Caulks & Sealants

 

     
Why do I need to caulk?
     Caulks serve important functions in a home, office, plant or other construction.  They help to keep the construction air-tight and water-tight where windows and doors meet walls.  That is, they provide a barrier for the entry of water or moisture, they provide an insulation barrier for the entry or escape of air and they help things adhere to each other.
Can you give me a couple of examples?
     Sure . . . imagine what would happen around a tub or shower if the tub or shower wasn't properly caulked or sealed.  If the frame around an exterior door or window wasn't properly sealed, think of the water damage that could be done by a driving rain.  Similarly if the door or window wasn't sealed, during the winter months, there would be a lot of cold air entering the house, office or building.

Is there other damage that can be done?
     Yes, most houses are repainted because of failure around wood joints such as window and door frames, corners and where siding butts together.  This is because wood is so much more permeable to water along the grain than across the grain.  Thus, if water can get in contact with the end grain on a piece of wood it absorbs very quickly, causing swelling; and also desorbs quickly when drying conditions occur, causing shrinking.  Repeated swelling and shrinking weaken the paint adhesion in these areas and leads to cracking and peeling.

Where should caulk be used?
     Wherever two different construction materials are joined.  

Some specific places to caulk around a house include:
   * Beneath window sills

   * Around window and door frames where the siding meets the framing

   * Between masonry steps, porches, patios and the main body of the house

   * At all corners formed by siding

   * Between the underside of eaves and gable molding

   * Between siding and any roof or other protrusion from the main body of
     the house
How should the caulk be applied?
     Prepare the caulk tube by cutting the plastic tip off the nozzle.  Hold at a 45 degree angle and slant the base in the direction of the movement.  Apply a smooth bead.  For best results, the cured bead should be between 1/8" and 1/2" wide and between 1/8" and 1/4" deep.  For cracks deeper than 1/4" or wider than 1/2", the use of a commercial backing rod is suggested.  (NOTE:  Backing rods are typically available at commercial building supply outlets)

Which caulk is best?
     All ALLPRO Sealants are a true value at their respective prices.  Each cartridge is uniquely vacuumized, just before packaging, to provide maximum performance, gun-ability and to eliminate pops and spurts during application.  If in doubt, use ALLPRO FLEX-ALL 45 Year Acrylic Adhesive Sealant plus Silicone.  It provides excellent adhesion, elongation and mildew-resistance.  ALLPRO GOLD 50 Year High Performance Sealant is our top-of-the-line Sealant and the product of choice for serious do-it-yourselfers and professionals.

Why is FLEX-ALL Best?
     FLEX-ALL has been formulated to last 45 years.  It is a premium grade all-purpose sealant designed for interior and exterior applications.  In addition to its excellent adhesion, elongation and mildew resistance, it is a brilliant white that may also be painted over when dry.  FLEX-ALL has been formulated to exceed ASTM Standard C-834 and has become the standard by which all other acrylics are measured.

 Why is ALLPRO GOLD the product of choice?
     ALLPRO GOLD is formulated with an advanced acrylic technology that has the performance of a silicone or urethane rubber sealant - resulting in a 50 year life expectancy.  It is easy to apply and cleans up with water.  It has superb adhesion to most construction surfaces and will provide 500% elongation with 90%+ memory (ASTM Standard D-412).  It is recommended for wood-board siding, crown molding, wood trim and any high movement gaps.  It is available in white and clear versions.
What other products are available?
     ALLPRO EASY GUN - 35 Year Acrylic Latex Sealant plus Silicone, TNT ACRYLIC LATEX SEALANT, ALLPRO PAINTERS ACRYLIC LATEX CAULK - 15 Year, ALLPRO TUB & TILE ADHESIVE CAULK, ALLPRO MULTI-SEAL All Purpose Adhesive Caulk, ALLPRO PREMIER ONE - 50 Year Urethane Silicone Elastomeric Sealant and ALLPRO SILICONE NEUTRAL CURE.

How do these products fit in the line-up?
     Think of them in terms of Good-Better-Best-Finest.  ALLPRO GOLD is the "Finest" adhesive sealant.  ALLPRO FLEX-ALL is the "Best" value for the money.  ALLPRO EASY GUN is one of the better Acrylic Latex Sealants with Silicone. TNT ACRYLIC LATEX SEALANT and PAINTERS ACRYLIC are really good sealants.

     EASY GUN is an all-purpose sealant for interior and exterior use, with a 35 year life span.  It will reduce paint film cracking or spider-webbing when painted over with an inexpensive-high PVC paint.  It is designed to "skin-over" faster than most caulks to aid in the reduction of shining, paint discoloration and cracking.  It is a high performance, mildew protected product that exceeds the requirement found in ASTM Standard C-834.  It has excellent adhesion to most common building materials and provides a weatherproof, permanently flexible seal.  EASY GUN is available in White, Clear, Almond, Brown, Cedar, Bronze and Gray.

     TNT is formulated to provide a tough, durable and pliable seal to most interior and exterior construction materials. Silicone fluid has been added to seal out moisture and air for improved adhesion and water resistance and is vacuumized to remove all microscopic air and to ensure the maximum in durability and gunnability.

     PAINTERS ACRYLIC is formulated for interior and exterior surfaces and expected to last 15 years.  It adheres to most common building surfaces and provides a flexible seal.  It is paintable and mildew protected - providing an excellent value for the painting contractor.  It is available in white and, like all other ALLPRO cartridge products, is vacuumized for maximum performance and gun-ability.

     The other four products mentioned earlier that round out the ALLPRO line of caulks and sealants are specialty products.  They include TUB & TILE ADHESIVE, MULTISEAL, PREMIER ONE and ALLPRO SILICONE Neutral Cure.
    TUB & TILE ADHESIVE is a multi-purpose adhesive caulk that is excellent for sealing around tubs, wash stands, sinks, cabinets and showers.  It cures to a bright white hard finish and has excellent adhesive qualities.  It is available in an easy to use squeeze tube.

     MULTISEAL All Purpose Adhesive Caulk is a specialty product which has excellent adhesive properties in addition to its caulk performance.  MULTISEAL is recommended for use around cabinets, back splashes, tubs, sinks and vanities.  It is bright white in color, with excellent mildew resistance.  It is vacuumized for maximum performance and gun-ability.

     PREMIER ONE is a high performance Kraton Rubber Sealant with a life expectancy of 50 years.  It guns transparent clear and stays transparent clear.  It has tenacious adhesion to most surfaces and outstanding elastomeric properties.  It may be applied and cures in low temperatures (10 F) and is paintable.

    ALLPRO SILICONE Neutral Cure has a 50 year life expectancy and offers excellent adhesion, flexibility and a non-corrosive, low-odor cure.  ALLPRO Silicones are U.V. resistant and provide excellent service life for moving joints.  The Silicones are formulated to meet the requirements of TT-S-001543A, Type II, Class A:  TT-S-00230C, Type II, Class A:  MIL-A-46106A, Type I:  and ASTM X-920, Class 25.