# Caulk cure time + window + rain = ?



## italo (Nov 21, 2015)

Little question about cure times and rain, as I cannot find anything anywhere so I thought I'd ask members here. I've resealed the upper wood in my exterior windows with DAP 230 Clear caulk, not realized it takes 7-14 DAYS(??) to cure. (How in the world does someone keep rain of for that long??) So my question is that it's going to rain, so how much will it affect my caulk job on that window? Whats the damage going to be? Probably I'll get an even 24 hours before it rains. Just chcked and it is about half white, half clear at this point, after say 7 hours. Thanks.


----------



## ChuckF. (Aug 25, 2013)

You don't have to wait 7-14 days before it can withstand rain, that's the time for it to fully cure all the way into a thick bead. For rain resistance you only need for it to be skinned over enough to be waterproof. Look for the spec on how long before it can be painted over, that's more like the number you need.


----------



## italo (Nov 21, 2015)

Thank you for your response. Well it says that you can paint over it when it turns clear, but then it also says it turns clear in 7-14 days. Hence my confusion. The colored ones say you can paint them in 2-4 hrs. What the heck is the slow up with the clear? I do not understand.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

A lot depends on how wide/thick the bead of caulk is. Clear latex caulk can revert back to milky when it gets wet but will go back clear when it dries. I rarely paint over clear caulk because of the time factor, too soon and the paint is apt to crawl a little.

Caulking can withstand a little rain shortly after being applied, it's the hard down pours that will negatively affect fresh caulk.


----------



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

I would also recommend using OSI Quad Max for exterior caulking/sealing. It is not latex, and requires mineral spirits clean up, but will be paintable in 2 hours and cures in 24 hours. It stretches to 5x and is proven weather, sun, cold resistant.


----------



## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

italo said:


> Thank you for your response. Well it says that you can paint over it when it turns clear, but then it also says it turns clear in 7-14 days. Hence my confusion. The colored ones say you can paint them in 2-4 hrs. What the heck is the slow up with the clear? I do not understand.



I have never seen it take more than a few days in warm weather months.

It is mostly rain proof after an hour on a warm day.


----------

