Bathtub caulking is no rocket science with the advanced and variety of sealants and adhesives available in the market today. Caulking means making something watertight. It functions as both, a sealant as well as a strong and flexible adhesive. Caulking a bathtub can be done by in various simple and easy ways like with the help of silicone caulk, with tape, etc.
Caulking a bathtub is initially done by the builders or constructors as a part of the bathroom plumbing. So when you shift to a new home or even a flat ensure the job is done properly. Not only because once it is started to be used caulking is undoubtedly delayed for practical purposes but also for protecting your walls of the adjacent rooms or the ceiling of the house below due to water leakage from faulting caulking of the bathroom flooring and subsequent damages.
When you get down to home improvements, the following are the basic factors to know in any case. That is to say, selecting the materials, knowing the basic steps and what to look for, how to go about it, etc. The following section is a prerequisite for knowing how to caulk a bathtub.
Selecting a Caulk
One needs to be aware that there are options available for bathtub caulking in the form of tapes, creams like substance that come in tube which is very easy to apply, etc. Now while choosing one, what you got to consider is the color of the sealant that will go with the interiors of your bathroom or the color of your bathtub.
Caulks are usually cheap unless you go for the silicone caulk, but what you should look for is a caulk which is not oil based. If your budget is high and you have opted for the silicone caulk, you have to be very careful as to not mess with it and get it on your hands, as it does not come off. So invest in gloves and follow the mentioned procedure carefully and with patience. Also, avoid contact with eyes.
The first step to bathtub refinishing is to completely dry the place where the bathtub is joined at the wall and clean the area. If you notice mildew, which is a whitish substance appearing in the form of eruptions, clean that too. It is caused by humidity and moisture.
The quintessential tip is to clean the area off the dirt and grime for preparation of caulking. Use a knife for removing the cracked caulk and scrape it out completely maintaining the plainness of the surface.
In case the caulk is very hard and stubborn to be removed, probably it is the water based caulk which can be taken out using heat. Now heat here is in form of a heat gun. However, you won't face this issue with silicone caulks as they are soft.
Next step is to smoothen the surface where caulk is to be applied by rubbing it plain and being mild while doing so in order to not damage the bathroom tiles, bathtub and the wall. After this you may also rub the area with denatured alcohol.
Once your area of action is all cleaned up all you need to do is apply the caulk as per the instructions given on the pack. You can either use your hands or a caulking gun for the purpose. An important tip here is to be quick while applying. Prepare all the things like the glove and the tube, the gun, etc. before you actually start the caulking process.
Keep a moist and soft cloth handy for wiping off the excess but ensure that you don't leave your caulking job and get behind cleaning before you have finished the entire tub caulking.
This was all about caulking a bathtub and hope it helps you in any kind of leakage in your bathroom where caulking is required.
