How to Caulk Skirting Boards

In this guide, we will be going over the basics of how to apply fresh Caulking to skirting boards that may not have Caulking on them, or on skirting boards that you have removed old Caulk from.

1 – Finding the right product

In our instructional video, we used Everbuild 125 Caulk along with a Faithful Sealant Applicator gun. These are the two main items you will need when learning how to caulk for your first time, or if it’s not your first time learning how to caulk you may already have the tools required!

2 – Making sure the surface is ready to go

As with every aspect of DIY and construction, preparation is key. We recommend cleaning your skirting boards before applying your Caulk so that it’s free from contamination and will stick to the surface better. If you are planning on repainting your skirting board as well, sanding the skirting before you apply your Caulk will help it have a better grip. We recommend applying your Caulk before you paint your skirting.

3 – Cutting your Caulk’s tip

Before you can apply your Caulk, you will need to cut the tip of the caulk. On the top of the tube is a small thread where the nozzle screws onto, using a stanley knife provides the best results as it gives it the cleanest and smoothest cut, but be careful as stanley knife blades are extremely sharp. Take the blade to the top thread of the tip and slice off the domed top. Always cut away from yourself.

Additionally, we recommend cutting a small horizontal slice from the top of your Caulks nozzle to allow it to come out of the tube better. This can vary depending on how thick you want your Caulks bead to be or if there is a gap between your skirting board and your wall.

4 – Loading up your applicator

On the back of your Sealant Applicator there is a small little push button that allows you to pull back the sliding component of the applicator. Press and hold this down using your thumb or finger, and use your other hand’s finger of choice to pull on the hook shaped part of the applicator to bring back the cartridge holder. Once this has been pulled back you can insert your tube of Caulk.

We also recommend having the Caulks nozzle screwed onto the tip of the tube before you insert it into the applicator. Now that your tube is in, you can either squeeze the trigger a few times to get the mechanism (which looks like a circle plate) pressed up against the base of the bottom end of the tube.

It is advised to stop squeezing the trigger when the metal plate reaches the base of the Caulk to prevent it from preemptively squirting the Caulk out the nozzle.

5 – Final steps

This is the moment that all the previous steps have brought us too. Now everything is in place, get one hand on the main base of the applicator, around halfway or closer to the end of the applicator is ideal. Your fingers will probably be resting on the tube of Caulk which is fine as it helps to keep it stable.

As mentioned in step 3, you should have a slant cut into the Caulks nozzle. We want the slant to be facing the area where the skirting board and the wall meets, having the nozzle at this angle will allow the bead of caulk to come out better and allow for a better run. Once your caulks tip is in place and your hands are on the applicator and trigger you are ready to start squeezing the trigger.

6 – Time to Caulk

When you first squeeze the applicator’s trigger, the caulk will begin to flow and come out of the nozzle. Once you can see that the caulk is coming out keep a steady squeeze on the trigger, if you squeeze too hard you may get more Caulk come out than you intended or if you squeeze too lightly, you may not get enough.

If this is your first time Caulking, don’t put yourself down if it does not go perfectly for your first few attempts as it can take a few runs to learn how much pressure is required on the trigger. Now that the Caulk is coming out, you can bring the caulk gun from left to right or right to left depending on what you find easier, in one continuous motion.

Depending on the length of the area you are Caulking you will need to squeeze the trigger again once it has been fully squeezed. Keep the Caulk and applicator in place whilst you do this and continue to pull the Caulk and applicator along your skirting until you have reached the end of your skirting that you are applying Caulk too.

7 – Smoothing the Caulk

This is the final step for your Caulking journey. Once you are happy with the area you have just Caulked, press on the metal press button on the back of the applicator to prevent the caulk from coming out anymore. Put your Caulk and applicator to one side and get ready to to smooth the Caulk.

Here at Skeels Direct, we tend to just get our finger a little bit wet and run it across the bead of Caulk a few times until all the bumps are smoothed out. If you don’t fancy using your finger, you can get a dish cloth damp and place it over your finger and run it across the Caulk using the dish cloth as a shield for your finger.

Additionally you can also use one of the Silicone/Caulk smoothing tools we sell which will be linked in this article, which is used in the same fashion as your finger by running it across your Caulk bead until it is smooth enough to your liking.

If there is any excess Silicone on the wall, before it dries is it best to remove it using a damp cloth. To clean your tube of Caulk, simply wipe the tip of the nozzle with a tissue, wipe or any damp cloth.