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How To Use A Caulk Gun

I learned how to use a caulk gun at the beginning of my journey with DIY projects. And let me tell you – I’m SO glad I did! When you attach two pieces of wood together, for example, attaching a baseboard to a wall, you want them to seamlessly come together without any raw or uneven seams. Wood naturally has a curve to it which prevents it from attaching to other materials evenly. How do we fix that? With caulk!

If you’re new here…Hi! I’m Savannah. I’m the owner of the blog and business Classy Clutter. I’ve been a DIY and Design blogger for 10+ years. My husband Kyle and I are currently renovating our modern ranch in sunny Mesa, AZ with our four kids!

To check out some of our favorite projects, see the links below!

Caulk is a super important tool for just about any home improvement project and one I’ve gotten familiar with over the years! It is actually very easy once you know and today – I’m going to show you!

Why would you need caulk?

Caulk is a material used to seal joints or seams against leakage in various structures and piping. They have different types depending on what you need to seal up:

  • Acrylic Latex (what I use!)
  • Acrylic Tile Sealant
  • Vinyl Latex
  • Silicone
  • Polyurethane

Materials for Caulking Your Project

How do I use caulk in my project?

Time needed: 2 hours and 10 minutes.

How To Use A Caulk Gun

  1. Thoroughly clean the area

    Grab some hot water or some disinfectant and give the area a good wash! This will help remove any dirt before you put a fresh layer of caulk over it. Make sure to dry it after as well.

  2. Load up your caulk gun

    There is a small trigger on the back of the gun that will release the longer rod. Press the trigger, then pull back the rod as far as you can. From there, you can insert the tube of caulk with the nozzle facing outward.

  3. Pierce the tube with the metal rod to open the caulk

    If you have not yet cut the nozzle, make sure to do it at a 45-degree angle.

  4. Apply the caulk!

    I like to grab a wet sponge for this project. I first run a bead of caulk along the seam. Then, I run the wet sponge along the bead to blend it into the wood. To get the excess caulk off of my finger, I wipe it on a towel.

You are all done! Simple right? I know it can seem pretty scary at first but remember that you can easily try over and over again if you make a mistake. You can also save whatever you don’t use! All you have to do is cut the nozzle again and drive a screw into the nozzle to open up the pathway.

I hope learning how to use a caulk gun inspires you to start a new home-improvement project, or 2, or 3! 

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