expectancy is about the same as the paint covering them--two to ten years. SILICONE ACRYLIC CAULKING COMPOUNDS are similar to acrylic latex compounds, but contain silicone for added flexibility. It is easy to work with and is compatible with most materials.
NO VENTILATION (EXHAUST FAN
OR OPENABLE WINDOW RECOMMENDED):
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CAULK COUNTER AT WALL OR BACKSPLASH JUNCTURE
File last updated Friday, 19-Dec-2008 23:58:57 EST * Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved by: Accurate Inspections, Inc. A New Jersey home inspection firm providing NJ home inspections by NJ home inspectors |
