# Caulking over paint - how long should I wait before caulking after I paint?



## Jyessler (Sep 17, 2012)

how long should I wait before caulking after I paint?


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Actually should have done it first, but 24 hours will work.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

chrisn said:


> Actually should have done it first, but 24 hours will work.


Unless you are planning on using something evil and unpaintable like silicon. You would do that last I guess.


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

And why would they do that ( sillycone) at all, ever?


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## princelake (Feb 19, 2012)

alex makes fast dry chaulking, i paint it within a hour.


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## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

Look on paint can, when time enough has passed for second coat of paint, caulk and put on second coat. If this is final coat can will have a cure time then caulk.
Lots of reasons to use silicone, but just because it is best in one situation doesn't mean its best in another. chrisn is licensed sillyconer, or so he claims.
You guys caulk bare wood with acrylic caulk?


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Good reasons to use 100% silicone. Not many. Bad reasons Very many.

as far as standard caulking that I know in the painting trade, it goes like this
prime, sand, caulk and fill holes, reprime for filler or full coat, one or 2 full finish coats.
How long to let caulks dry depends on the caulk and how deep it is. Like princelake said- some can be painted in an hour- some particularly deep fills need many hours. 
"siliconized" paintable acrylic caulk is what is usually used on interior trim caulking.


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## notmrjohn (Aug 20, 2012)

"prime," Ok I thought i'd been taught not to caulk bare wood.


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