Choosing the Right Caulking

Have you ever had a hard time choosing the right caulking? There really is a key to choosing the right caulking, and it is amazingly simple once you understand what it is. That key is location, location, location. By knowing where you will be using the caulking you will know what type of caulking you need.

Here are a few examples of the more commonly used areas where you would use caulking. No brand names will be mentioned, rather you will see that an identifying ingredient is listed instead. Find this ingredient, and you will have the right caulking for your particular project.

• Kitchen and bathroom. The best kind of caulking to use in your bathroom or kitchen will be a siliconized acrylic caulking. Polymer types also work, but stick primarily to the siliconized acrylic caulking. One additive that you should also keep in mind for your use is a biocide that will help prevent mildew growth.
• Concrete. When sealing concrete joints or cracks, you will want to use a caulking that is either polyurethane or silicone based. Once you have found that particular type of caulking, you will also want to look to see if it is "self-leveling" since it will even out on its own. With that particular type you don't really have to worry about smoothing it out, which will help reduce the amount of work you will be doing.
• Glass. As long as you are not working with exterior glass you can use a silicone based caulking. However, if you are working with exterior glass you will want to use a siliconized acrylic that has been formulated for adhering to glass. You will also want to make sure that you don't choose a caulking that will corrode any metal (such as brackets in windows) so be sure to read any disclaimers that come with the caulk.
• Windows, doors, and siding. Siding, windows, and doors, all have the widest ranges of caulking that you can use. Typically, you will want to use a caulking that is a one of the polymer type, a silicone polymer, or butyl rubber based. In addition, you would want to choose a type of silicone caulking that is also paintable.

One thing that you need to keep in mind about these different types of caulking is that all of them should be applied in the right kind of conditions. Those conditions are in dry weather, with a temperature range between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are working in temperature conditions outside of that range, you will need to use a more specialized type of caulking, such as cold caulking.