Most, if not all, caulk guns are equipped with an “opening rod” for breaking the seal in a tube of caulk, silicone, or whatever product you are using. By leaving that seal intact you have created a situation in which the resistance to exit out the back is less than the front.

How do you stop caulking coming out of the tube?


Quote from Youtube video: So as you can see I have just created pretty much an airtight seal around the tip. And that will prevent any air from getting into the tube of caulking.

Why poke a hole in the back of a tube of caulk?





Pro Tip: When using caulk, poke a small hole in the bottom of the tube. This will depressurize the tube and allow more control over your work.

How do you get caulk in hard to reach places?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: So what you can do in that case get yourself a little ziploc baggie squirt some into the bag. And then just cut the tip off.

Do you have to use the whole tube of caulk?

Joe Truini: There’re very few caulking projects that require you to use a full tube of caulk, so it’s important to find a way to seal it so you can reuse it next time. Now I’ve seen people use duct tape and even wire nuts to seal it but these ideas don’t really work because they don’t seal out the air.

How do you stop silicone from coming out?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Just squeeze a tiny bit of decorators caulk out of the end of the nozzle then take your rubber. Finger. Put that over.

How do you stop caulking coming out of the gun?





Release the Pressure Rod



A simple push of the locking plate lever releases the pressure on the plunger and instantly stops the flow of caulk. To remove the caulk tube, press the lever and pull back on the rod to expose the entire tube and slip it out of the gun.

How do you caulk with a squeeze tube?

Grasp the tube and slowly squeeze the trigger. Press the nozzle into the joint with enough pressure to force the caulk into the gap. At the same time, steadily draw the nozzle along the joint. Apply steady pressure to the trigger or tube and fill the gap with an even bead of caulk.

Why is my caulk gun so hard?

If your caulking gun is too hard to squeeze, first make sure that there is no dirt or anything else in the way of the moving components. Next, make sure that the tip is cut off and open. If the tip is not cut off, you won’t really be able to squeeze the trigger.

Where do you cut caulk tube?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Away. That's gonna run a very small bead. Then you want to take it over to an inside corner like on trim. And you want to rub that tip between the corner trim and the wall to kind of round.

Why is caulking peeling off?



Most caulks are made of acrylic or silicone material which are not weather-proof. These caulks get affected by both extremely wet and dry settings and wear off. Showers are extremely damp areas and hence peeling of caulk is a common issue.

How do you lay a perfect bead of caulking?

Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: And it's not a nice smooth bead. What you should be doing is going in a fairly quick pace. All right pretty much as quick as you can manage. And your trigger speed as you're pulling the trigger is.

Why is my new caulk cracking?

As the caulk dries, it shrinks and causes the paint film to stretch and crack. Applying caulk when the air, surface, or caulk temperature is below 40 degrees F, and the caulk is not designed for these conditions.

How do you apply silicone caulk smoothly and professionally?



Quote from the video:
Quote from Youtube video: Really the only tip at this point is once you get the silicone to start flowing you want a good steady pace right across the tile. Good steady pressure on your gun.

How long does an open tube of silicone last?

Silicone caulk has a one-year shelf life guarantee, so it’s super important to test your caulk before you start a new project. To test your caulk, all you have to do is squeeze out a small bit and wait for about 15 to 20 minutes. After the 15 to 20 minutes are up, check to see if your caulk has formed a skin.

Can you use a caulking tube more than once?

The caulking will dry solidly and airtight, but you can reopen the tube by unscrewing the fastener. As an added bonus, once the caulking has dried, you can even hang the tube of caulking up on a nail in your workshop.

Can I caulk over caulk?

Removing the old caulk and replacing it with a new bead of caulk instead usually creates a better seal. However, you can effectively caulk over caulk as long as the bottom layer of caulk isn’t damaged or moldy. The old caulk should also be clean, dry, and free of oil for the best adhesion.

How do you know if caulk is still good?



You can always test the caulk before starting a project by running a small bead of caulk on a scrap piece of wood, cardboard, etc. If after approximately 15-20 minutes the product has not formed a “skin”, the product is most likely expired and will not fully cure.

How long does an unopened tube of caulk last?

one year

Caulk — two months opened, one year unopened. Glazing compounds — one year opened, two years unopened.

How long should caulking last?

approximately five years



As a general rule, caulk should last approximately five years. There are a number of variables that will determine the actual length of time between replacement, including: Type and quality of caulk used.