Distract Your Mind – Show Your Diy Skills Using Caulk Strip While Staying At Home

The lockdown has left you stranded at home and with nothing to do, it may seem like each day stretches over a week. Killing time these days isn’t easy, but when you have a few DIY projects at hand, you can spend your time productively. The best part about DIY projects is that you don’t need many supplies. You can do loads with any extra caulk tape that’s lying around the house!

Caulking is a home improvement project that few people like. It involves hard work and is time consuming. However, you can significantly reduce the time and effort required for the job by using self adhesive caulking strip. That’s right! This simple alternative can ensure your DIY projects don’t take up your whole day and still look refined.

So, if you’ve been looking for an activity to keep yourself busy or just want to upgrade the look of your house, you can start by caulking your bathroom, windows and doorframes.

Bathroom

Your bathroom is one of the places where you can use self adhesive vinyl trim strips. Start with the bathtub because it’s a bigger surface area and takes much more time. When you’re done with this big project, everything else will seem easy.

The bathtub area will already have some caulking. You should know that over time caulking tends to crack, discolor and even shrink. Since the area around the bathtub gets wet frequently, the chances of mildew and mold also increase. If you install the new caulking on top of the old one, the mold inside will just fester and eventually become a health hazard. So, the first step entails removing the old caulk.

The process is simple enough. If you used caulk tape before, you can easily remove it. However, if you’ve used silicon or latex tape, you’ll need some time to scrap it away. You may have to use a putty knife or a razor blade. You can even use a caulk softener to speed up the process. Don’t worry, though. It’s a one-time effort and since you’re using a caulk strip this time, removing it will be a breeze.

Once you’ve removed the caulk, just wipe the surface area clean with a damp cloth. You can also use rubbing alcohol to get rid of any excess caulk debris as it prepares the surface for the application of the caulk strip. Scouring powder is another helpful resource that removes residue and gives you a clean surface to work on.

Then, just apply the self adhesive strip and you’re done. Yes, it’s that simple! If you’d used a caulk gun, you’d have to clean the excess caulk and smoothen out the lines. Caulking with a caulk gun is a long process that you should avoid.

Once you are done with the bathtub, move on to the other areas of the bathroom.

Windows and Door Frames

Caulking windows is a great DIY task. However, you need to be careful when you are choosing the caulk. If you’re looking for caulk for the exterior windows, you should look for materials that can withstand high temperatures. This simple step will ensure that the caulking doesn’t crack or wear off easily. Thankfully, with caulk tape, you don’t have to worry about cracks anymore!

When caulking windows, make sure they are free of dust. Dust accumulates around windows, so you’ll need to be thorough with your cleaning. Vacuum all the dust and debris away and clean them with soapy water. Let them dry and make sure there’s no dirt around the area before you start caulking.

Once the area is clean, just peel off the backing on the strip and apply it. Make sure you press it firmly so that the strip attaches to the wall properly. The best thing about self-adhesive caulking alternatives is that you can even use them as accents for the windows. However, for this, you may need to get a wider tape or strip.

You can also upgrade your doorframes with caulking strips. Regular caulk will not work for doorframes, so you will have to look for alternatives. Self-adhesive caulking strip would be a good option.

Tips for Using Caulking Strips

While carrying out DIY activities, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. With these helpful caulking tips, you can make use of self adhesive strips in the best possible way.

  • Always use dry hands to handle the caulking strips.
  • Position the caulking strip beforehand to avoid any mistakes.
  • Start caulking after you have painted the area to avoid staining.
  • Start applying the strip on small sections and then work your way through.
  • Measure the length of strip you’d need and cut it off by adding a few inches.
  • When using caulk tape, you can preheat the gum with the help of a hair dryer to increase its stickiness.
  • Make sure the temperature of the room is above 25oC as caulking strips don’t stick properly in colder temperatures.
  • The self adhesive strips can be stiff so make sure you bend them beforehand to make the application process smoother.
  • It’s important to protect the caulking strip from water for at least 12 hours after installation.

Conclusion

Don’t waste your time during this lockdown. Keep yourself busy and distracted with DIY projects to get some much-needed peace during these difficult times. Caulking is a common DIY activity that doesn’t require many supplies. So if you want to keep busy, use the tips mentioned and give your house a makeover that shows off your renovating skills!

Author Bio: Greg Amundson is the founder and creator of InstaTrim & have been working in the home construction industry for 30+ years and have always had a passion to make DIYers’ life easier by developing products like white peel and stick trim molding, black caulk tape, grey PVC corner trim, etc.

News Reporter