I have a patio that comes right up to the house. Between the house and the patio is grey rubbery caulk. This caulk is missing or messed up in some areas and I'd like to replace it. If you know what I'm talking about, is this the product I need to buy?
nancy
I wouldn't use that.
Get some real silicone caulk.
The link you provided is for caulk to be used around windows. Are you trying to fill a gap between concrete patio and concrete foundation? If so, there is a caulk specifically for concrete expansion joints - just check out the caulk rack at you favorite big store. Probably have it in the masonry supplies as well.
Like this:
Examine products on the shelf with caulk, find the color and make sure it apply's with concrete.
I've used "grey rubbery caulk" before and it stuck. I can't get butyl caulk out of my pants (used to build box cars). It out last my pants, but I don't build box cars, buses, etc..
Further down in the description it mentioned other uses.
Right.
What's confusing me is that this stuff is up to an inch wide and doesn't look like it came out of a caulking gun. It looks like one long piece of gray rope. I guess that's why I thought rope caulk.
Thanks, I will go look closer at what is available, I didn't have much luck last time, I didn't even see this stuff I found online.
nancy
Heh. Okay, thanks, as I said I'm just starting to get into this little project and wasn't sure what to look for.
nancy
Usually, the concrete guys use products like this:
JK
Oh. The fact that I don't know what backer rod is, but I saw what looked like that at the store makes me think I don't know what the heck I'm doing. I'd better read more about it. Thank you for the heads up.
nancy
Hi, It depends how side the gap is. Or it could be acting like expansion joint. Also it matters how deep the gap is vertically. There is bigger than usual size commercial caulking tube made for concrete/masonry which is sort of grey color. If gap is deep, fill it with foam or rubber rope and apply caulk. May need more than one pass. HD or Lowe will have what you need.
Thank you very much. I'll start with looking more closely at what I'm planning to replace.
nancy
On 7/6/2008 4:52 PM Nancy Young spake thus:
I think what you have is what's called "backer rod", which isn't caulk at all, but semi-rigid foam (usually gray) used to fill large gaps. You stuff it in, then caulk around it. Available at almost any hardware or home-improvement store.
On 7/6/2008 5:10 PM Nancy Young spake thus:
The backer rod is just something else besides caulk to stuff into the crack, used when the crack is large. You *could* fill the crack with caulk, but that would take a lot more of it: the backer rod just lets you use less caulk, while still filling the cavity. Not exactly rocket science.
Backer rod is stiff foam molded into a cylindtrical shape, or rope, available in different sizes. It is used for filling larger gaps prior to caulking. The backer rod fills the gap, and caulk covers the backer rod and seals up the gap. The backer rod is to insulate and fill so you don't have to fill up voids with caulk. Caulk is great for finishing off all kinds of cracks and openings, but might never completely cure if packed in volume to a large opening.
"Nancy Young" wrote in news:uvCdnY81cMKK1uzVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:
Where are you located...climate is what I'm getting at. That wide gap may have a purpose.
I'd visit a boat repair facility and ask them. They use rope caulks that last decades. Might even be able to Google it and have it Priority Mailed to your door.
Steve
Backer rod..think POOL NOODLE material but 1/4", 1/2", 1" etc in diameter (with no hole in the center) sold in rolls.
Roll out what you need and stuff it into the crack with the end of a ruler or such.
That's exactly what I saw (didn't see the rope caulk) and wondered if I should know what that was. The word rod throws me off, sounds like something that should be stiff.
Thanks very much.
nancy
Ah, I'm in NJ. It does get cold here, at least it used to, in the winter. I'm just looking to replace whatever material was already there, but after some 25 years isn't what it used to be.
nancy
Interesting! Thanks for the tip.
nancy
Makes sense.
Capish. I think I need to use that in my bathroom where the vanity top meets the wall. Live and learn.
nancy
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