Window caulking
I need help from you do it yourselfers...i am not one yet but with an Eichler i will soon have no choice.
We need to caulk all of our window panes and clerestories, they are extremely drafty and loose. What product do I use? I assume there are 20 different brands or kinds of glue. How thin or thick should I go? Is there a science to this?
THanks :)
Any kind will do, but look for the ones that advertise non-shrinking.
The groves between the ceiling planks has an approx 1/4" triangle hole that allows heat to escape out of the house during the winter and into the house during the summer.
These are on two sides of the house where the outside walls join the ceiling/roof.
I've gone around the house and used a can of spray foam with a squirt tube attached. Foam each hole and it will come out of both sides of the wall. Then cut it flush with a utility knife and paint it to match the rest of the wall (both internal and external).
If that isn't what you want to do, then here's two other approaches.
Ditto the foam, but before you do that, prep the holes with some caulking from one side. Then foam it from the other side, trim it and paint.
Or just caulk it from both exterior & interior and leave a dead air space inbetween as insulation (not as good as foam).
I like the foam because it expands, glues itself to the surfaces. Even expands into the tongue and grove joint of the roof planks.
This will also seal off one of the insect routes into the house.
Forgot to mention, you can buy the caulking tubes that don't need to have a gun or the larger cartidges that needs a gun. Depends whether you ever plan to caulk again...and any DIYer should buy a caulking gun for their tool box.
Ben knows his way around windows (skylights too)
Two things. If you use silicone (an excellent choice), make sure it is a paintable silicone.
Foam in a CAN goes a long way. It may expand for a couple of days (when thickly applied). Don't trim it until it is done expanding.
NEVER USE THIS STUFF ON YOUR ROOF
Can foam is one component in a can. Moisture in the air cures it. The cells are large. It is as waterproof as French Bread.
The foam we make on your roof is two separate materials going through filtering, metering, presurizing, heating then mixing 1/4" before spraying. There are one million cells per cubic inch. Foam for a roof is formulated to rise completely in 3 seconds and is completely hardened in 1 minute. This is the difference between a can and a hundred thousand dollars of equipment.
