Construction can be a varied and demanding career and you will come across all different kinds of techniques and skills as you work your way through the various different jobs.  It can be easy to forget exactly how you were taught to do something years ago if you haven’t had to use this skill for a while, so here is a quick refresher guide to how to caulk baseboards.  Caulking is one of those essential building skills that can ensure a professional finish on interior painting jobs, and although applying caulk is easy, there are a number of techniques which can vary the quality of the finish.

Firstly choose a caulk product that is easy to use and water soluble (this makes for easier clean ups), and a good choice is one of the widely available products that blend acrylic and silicone.  Avoid cheap caulks as these tend to be less hard wearing and have the most shrinkage and also remember that caulks are available in different colors, so you will need to try and pick a color that is close to the colour you want to paint your baseboard.  You will need a few simple tools including a putty knife, caulk gun, razor knife, sponge and bucket.  If you are going to be doing a lot of caulking then choose a good quality caulk gun, as these apply the product much more evenly and easily.

The second step is to give the baseboard a coat of primer, as this protects the wood grain from the caulk so that you can remove it easily if you need to.  Fill a bucket full of warm water and put the caulk tube in the gun and then make a small hole in the end of the caulk tube (too large and the caulk will flow out too quickly).

Now you are ready to start caulking so hold the caulk gun at about a 30 degree angle against the crack and depresses the handle gently whilst sliding the nozzle slowly along the gap so that an even line of caulk flows from the tube.  Caulk in batches of about 24 inches at a time as this helps you to maintain an even line, and try not too move too quickly otherwise you will not get enough caulk into the gap (or too slowly as then you will have too much).   Next use your finger to smooth over the caulk (only a small amount should come away as you wipe), and use the putty knife to remove any excess caulk.  Rinse out your sponge so that it is just damp and wipe smoothly across the caulk joint to remove any excess and feather in the edges.  Rinse and repeat until you have tidied up the caulk line, (taking care not to remove any from in the gap) creating a professional looking finish.

A mistake many DIY enthusiasts make at this point is to start painting straight away, but professionals leave the caulk to harden and cure fully before applying any paint (overnight at least) as the bristles from the paint brush can remove unhardened caulk.