What to Search for in Exterior Caulk

The aim of a sealant, or caulk, on the outside of a house is to seal gaps that enable air and moisture to infiltrate the construction of the house.

That appears easy sufficient, however the actuality of constructing supplies is that they’re continually transferring.

Modifications in temperature and humidity trigger them to repeatedly increase and contract which suggests the scale of these gaps are continually altering.

Which means that the caulk filling these gaps is recurrently being stretched and squeezed, so if it dries arduous it would crack inside a season or two as a result of motion. To have any longevity in an exterior atmosphere, a sealant wants to stay versatile even after it dries.

As a result of most properties are comprised of many various kinds of supplies, the gaps that should be stuffed are sometimes between utterly totally different constructing supplies. So, a profitable exterior caulk additionally must bond, or adhere, effectively to all kinds of supplies and floor textures.

As a result of and exterior sealant could be very seen, it’s additionally vital for it to mix aesthetically with your property. Some caulk choices are very versatile however can’t be painted and solely are available in a number of colours. Whereas there are many “paintable” caulk choices, a lot of them dry comparatively arduous inside a number of months.

Table of Contents

Answer: Elastomeric Caulk

Elastomeric caulk is a good answer as a result of it has the power to stretch.

Titebond DuraMaster High Performance Sealant, seen sticking between a brick and a piece of molding

Titebond has addressed all these points with their new all-purpose exterior sealant known as TiteShield.

It’s an elastomeric caulk which, because the title implies, can stretch even after it’s utterly dry. In truth, TiteShield can increase and contract as much as 50% of the joint dimension whereas protecting gaps as much as two inches in width.