Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Removing old Exterior Caulk

By Mark J. Donovan

Overtime exterior caulk dries out and cracks, no matter what the manufacturer promises.

When the old exterior caulk shows signs of cracking it is time to replace it.

Removing old caulk begins with a carpenter’s knife and a flat screw driver or putty knife.

Using the carpenter’s knife score (cut) the old caulk line along the edge of the surfaces areas it is in contact with.

Once you have scored the old exterior caulk, use a screw driver and/or putty knife to dig the old exterior caulk out of the seam. This process can take a little time, however it is important to get all of it out of the seam before re-caulking.

Once you have removed the caulk, sweep and clean out the seam.

After you have thoroughly removed any loose particles and dust in and around the seam, apply a new bead of exterior caulk to the seam.

To help ensure smooth caulk lines, you may consider applying masking tape on either side of the seam before applying the caulk. Just remember to remove the tape immediately after applying the caulk.


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