# ReCaulking Windows & Trim



## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

I just use Ace Hardware Branded Silicone caulk and never have had issues with it. Acrylic Latex caulk will always harden and dry out after a while. Especially in extreme cold environments.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

100% Silicone caulking should never be used on trim. It can not be painted.
Only caulking I use is Alex 230 and never had any problems with it.
Lot of the pro's on here like the big stretch.


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## MsKitty32 (Jan 24, 2013)

I used* DAP Alex Plus for Windows and Door*. I also bought but haven't tried yet *Liquid Nails Super Caulk Window and Door *. 

I first saw it around the crown molding and I read online if the molding wasn't installed properly the caulk could crack. Not sure if that is true or not. Then I started looking around where the window meets the trim and that is cracked more-so in the corners. The baseboards and door trim caulking seems to be fine though.


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

joecaption said:


> 100% Silicone caulking should never be used on trim. It can not be painted.
> Only caulking I use is Alex 230 and never had any problems with it.
> Lot of the pro's on here like the big stretch.


Did anyone state anything about 100% Silicone caulk?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Any trim that's not nailed tight enough is going to be able to flex, expand, and contract. That's going to crack the caulking.


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## jmon (Nov 5, 2012)

MsKitty32 said:


> I've read over and over online I have to remove the old caulk...wow! I worked on a little piece on the windowsill this am and I don't see how this is possible without marring the crap out of the woodwork.
> 
> How do I possibly get the old cracked caulk off to redo this?


What's done is done. You can only make the appropriate corrections and move forward and learn from your mistakes.

I ran into a similar situation, while it may not be the 100% correct way, it is a work around to your problem and looked fairly decent afterwards. The correct way, which you have found out, is a lot of work. It real depends on how critical you want it to look.

A little trick that I learned from an old painter (actually it has been around for a long time), is to remove as much of the old caulk as possible without gouging or marring the surfaces as you have mentioned. Try to keep this as uniformly as possible, then caulk over the remaining residue with a regular paintable siliconized caulk as others have recommended, prime and paint. This will help it bond to the surfaces and paint. Before doing this, you could try a little test area first and see if you like the results. Just my thoughts. Stay tuned, others will be along shortly with more advice/recommendations.


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## collegetry (Feb 7, 2012)

MsKitty32 said:


> So apparently I used crappy caulk (DAP Acrylic Latex Caulk plus Silicone-Paintable)



Cheap comes out expensive. Use the OSI Quad


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## jponto07 (Jul 6, 2012)

rosem637 said:


> Cheap comes out expensive. Use the OSI Quad


I like Quad myself but it is meant for exterior use only. 

They supposedly make a product suitable for interior use, but I've never seen it on the shelf.


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## MsKitty32 (Jan 24, 2013)

[/QUOTE]A little trick that I learned from an old painter (actually it has been around for a long time), is to remove as much of the old caulk as possible without gouging or marring the surfaces as you have mentioned. Try to keep this as uniformly as possible, then caulk over the remaining residue with a regular paintable siliconized caulk as others have recommended, prime and paint. This will help it bond to the surfaces and paint. Before doing this, you could try a little test area first and see if you like the results. Just my thoughts. Stay tuned, others will be along shortly with more advice/recommendations.[/QUOTE]

Does the priming and painting right after help avoid cracking? Because I hadn't primed and painted the areas I have previously caulked that have cracked. 

I'm not sure how the little trick way should look. Are you going to even be able to tell that there was any remaining residue from the original caulk?


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## gregzoll (Dec 25, 2006)

You can, but it will help hold the new Silicone based caulk. Fine Home building article on caulks. http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/articles/making-sense-of-caulks-sealants.aspx Probably the best site out there for information.


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

MsKitty32 said:


> I've read over and over online I have to remove the old caulk...wow! I worked on a little piece on the windowsill this am and I don't see how this is possible without marring the crap out of the woodwork.



Maybe you are reading the wrong articles. 

It is extremely important to remove exterior caulk and interior caulk that has failed. Shrinkage and/ or some cracks is not failure.

All caulk shrinks. The more you pay for the better grade the less it does. Touching it up when fully dry and shrunk is part of the job

Caulk should fill the crack and not be slathered on the surface.

Dap makes cheap, better and high quality caulk. The Alex plus that was mentioned above is a quality product IMO.


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## MsKitty32 (Jan 24, 2013)

I did have to go around and reapply more caulk after the first application cured because it did shrink some. I noticed when I was removing the cracked caulk it was securely bonded to the substrate (in my case trim to wall). I can understand that the crown molding is possibly not secured correctly so it may be shifting. 

I know some people have mentioned silicone but I am thinking I might try using the Big Stretch caulk - acrylic latex. With the possibility of the substrate moving would the Big Stretch stretch and recover?


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## Colbyt (Jan 27, 2014)

I pretty much use the Alex+ for everything that matters. I buy the contractor pack.


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## VAProPainter (Jan 29, 2014)

MsKitty32 said:


> So apparently I used crappy caulk (DAP Acrylic Latex Caulk plus Silicone-Paintable) I caulked the crown molding and all the trim plus the windows. It looked great for the first couple of months and now a lot of it has cracked. I can understand if some of the trim was attached incorrectly - like the crown molding - but all of it?, seriously?
> 
> I've read over and over online I have to remove the old caulk...wow! I worked on a little piece on the windowsill this am and I don't see how this is possible without marring the crap out of the woodwork.
> 
> I looked around online and found *Sashco 10024 Big Stretch Caulk*. Is this stuff as good as it looks and people say? How do I possibly get the old cracked caulk off to redo this?


To remove the caulk that is failing, you will want to cut it out as opposed to digging it out. You can use a utility knife or a snap blade razor knife. Cut the loose caulk on both sides and gently nudge it out with a putty knife to get it started and it should peel out easily. Dust the area out with a duster brush before re-caulking. The Big Stretch is a great product for certain applications 
and should work great on the crown molding. However it never really hardens, therefore it can attract dust more than some caulks. I would use the 
Big Stretch on the crown, and Dap 230 or Superior Sealants Bolt on the other trim. This is not an uncommon problem, I deal with it on many repaints. Good luck.


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## MsKitty32 (Jan 24, 2013)

I can't find the *Superior Sealants Bolt* product and do you mean *DAP DynaFlex 230* or *Dap Alex Ultra 230*?

If I primer and paint over the Big Stretch will it still attract more dust than usual caulk that dries completely?


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## VAProPainter (Jan 29, 2014)

The main area of concern with the Big Stretch attracting more dust would be across the top of the baseboard, vertical runs would be fine. It's just a personal quirk with me that I like the caulking to dry hard, but I know some contractors that use Big Stretch exclusively. I tend to only use it on crown molding because it is typically a problem area. The Bolt caulk should be available at your local independent paint store. Lowes carries White Lightning which is a slightly lower grade than Bolt, but has lots of adhesive, and after re-thinking this, I would probably go with that instead of the 230. Also you will want to have some 80 or 100 grit sandpaper to smooth any areas where your cuts are a little rough, before you caulk.


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