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Let's TALK about CAULK

Let's TALK about CAULK

Continuing to maintain your house is a never ending process, today NORTH SHORE CONTRACTOR MANAGEMENT will show you how to caulk your tub or shower. Having kids or dogs or a sloppy spouse they throw, shake or drip water all over your bathroom floors and walls while in and out of the shower or tub.  Bathroom renovations get much more costly when water damage is discovered due to water getting behind your walls. How long has that caulk looked like an elderly persons hands all cracked with splits and shrinkage allowing beads of water to get into your walls and floors causing mold, structural rotting or just plan surface damage .
You've seen the ominous signs of aging caulk. First it was the brown or yellow tinge along the edges. Now its smooth and supple skin has turned brittle and cracked, opening the way for stubborn colonies of mildew to take hold, or for water to seep through and turn wallboard and framing mushy. Whether it's around your sink, between a tub and its tile surround, or covering the joints of your shower stall - it has got to go. This is your first and best layer of defense and it's been penetrated! 

 

Fortunately, caulk is cheap, and applying it isn't difficult. All you need is an hour, a few common tools, and materials easily found at any hardware store. But as easy as it is, you still have to do it right, or you'll be caulking again next year. Any expert tile installer or plumber will tell you - "The key is to completely remove the old caulk, including the residue you can't see. Start with a fresh with a clean, smooth, dry surface."
Follow North Shore Contractor Management steps below and you should three to five years of safe sealing 

How do you know what to Buy?!
So many products and such little patience for Home Depot
The best caulks for tubs, sinks, or shower stalls come in tubes labeled “Tub and Tile” or “Kitchen and Bath.” These are either acrylic latex or silicone compounds that have been chemically tweaked to resist mildew and to stick to smooth, nonporous surfaces. 
But they have distinctly different personalities - pay attention
(A) Silicone: Tenacious, waterproof, and very flexible, this type of caulk is also finicky about surface conditions, difficult to smooth, requires mineral spirits for cleanup, and emits a nose-wrinkling odor until cured. It leaves a residue that's hard for anything - including new silicone - to stick to. That's why formerly siliconed surfaces should be scrubbed with an abrasive pad soaked in mineral spirits. Silicone caulk has a color palette limited to clear, white, and almond.
(B) Acrylic Latex: Compared with silicone, this kind of caulk is much more forgiving about the type and cleanliness of a surface it's applied to. Smoothing it is easy, it cleans up with water, and it doesn't have much if any smell. While it does shrink more and dry harder than silicone - and will probably need to be replaced a little sooner - the replacement job should go faster. Acrylic latex caulk comes in a rainbow assortment of colors to match sink and tub glazes.

Remove Existing Caulk

For this job, North Shore Contractor Management sliced away the old acrylic latex caulk with quick, sharp strokes of a 5-in-1 painter's tool and a razor scraper. This is a great tool for any homeowners.You can also use a utility knife but you can scratch fixtures, and if not careful cut yourself - always work away from your body (push don't pull)
Note: Metal blades can scratch plastic sinks, tubs, and surrounds; use a plastic razor blade instead. Caulk removers also harm plastic.)

Next- A dry, nonabrasive pad scours away every trace of caulk residue. (Clean up after silicone with a pad soaked in mineral spirits. But to avoid scratching plastic fixtures, use a soft rag dampened with mineral spirits, not a scouring pad.) Wipe a damp cotton rag over the joint to remove the caulk dust and prepare the surface for the new caulk. Thoroughly dry the area with paper towels, a dry rag, or a hair dryer. Prep all these items ahead of time to make sure your organized and ready
Also make sure your not allergic to any chemicals used and always where gloves to stay neat and clean

Tape and Caulk

Lay parallel strips of blue painter's tape, about 3⁄8 inch apart, to keep the bead straight, uniform, and off surfaces where it shouldn't be.
Point the nozzle hole toward the joint; hold the gun equidistant from the surfaces on either side of the joint and about 45 degrees out from it. 
Your caulk gun should have a nozzle cutter and a metal prong to puncture and release the caulk. Once the caulk tube is installed apply steady pressure to the trigger as you move the gun smoothly along the entire length of the seam. Whether you push or pull the gun is a matter of personal preference. Either way, keep the caulk gun moving at a steady speed matched to the rate that caulk is flowing out of the nozzle. Too fast, and the bead will be too thin, with bubbles or breaks in the seal; too slow, and you'll waste material and spend more time cleaning up.
Tip: Trim the nozzle at a 45-degree angle near the tip. The hole in the nozzle should be just big enough to fill the joint, roughly 3⁄16 inch.

Smooth
As soon as the seams are filled, dampen a lint-free rag or paper towel and press it into the joint with your finger. Pull it along the joint in one continuous motion to shape the fresh caulk into a concave bead. Immediately remove the tape, one strip at a time, taking care not to let it touch any of the fresh caulk. Then go back and smooth the bead again to eliminate the tiny ridges left by the tape. Wait at least 24 hours for the caulk to cure before using the shower or bath.

Now add this item to your winter to do list, if you see or think you see some areas of concern call me or contact info@northshorecontractormanagement.com to make an appointment
We specialize in remedial work, tub capping, new shower enclosures, tile, plumbing and anything else your home needs 

Oh yeah don't forget to caulk around you're kitchen sink......