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Find-A-Caulk

The Caulk Finder

Tell Rosie about the joint: what it is, where it is, whether it gets wet, gets painted, or moves. She'll name the formulation, the tube to buy, and how to prep your exact gap.

Rosie in a deerstalker hat, peering through a magnifying glass
Detective Rosie. No gap goes unsolved.

0 of 6 answered

1What are you sealing?
2Where is it?
3How wet does it get?
4Will you paint over it?
5How wide is the gap?
6Does the joint move?
Anything else?

How Rosie decides

The Finder works through the same questions a good hardware-store veteran would ask, in this order of priority:

  1. Is water getting in right now?

    Nothing sticks to a running leak. Masonry leaks get hydraulic cement first; everything else gets dried out before sealing.

  2. What's the joint made of, and where is it?

    Concrete, masonry, metal gutters, roofs, and soundproofing each have a specialist. Everything else is decided by the next three questions.

  3. How wet does it get?

    Daily water means silicone. Occasional splashes can take siliconized acrylic. Dry joints can take anything.

  4. Will it be painted?

    Standard silicone never takes paint, so a painted joint needs acrylic, elastomeric, polyurethane, or a hybrid.

  5. How big is it, and does it move?

    Wide joints need backer rod. Moving joints need a sealant with a real movement rating. Big movement rules out plain acrylic.

The Finder names the tubes we'd buy ourselves. We don't take money from brands and there are no affiliate links. Read the reviews for the full story on every pick, or browse caulk by type.