# should I caulk around the fireplace?



## andrewjs18

I'm wondering if I should strip what appears to be caulk going around my fireplace and apply fresh caulk. if so, which type of caulk is recommended? here's some photos of my fireplace:


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## Blondesense

Why do you think it needs to be re-done? Do you feel a draft, or do you think it just looks messy?

We have a brick house, and I re-caulked the windows the first year.
I can tell you firsthand, getting a neat job of caulking along brick is a challenge.


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## stadry

the split's due to probable seasonal structural ' movement ',,,caulk's inflexible so use joint sealant & install it correctly over backer rod,,, paintable silicone joint sealant works IF you use backer rod allowing sealant to adhere to joint sidewalls ONLY,,, proper sealant tooling's how pro's produce good-looking joints :yes: many companies sell ' spatulas ' expressly for this purpose,,, its rare for a good looking joint to pass inspection w/o tooling no matter which material's picked


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## pwgsx

You can pull out the old and try and fill with a clear paintable caulk. Then try and paint a strait line down after it drys to match your wall. No way around getting some on your brick. I have the same issue on mine but the morons left a nice 2 inch motar trim which is now cracking and falling off on one side and ran the drywall all the way on the other side ( like yours).


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## stadry

just a wag :whistling2: but don't think pwgsxar ever did this work for a living,,, that joint's moving so, again, caulk is NOT the answer,,, IF it were, it wouldn't have cracked :no: have the same problem where my family room on a slab adjoins the foundation wall that supports the rest of the home,,, we turned the couches facing another direction :thumbup:


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## pwgsx

I would really hate to see what your house looks like ITSREALLYCONC. Seems you dont repair anything and just look the other way. Great job :thumbsup:!!! No S#!% it is going to crack again and from the looks of the pic, it does not even look like it was ever caulked but is cracked joint compound that was pulled all the way to the brick and now has cracked due to movement. There are good quality caulks out there that resist cracking and would work for this situation so he does not have to turn his furniture around like you said:no:.


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## concretemasonry

Anybody with a 2" wide gap needs help.

Flexible joint sealants have better adhesion are normally used on cases of major movement (like between a rigid masonry structure and seasonable, flexible wood structure that moves with the wind and moisture/humidity).

There is a difference between a joint sealant and a "caulk". There is also difference between movement from the above grade structure and differential foundation movement that can cause movement above grade.

You have to expect to pay more for a good material and many are not available at a big box.

Dick


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## pwgsx

concretemasonry said:


> Anybody with a 2" wide gap needs help.


Yepp, im having to chip out what the contractor did and run a strip of drywall to the stones to make it look like the other side. :no:

But in this guys case, joint sealant may be overkill- that crack does not look like it moves much much but maybe its just the pic.


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## stadry

IF it were the correct material AND properly installed, it wouldn't have cracked ( cohesion failure ),,,another wag but looks like caulk was not the correct mtl in the beginning :huh: 

i only like to make repairs once,,, my bride, nagzilla, would do as psxrw :laughing: repair it again & again


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## pwgsx

Sorry bud, all my repairs are done once, so take all your assuming and shove it. I'd say your wife picked a real winner with you :whistling2:.


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## stadry

then wtf would you suggest caulk ? DIDN'T WORK THEN & WON'T AGAIN :no: you sure you're not from ny ?


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## pwgsx

How do you get off calling someone an idiot? There are 100's of different caulks, fillers and stuff out there, just because some $1.09 crap was used when the house was built does not meen a good $9 or whatever flexible type if used would not work in this case. From the pics anyways it does not even look like it was ever caulked, it looks like wall plaster! So before you start calling names and acting like noone elses ideas are worth trying, take a look in the mirror :jester:


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## stadry

may well be ' 100's of different caulks, fillers and stuff ',,, the REAL trick is knowing which mtl to use,,, to me, plain to see the cohesion failure because someone used the incorrect material

sorry i used the word ' idiot ' & have edited the post accordingly but there are other words i should/could have used,,, you must be from philly instead or work at an apron/vest store


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## pwgsx

:thumbsup: Now was that so hard to be nice?? :thumbsup: No Texas born and have encountered lots of issues with foundations and cracks with the clay soil down here. Fixed small issues with caulks where crap was first used, others with wall tear outs and some with foundation repair. Never worked retail, cant stand customers. Have a good one!! KCCO!!


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## Guywithskills

Lots of options, I did not see a large gap in the pic. Likely plaster, cut it off, touch paint, no gap big enough to caulk in the pics. I would not pull the old out, just needs to be trim up. You start putting caulk up against brick... you will have new issues... and then realize, I guess it didnt look so bad... 
Silicone is not the one for this, too sticky, not water soluble... you just need fillers. Dray Pink drywall patch/spackle has the option to just scratch off the excess rather than .... phew!


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