Focus on Energy: Caulking, Professional Style

Caulking, Professional Style by Alex Wilson A whole column on caulking techniques? You’ve got to be kidding. What is there to say? Don’t you just cut off the tip of the caulk tube, stick the nozzle in the crack, and squeeze the trigger? Actually, there’s quite a bit more to caulking. In the commercial building realm, caulking has become a science. Tolerances between building elements, joint design, joint preparation, priming, use of backer rod and bond breaker materials, and application techniques are being precisely specified by more and more architects. Since 1976, there has even existed an association which deals specifically with caulking practices: the Sealant and Waterproofers Institute (3130 Broadway, Suite 300, Kansas City, MO 64111; 816/561-8230). The Institute publishes training literature, Backer rod