There are some common mistakes you might want to avoid with caulk; one is cutting it too big.
Caulk or caulking is used in sealing joints or seams against leakage in the bathroom or for components that move such as doors, while caulk tubes are made of cardboard material and are used to dispense caulking material, and it happens to be an essential must-have for homeowners.
Caulking has been around since ancient times as it was even mentioned in the bible. There is an art to caulking and understanding how to effectively use it can make it less frustrating and easier to use.
The tube is an integral part of caulking, most are made of cardboard and are spiral wound with a thick core to ensure that they can handle the pressure applied by the caulking gun. The caulk tube must be cut in a specific way to make it suitable for caulking.
Laying a bead of caulk is a relatively easy task, although caulking will require you to get your hands dirty a common mistake rushing through the job. Hence, why caulking tube is essential and many tend to stick to recycling them.
Caulking Mistakes to Avoid
Caulking involves sealing the edges of an item, and it happens to be a relatively easy task however there are mistakes that need to be avoided, or it can ruin it all.
If you are going to enjoy the benefits of a caulk, below are some common mistakes you need to avoid.
- Over applying of the caulk
- Not choosing the right gun
- Not removing the old caulk before applying a new one
- Over applying caulk
- Mistaking sealant for caulk
- Failing to prep the surface
- Cutting too much of the tip
- Rushing through the job and not wearing gloves.
While the mistake listed above are very vital, one very common one is leaving a tube in the caulk gun which causes it to dry out.
You have to store the caulk properly if you are done or stop mid-job and have a partial tube left over, have the tip cleaned then wrap plastic around it tightly, and hold with duct tape before storing away.
Cut Caulk Tube Too Big (FIXES)
What is the best way to cut a caulk tube? The tube of caulk is exactly what harbors the caulk, and it plays a huge role in how the caulk flows out.
In order to allow the caulk to flow easily, the inside seal of the tube needs to be punctured. For a smooth, nice, and sharp tip opening, use a utility knife or a sharp blade.
To open a caulk tube without the gun, you have to cut the tip and if you do cut this too big, one way you can manage this is to cut in the bottom of the tube, it will depressurize the tube and allow you to have more control over your work, but there is no way the size of the tube tip can be fixed and this applies to fillable caulk tubes as well.
Cutting a small tip on a caulk tube is key to an effective work result. There is really no specific way you can fix the caulk tube that has been cut too big, you can’t make it any smaller, you can however control the flow.
Also, you can seal up the nozzle on the tube of the caulking to prevent it from drying when you are done.
What Angle do You Cut Caulking Tube?
The perfect angle to cut your caulking tube is 45 degrees.
Use a sharp knife to ensure a precise smooth cut and no matter how wide your caulk bead needs to be, keep the nozzle at 45 degrees.
A slanting cut of the tube leaves a pointed lip on one half of the nozzle and the caulk will be applied at an angle, so 45 degrees slant will help get the smooth bead.
Wrapping Up
Caulk tubes come with plastic caps hence you have to be careful not to cut them too big.
After cutting the caulk tube too big, you can save the rest from drying out by plugging the end of the hole with the tip (the one you cut from it earlier).
Insert it upside down into the funnel to create a makeshift cap then apply pressure to secure it. This process should help save the rest of your caulk from drying out.