How to caulk like a professional

Caulking can be one of the easiest DIY projects. However, if you don’t know what you are doing then it can be the messiest and most frustrating. That’s why there is a whole market of products and a long list of hacks for people who haven’t yet figured out the real secret to getting perfect caulk lines. In this post I will explain how to caulk like a professional and get a perfect finish without the fancy tools. In this post I will share with you guys my 5 tips for getting perfect caulk lines, the different uses for caulk and how caulk can be used to give a project the perfect finish.

What can you use caulk for ?

For most of us, our first attempt at using caulk will be to caulk a tub. But really caulk can be used to give a clean finish to almost any product with a crack, gap, seam or connection point. It’s great for waterproofing, filling small holes, woodworking, finishing off a project like installing moulding or baseboards, painting projects and much more. ever had an unsightly crack where your crown moulding meets the wall? That’s the perfect spot for caulk among other places. Adhesive caulk can be used to attach a sink to a countertop and even used to install a marble countertop to a vanity. Caulk can be used in both big projects and small to get the perfect professional finish. I will leave some photos at the end of this post of some areas in my home that were completely transformed by caulk.

5 Tips for a professional finish

1. Tools

Most of us have probably had to caulk something at some point in our lives. And to be honest we probably made a complete mess. Either we end up with a clumpy edges or we have super thick thumb sized caulk lines and by the end of the project our fingers are a sticky mess and there is caulk everywhere except where it was meant to be. there are so many products on the market that are supposed to give you a perfect result like the little plastic triangle shaped tool. And then there are the hacks like using painters tape. But the real secret is that you don’t need any of the those things. Here’s what you actually need

• A cup, bowl, OR bucket of water
• A rag
• Caulk - be sure to get the right kind for your project... yes there are different kinds.
• A caulk gun
• A finger. Like this one. ☝🏽

2. Opening the product

Once you have all of your tools the next most important thing is how you open that tube. Most caulk guns will have a blade built into the handle that you can use to cut the tip of the tube. It’s a small hole in the handle. You just stick the tip in and squeeze the handle to cut. This is the step that can really make or break a caulk project. Many people make the mistake of cutting too much off of the tip and then when you go to squeeze it out you have huge globs of caulk coming out at once. This is the number one way to both waste product and make a complete mess.

The right way: you only want to cut about 1/4” no more than 1/2” off the tip and always make sure to cut the tip at an angle. Most times we caulk a corner or crack and we hold the caulk gun at an angle to apply the product. So if you cut the tip at an angle you are sure to get the product right into that crack. By cutting only a small amount off the tip you are sure not to waste any product and the job will be less of a mess.

3. Technique

So let’s just say that we cut too much off the tip. There is still a way to save this project. Wether you cut open the tube the right or wrong way, you can still get a perfect finish with the right technique.

• once your tube is loaded into your caulk gun you want to squeeze an even amount of product along the surface.
• Before the caulk is dry then dip your finger into the water and run it across the surface to smooth it out. Press firmly but gently so the product can spread out and fill in the crack or seam
• if you have a bit of a mess at this point it’s ok. Rinse your fingers in your bowl of water and wet your rag. Use the rag to wipe away all the excess.
• Repeat the last two steps until you have the desired finish. Using you finger to smooth the product and using the rag to wipe away any excess.

4. Speed

Speed is very important. If you have a large surface to cover you want to make sure that you are working in sections. You don’t want your caulk to dry while you are smoothing it with the rag and your finger. you also don’t want to go too slow or too fast when squeezing the product from the tube. If you are moving too quickly then you may not have enough product to fill your crack and if you go too slow then you may end up with globs of caulk and wasted products. Keep a steady pace when applying it.

5. Dry time

At this point you probably have a professional looking caulk job. And the only thing left to do is wait for it to dry. Make sure that you don’t touch it or for Gods sake please don’t BREATHE on it until it is COMPLETELY DRY. if you have kids or pets keep them as far away from your work as you can until the its dry. The last thing you want is your caulk to dry with hair in it or with fingerprints because you needed to “check to see if it was dry”. Most caulk will dry within a couple of hours. Just be sure to check the packaging for details on exactly how long it will take.

Caulk can completely transform a project

I have used caulk on so many projects throughout my home. Once I figured out how to do it properly I wanted to use it on almost everything to create professional finishes throughout my home. Take a look at these before and afters that I created using caulk.

Still needs paint but you can still see a big difference

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