SFA

1st post here. I have enjoyed reading the site after joining at expo last week. What is everyone doing for caulk between tops and walls, tops and backsplashes, backsplashes and walls, etc? We have been using either non sanded caulk colored caulk that is closest to the wall or granite color depending on situation. We have also started using Axoim translucent silicone in some circumstances. A good caulk job is something that we feel makes the job complete and I was just wondering what everyone else is doing?----We very rarely use anything clear or leave it white which I think is best if the customer wants to paint it but most do not. I look forward to your answers and learning as much as I can on here.-Zach

Zach,

Pretty much as you described. We do primarily remodels so wall paint generally follows our work. So, some painter is going to be cutting back to our tops or splashes. In that regard, color doesn't matter and the painter's are going to bytch about the caulk job of the 'granite guys'. An attempt to upscale their value.

Boyd, SFA

Glad to have you here Zach. It is customary for everyone to fill in their signature (name and such) so everyone knows who they are talking to.

As far as caulking goes, we mainly use Polyseamseal in much the same manner as you are talking. It is a very good caulking adhesive that is also water clean up which makes it a lot easier to make it look very professional. We also don't feel like the job is complete until all caulking is done. We have also started using some of the Inland brand caulking for colors that aren't available in the polyseamseal.

Looking forward to meeting you some day and congrats on joining the SFA... you will not regret it! Best $$ I invest every year!

Axiom translucent silicone's are the best by far. That is pretty much all I use. I buy cheap white painters caulk and use it where the splash meets the wall. The painters can cut it in.

I like silicone as well. Got talked into using some blend from Sherwin Williams on our remodel.

Ended up cracking everywhere. They gave me free tubes of silicone, but It didn't make up for an extra
day recaulking. I have yet to have pure silicone crack.

Dustin,

Where do you find this Axiom?
I usually use Sir-O-Sil.

we always use a translucent for anything that touched the wall, and the we use bondaflex silicome which is almost like a chameleon so it blends when it's granite to granite , after when we use silicone we actually spray methol after because i find it's the only thing the makes the silicone come off nice so you have a clean finish when you take it off with you finger

For Caulk I use DAP Clear, it is what all of the painters in our area use and is readily availabel at the box stores. Paintable so they can cut it in. I also use the same when glueing the tops to cabinets. We used to try color matching but had too many ladies complain about it not matching perfect. Now, they are all told it will be clear and if they want it in another color they can go over it again in two days with the color of their choice. No complaints since switching.

Clear latex here if they dont want to paint the clear looks as if to color of the wall and stone blend

silicone to mount and between splash and top. Silicone in big gaps behind splash topped with latex(latex will shrink if gap exceeds more the 3/16ths inch.

If gap between splash and top exists, we fill with colored caulk and wipe it back way into joint then top with silicone. You can make a pretty big gap go away this way.

Using colored caulk in anything but whites and very light colors leaves an undesireable line in my book.

Always you latex where possible against anything that will be painted.

Another overlooked thing is you can simply color you caulk with your color kit, or mix two different caulks on cardboard and finger it in. In this way you can get that perfect color.

The biggest thing I learned regarding caulking is to put in the minimum amount with a very small tip hole. Then this is the important part.....FINGER IT THREE INCHES AT A TIME AND WIPE FINGER ON RAG BETWEEN WIPES.....Then go back and fill empty spots. Usually it takes me a couple tries to get it right, but you wind up with almost no over wipe or whatever it is called.

DavidL wrote:For Caulk I use DAP Clear, it is what all of the painters in our area use and is readily availabel at the box stores. Paintable so they can cut it in. I also use the same when glueing the tops to cabinets. We used to try color matching but had too many ladies complain about it not matching perfect. Now, they are all told it will be clear and if they want it in another color they can go over it again in two days with the color of their choice. No complaints since switching.

We do the same here... had way to many complaints from the builders painters when we used silicone. They requested a paintable caulk.

kdnoel wrote:

DavidL wrote:For Caulk I use DAP Clear, it is what all of the painters in our area use and is readily availabel at the box stores. Paintable so they can cut it in. I also use the same when glueing the tops to cabinets. We used to try color matching but had too many ladies complain about it not matching perfect. Now, they are all told it will be clear and if they want it in another color they can go over it again in two days with the color of their choice. No complaints since switching.

We do the same here... had way to many complaints from the builders painters when we used silicone. They requested a paintable caulk.

same here. One tube does it all.

we use Silicone II from GE - get it @ HD - we go up underneath for tops to cabinet, we use dollups of it to attach splashes to walls. in the splash to countertop - we bevel our splash bottoms then use a bead of slicone on bottom and where splash seams, but not on top of splash. after we lay the bead we spray windex on it then use a seam tool to wipe up the excess. the silicone won't stick to the windex, which makes for a much easier clean up.
As for the splash to wall gap we leave that to the painter / contractor, if the walls were straight there wouldn't be a gap