How to Use a Caulk Gun

Tips for Using a Caulk Gun to Help with Home Maintenance Projects for Your Kansas City Area Home

Caulk guns are useful for a variety of household tasks, but they can be difficult to use. This article will teach you how to use caulk guns so you can easily seal your home.

If your caulking jobs are becoming sloppy or incomplete, it’s most likely due to improper caulk gun use. When purchasing caulk, many brands come in tubes and tips designed specifically for a caulk gun. It’s no surprise that your job isn’t done correctly if you’re using the wrong tip with the wrong tube or feeding it into the gun incorrectly. Follow these steps to ensure that all caulking jobs are precise and neat.

1. Load the Tube Correctly. Inserting the tube into your caulk gun should be simple; however, if instructions are included with your kit, carefully follow those instructions. The most common error is inserting the tube upside down; this will result in air bubbles in the tube and a choppy flow of latex.
2. Insert the Tip Correctly. When inserting the tip, it should be in the back of the gun with some wiggle room. If a portion of the tip falls out, you may be inserting it upside down or too far into the gun.
3. Feed It In. A steady stream of caulk is much easier to remove than a splatter of caulk. If you keep trying to push your caulk in with your finger, it will just end up all over your work surface once it’s removed (not as messy as a mess of old caulk, but still messy).
4. Work a Clean Up. If you have any leftover caulk, you can either put it back in the tube and try to force it through the gun, or you can scoop it back into the tube with a cut-up piece of old cloth (an old T-shirt works well).

Contact Handyman Connection of Johnson County

Contact Handyman Connection of Johnson County to schedule a free home improvement estimate. Call (913) 521-8961 if you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services.