Easiest Way To Caulk A Bathtub or Shower - Ace Hardware
Watch as Ace's Home Expert, Lou Manfredini, shows you a fast and easy way to caulk a bathtub or shower.
Products Featured
Caulk Gun
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Caulk
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Painter's Tape
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If you have a gap behind a flexible wall, such as plastic walls against sheetrock, push in caulk to fill the area behind it to help support the back in case someone pushes on that area and breaks the seal. You'll likely need to get in their with a screwdriver or hookbill knife to dig out the old caulk. I can tell the last person that did my tub did not take that extra time. It's also good to clean the surfaces with some rubbing alcohol for better adhesion.
OK, I watched the video and read all the comments below, and decided to tape things up before starting. What a HUGE mistake! After I did one side of the shower I went to peel it off right away, and it was a disaster. First, it did leave a gap under the caulk that water was obviously going to sit in and get moldy. Second, it was a pain to pull a good length off and not get silicone all over the place. At that point I stopped, removed all the tape from the sides I hadn't done yet, used my wet finger to smooth out the one side that did have tape on it, and finished the rest of the shower with no tape and just my finger. It came out awesome. Just have a nice pile of wet paper towels for your finger and you're good to go.
Very helpful!
Pure F'N Genius!!
Thank you great job.👍
Thank you💜💜💜
Lou you da MAN
Thank you buddy
Thanks for sharing this.
That looks nice
Nice job on the painters tape. I had not thought of that one!
I would add, if you don't want to use your finger, there's a caulking tool with a variable edge to help give you a flat smooth finish.
This guy is the best at this kind of thing. THANK YOU!!! I just did exactly what Lou said and it was the best my caulking has ever turned out. Better than some pros who have done it.
Fantastic to hear!
Who is Lou
@@Jacob488.4 Watch as Ace's Home Expert, Lou Manfredini, shows you a fast and easy way to caulk a bathtub or shower.
@@BLUEPLANETJAZZ oh cool thanks
If you ever stuck your finger in the caulking Or Taped ANYTHING You would be FIRED!! Back in my day
Thank you
this was super helpful. been caulking things for 30 years of my adult life and somehow missed this tape-trick for straight lines.
Good tips in the video: tape to create a track for the caulk, moisten finger to smooth, use a rag to wipe excess, and remove tape while wet and slowly to get that nice straight edge. I would also add prep surface by cleaning off old caulking, dried mildew with either vinegar or rubbing alcohol on a rag.
Super helpful, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
I used silicone instead of caulk and I had to remove the tape faster because of the shorter drying time. Still works, and it can get wet within a half hour.
how fast did you have to remove it? I have silicone as well
I use coins like nickels. I line them up along the tub before applying the painters tape. I lay them down or stand them up.
This kinda explains why there are less Ace Hardware then ever 😂
I am doingbthis 😮
I used to listen to Lou’s radio show on Saturday mornings on the way to work in Chicago. But he only helps like 1 or 2 people in the hour commute and all the rest of the show is advertising. So annoying, I would really like to listen to him help a bunch of people instead of listening to commercials the whole commute. I like his personality and his advice is really good.
For those who worry about tape causing rippling, the risk is low if you work on one length at a time, but what I always do is once the tape is removed run your finger over the bead to blend it in using either Turps or soapy water (depending on what the clean-up or finishing instructions say to use).
my tub has a lip all around the edge that curves up towards the tiles. so i don't have a nice corner to fill like this. almost like i have to make a thin skin on the lip part.
Is there a reason why the excess is not used to continue the line? It seems wasteful, but is there a good reason? I would love to know.
Hi There, If you mean what comes off on your finger, it’s all about the clean line. It’s tough to get it where you want it from a blob on your finger. But you can use it to touch up areas after the fact. Hope that helps!
how long to wait between application and tape pull up?
While it is still wet! if you wait too long they'll be painters tape stuck all around the seam
I'm about to do this myself for the first time ever. How do inremove my old caulking first? And how long do I wait until after that's removed to recaulk?
Hi There - see if this works for you! kzhead.info/sun/kruAfLGfg6mIloU/bejne.htmlsi=4BVQval2aPnyXNNg
This was helpful, but I strongly recommend that you skip the masking tape. Application is time-consuming and if you pull the tape off too late, you will have a serious mess on your hands. I just re-caulked my shower and waited too long before removing the tape. Using a wet finger to smooth the new caulk is simple and easy.
If one doesn't use tape, how do you avoid having extra unwanted mess when smoothing out the caulk?
@@ryanvoelker6178because you're supposed to PUSH the caulk with the gun, not DRAG it like this actor did. If yoy PUSH the caulk, you never have any excess to whip up with your finger.
"If you pull the tape off too late"? Well, don't do that. Do as instructed. Pull it off when it's still wet. The whole point of the tape is to get a perfectly straight line. If you want the caulk line to be wavy, then that would be a reason to skip the tape.
That so-called "actor" did an excellent job. So maybe he's not an actor.@@Mohawks_and_Tomahawks
Thanks for sharing. What is the cost of caulking a bathroom by a professional plz? Tx again
Hi There, We're unable to estimate the cost of a handyman providing this service. You may want to contact your local Ace for a referral for this type of service. Here's a link to our store location to find your local Ace. www.acehardware.com/store-locator
Couple $100 minimum--and no guarantee they can do it this nicely. Lot of handymen can do a lot, but not do a lot WELL. And plumbers don't like to do it--too much work and no materials mark up--they'll charge even more.
How frequently one should do re-caulking for shower space
Hi There, When you see it pulling out or signs of mildew or mold you cannot clean away then it is time. It can vary based on the frequency of the shower or tub. Some people need to do it yearly and others up to 10 years. Hope this helps!
Guy didn't fill the tub halfway with water before applying the caulking. I like the tape idea tho!
Taping is not necessary for caulk. In fact, if you look closely, the tape doesn't allow the caulk to fully fill the gap in the corner. This is a decent video, but all one needs is caulk and some way to smoothe it out, be it a finger or tool.
Also, if you notice, it didn’t show the corner at the end of the video either. Anyone can caulk a straight line… it’s the curves and 90 degree angles I wanted shown to me. He started removing tape and when it got to the corner, it looked janky so they cut away from that bit and showed the “finished product” as the straight part of the tub only. Well that’s convenient…
You should be filling the bathtub with water before you caulk because of the weight shift. After you caulk it you empty the water with the caulk still wet.
I've found that silicone Peele's off quickly. Any ideas
I use this white construction adhesive by Gorilla Glue that can be applied to something directly under water. It works great
@@matthewbaier766 thanks so much. I will do that
DONT WET TOOL LIKE THIS GUY AND DONT TAPE
Hey Lou 👋HOW long is TOO LONG to wait??
Hi Yvonne, you want to be sure to remove the tape before the caulk hardens. If it is allowed to set the tape may pull the caulk strip with it. Thanks for watching!
I had a hard time Pushing the cauk out of the.gun, So hard to push😂
His voice and cadence sounds like Ron Desantis
That's a new one! We get Nick Offerman every once and awhile! :)
Never pull always push
This guy is the one who probably caulked my bathroom. There is mold growing underneath the caulk in mine. Look at the 4:06 mark when he lifts the tape. There's a fucking gap in the caulk and tile!
Never use tape. It will result in tiny ridges at the edge of the tape when you pull it up. Water will sit on those ridges and provide a place for mold to grow.
There's always one.
You are absolutely right. I'm glad I'm not alone. All you need is caulk tube, gun, and a rag. Use your wet finger.
@@barberfanatic always one person who knows what they're doing? I'd hope so.
He didn’t seem to have a problem. 😂😂😂😂
So what do you suggest then?
U don't need tape. Caulk is not that difficult to just form a straight line.
It does not come flush. Sorry to say
With a steady hand and a little bit of a thumb nail you can get the exact same if not more consistent caulk lines without tape
No, you cannot.
@@randallmarshall6068yes, you can. Also, you should be PUSHING the caulking, not dragging it like this guy did. If you PUSH the caulk, yoy don't have any excess mess to whip up. I have no idea why people pull the caulking gun away from their caulk line. That's like driving your car in reverse everywhere you go.
What this video doesn't show is how messy and sticky this stuff is. Especially when peeling away really long pieces of tape from the length of a shower door. You'll be scrubbing your hands for many minutes with hot soapy water to get the the stuff off your fingers!
Food handler gloves.
Use rubbing alcohol it comes right off
It's why I always wear gloves when doing anything messy.
Lol look at the corner when he pulls the tape up..the seam isn’t even covered! Delete this video, Ace
Yeah. Right as soon as he said “smooth professional” lol. This ain’t it!
Why do all the KZhead DIYers pull their caulking gun away from their caulk line? You should be PUSHING your caulk line, not dragging it. Sqeeze out caulk AHEAD of your gun and use your nozel to PUSH and LEVEL your caulk line. . This video is like driving your car in reverse, and installing jersey barriers to keep you in your lane, and telling others to do the same, rather than teaching people to drive forward and stear their damn car. Horrible advice here.
step1: smash it out with your fingers
ACE does not know what to do, only where the supplies are in the store.
I feel like nobody who doesnt get paid by the hour is ever going to use tape
I will. I’m gonna try it right now, in fact. 😊
This little kzhead.infoUgkxVoi3B4CB6Oygq1-vo4OTL1M_M5JkrXif tub works perfect in our 6 x 6 shower and is easy to get in and out. Also easy to drain.
I have watched about 20 different caulking videos and every single one of them is Wet tooling Flim flam finger tooling Lick and stick clueless
This is not the easiest way to caulk your tub by no means...
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