How to properly FILL CRACKS around Window Sills
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- Опубликовано: 5 сен 2024
- Today I'm showing you how I fill gaps and cracks around window sills. This is a really common problem especially in new build homes since the woodwork contracts as it dries out in a centrally heated home. This is a classic use case for caulk, a flexible decorative filler ideal for use on substrates that are subject to a small amount of movement and need to be painted over.
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Which caulk is best? (Oct 2019) - • Which CAULK is best?
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I'm about to do this to 3 windows in my daughters bedroom for the first time ever!!! Thank you for this video 👍🙏
You work neatly and arent messy, which is great.
You're also not in to quick-fixes, which is great.
You're also clearly knowledgeable in what youre doing, which is great.
I will be checking out your channel more. 👍🏻
I noticed that too. I wish every handyman would work like this.
that is great
Hi Andy, I'm a time served painter and decorator from your corner of the world, and for nearly 50 years I've worked all over the North East carrying out both private and commercial decorating projects. Being from the old school, I would always choose oil over water based paint. Oil may yellow but it lasts much longer,is more hard wearing and you get a better finish. The only reasons I would use water based paint is if the client has an allergy or the paint has to be dry as soon as possible.Obviously the other big negative against water based is the price compared to oil based.
Interesting - cheers Kevin! Yeah, oil based is MUCH nicer to work with. I need to do some testing of the water based ones with Floetrol as I thought they'd have this fixed by now. The Leyland Trade Fast Drying Gloss is nice to work with and dries crazy quick but it's barely satin, nevermind gloss. 😀👍
In my role as a Foreman painter and later as a painting contracts Manager, I attended many exhibitions and trade shows organised by Dulux,Crown etc and as far back as 20 years ago I remember attending a show at The Crown Decorating Centre on Barrack Road and being told that the big Manufacturers were starting to push w/b alternatives,but the problem was convincing the old tradesman to change from oil based paints, and here we are 20 years later and the jury is still out on which is best.Keep up the good work Andy, great videos..
@@kevintodd6150 Been a P&D since 1985 and IMO Dulux paint over the last 5 years seems to have gone downhill, some of the gloss I've opened and used has been terrible.
I have been using Leyland waterbased gloss which I get from toolstation, for about 5 years now, I get excellent results with no yellowing.
Great workmanship! No shortcuts.
Everything is an Art.
Everyone can be an Artist.
OMG I'm so glad I found your video. I was about to go and pay £10 or more for caulk from high Street shop. Great instruction too thank you. I now have confidence to get on with the job!
Thanks for successfully re-homing the scared up spider 🙏
Been using caulk for years, especially the Screwfix stuff, but there was still a few handy tips in there that I’d never considered before - especially using a different brand for an initial backfill. Cheers
Glad you saved the spider. Cheers for the video. Really informative.
Speaking of Audio…. Your background music is beautiful. Loved the whole production so much so I subscribed 🎉
Really good instructional and love the backfilling prior to caulk. Recommend picking up the inexpensive silicone caulk tools on amazon, never use my finger anymore and leaves the best reveals ever. I ran out of masking tape on a job once and used paper drywall joint tape between the carpet and baseboard, it’s cheaper, thicker and doesn’t get hung up like masking tape.
which tools? i just had a look and there are so many different sets!
@@whiskeysierra286 They are basically the same. Pick one with at least four different applicators. It should look after 90% of what you need to do.
We had bare pine board window sills and have gradually painted most of them. The living room one had scores and dents in it, so I filled it with wood filler and a wallpaper scraper. Sanded it down, then primed it with Johnstones stain blocker (a great primer) which we had left from a wet ceiling stain problem. Caulked the edges and sanded it a bit after the first (Aldi) gloss coat. I'm getting Johnstones Aqua for the top coats as we have a few more to do. It's worth all the prepping, especially where you'll be looking at the widow sill every day. I love using caulk, especially around architraves and skirting. It makes such a difference to the finished look of a paint job.
Thank you! I was worried about using caulk for cracks in a closet shelf I set up. After seeing this, the way you smoothed it with your finger especially, I believe I can make it look nice!!!
Record breaking “that’s what she said” count! 🤙
Absolutely professional I am going to watch it again and give it a go in my bathroom that has been horrible for years. Thank you so much.
Superb demo! Have been using Crown Trade Acrylic Undercoat and Eggshell for 6yrs now - great to use and no yellowing even though sills are in very bright sunlight for much of the year. Thanks again for not only great practical advice but also your take on coping with things life chucks at us - definitely a straight forward "No Nonense" approach. Brilliant!
This window sill to wall cracking appeared in our cottage... This was a bit of a mystery as it was built in 1830.. The mystery was solved when I discovered that the previous owner had removed the solid oak sills (just after the surveyors report and our subsequent purchase of the property), and replaced them with oak veneered chipboard lookalikes. I was ordered, by "She who MUST be obeyed" , to carry out repairs similar to those you demonstrated. As I was repainting the white walls and caulk fills , the cat jumped up on the sill, knocking over a full 5 litre tin of paint , covering itself, and the new Axminster/Wilton carpet beneath, (that I'd omitted to cover with a dust sheet) While trying to catch the cat in order to prevent further spread of paint and chaos, I tripped over the now empty paint tin rolling along the carpet, slid at high speed along the paint already covering the carpet and watched helplessly as I careered into, and through, the better half's new £3000 85" SONY BRAVIA KD85XG8596BU TV set. At this point, my savings at Screwfix seemed a tad irrelevant... I hope I shall be viewing your next presentation from home and not a hospital bed..
excellent vid, thanks for your valuable tips, I'm 65, but not too old to learn new tricks, thanks for sharing, Goodluck and God Bless!
Preparing to fix my windowsills in this spring and this is the best video I've watched on this topic so far. This is exactly what I needed. Thank you!
widnowsills cracked already?
Excellent Video I've learned more here than any other video about filling cracks. Thank You from Nashville, Tennessee, US
can't unsee all the cracks around my windowsills now 😂
I was just thinking the same - the "cracks of shame" all around our skirting in the kitchen :(
Yup - after this video I went 'round half the house filling other cracks I hadn't even noticed before. 😂
Thanks for this. Renovating my home recording studio and the windows are a mess. This video and others like it have taken what I thought needed a pro into the realm of DIY.
Cheers!
Thank you for such a comprehensive video! I’m a complete novice to diy and found this so easy to follow. Going to give this a go in our new build 😊
Love your commitment to doing proper quality work!
I dare say that some of, if not a majority of the cracking could have something to do with the fact that the window sills being floor level, they get stood on baring full bodyweight quite often...
Good thorough informative vid, mate. 👍🏽
Cheers.
Thanks for helping me fill my crack in, very thorough. I would have just caulked straight over it and made a real mess not considering the size of my gaps, good job, just hope there's no shrinkage afterwards.
You can put expanding foam in if it’s a big gap, than calk over when it’s dry
Lol, I'm an idiot. I watched the beginning of this video three or four times trying to figure out what he meant by "the old cork was going to have to come out." He means old CAULK is going to have to come out. I was getting kind of worried, I'm pretty handy but I didn't know what cork was in a window sill or how I even begin to replace it. Great video, thank you for posting this
Wish i'd seen this before touching up my window sils, i just went over the existing crap with new stuff argh, more work!
Favourite water based gloss right now is Ronseal Stays White 2in1 Primer and Paint. Lays off really well to leave a nice smooth finish and doesn't drag on the brush like others i've tried.
Will try to dig it out for a Test Tuesday! Cheers! 👍
Just to throw my way of dealing with this into the bargain... scrape out old caulk... foam fill the gap with a touch of expanding foam. Soudall gap fill is a good one. Scrape back then caulk or fill over the top. The foam helps stop any movement in say a baseboard to a wall or window sill in this case. Either method,preparation is key! Great video dude!
100% I would say soudall foam is the best thing for these larger gaps. Stops all movement, then caulk/fill the last bit for the Finish
liam mccormack just from my experience with caulk always crazing a few days later due to it still being flexible I use filler most of the time.... but in some instances I prime over the caulk with zinsser 123 and then paint... no more crazing
Cheers! Some caulks seem a lot worse than others for crazing for some reason - the No Nonsense tends to be OK. 👍
@@GosforthHandyman As a Painter / Decorator id be going with an expanding foam then beading with caulk mate as the caulk you squeeze in does not dry fast so even though the top is dry inside stays wet expanding foam also has the added effect of gripping and binding so holding it all firm and solid saving call backs when the same crack reappears. Just my two pence worth.
Believe it or not, I was asking my mate about the whole yellowing thing just last night. He's been in the paint game for decades and said the same as you, oil or water based, it'll yellow but oil more so. He has always rated Dulux over other brands. Thanks for the vid.
Zinsser Permawhite water based doesn't seem to yellow much but it's satin not gloss.
The Leyland Quick Dry stuff seems to be the whitest I've tried but it's not very glossy. I thought the Johnstones Aqua would be 'the one' but possibly not. 😢😂👍
@@GosforthHandyman mmm... If it's quick dry I suspect it's difficult to avoid brush marks and if it yellows as well... Might as well use Dulux brilliant white oil based gloss. At least it flows out well but of course it does yellow especially if there's not much natural light i.e. sun. Pretty good on window boards where there's lots of natural light.
We've only used Leyland water based white satin for years now. It doesn't seem to yellow at all with age and comes in plastic containers, so that rusting you often get with paint which uses water as the solvent on a metal can doesn't happen. It's also easier to peel off dried paint from the edge of the container which has been used previously before use. Paints using oil as a solvent really are old hat now, with the yellowing preventing a local repair which blends in imperceptibly.
I like watching your instructive videos. It does help me do a better job as I’m a handyman. Hello from Maryland USA
My house was built in 2014 and it shifts occasionally so a few cracks to deal with. Super helpful video, thank you!
Nice job. 👍🏻. for me the biggest advantages of water based gloss is the absence of smell, the ease of clean up and drying times. Tbh yellowing happens with any paint with time and grime so I don’t see the slight yellowing of water based stuff as a particular disadvantage in comparison with oils. Cheers for the video
100% water based won’t yellow. You must be talking about hybrids
I'm watching this because I just watched a spider squeeze through a crack around my window.
This was so helpful, I feel a lot clearer about what I need to do now! Thank you 😄
And the ant survives at 5 mins - top man! Have used Leyland trade water based gloss but never been super impressed. No obvious problems with yellowing though. Thank you for video.
The Leyland is nice and white but not very glossy. 👍
@@GosforthHandyman Agreed but it was the finish I was looking for - not far off the old satinwood.
Thank you so much for sharing your tips and tricks! I am so grateful! Your work looks so beautiful!
Good video but, a "Time-served Decorator" would have "Primed" the exposed wood (prior to calking). Then, you can speed up the drying process (if in a hurry) with an old hair drier so that its ready to receive the caulk. Priming wood prevents the caulk from loosing its adhesive properties over the dry & bare timber, which acts like a blotting paper. Always "PRIME" bare wood before using filler. Its a standard trade practice mate. All the best and take care.
Hiya mate, how would you prime first?
@@spontomf pretty simply use a coat of wood primer applied with a brush. Probably want to mask over the sill or you will muck the finish up and end up with a sill to paint as well.
@Bert Sutherland yep you can always tell a Nobber (Knobber?) as they will put someone else down to make their point sound better informed, instead of asking “would it be better to” or “personally I might do this but I’m sure that would work too” or whatever. Nothing is so cut and dry when it comes to building or maintenance and anyone who suggests the “right” way clearly has no experience with this kind of stuff, as we’ve all done it a thousand different ways and would never criticise someone for showing their way.
Yeah i don't think any professional decorator in the business of making money would do this.
Your videos are great i just love watching and learning thanks
All movement joints need a proper sealant with a proper sealant design. Since homeowners aren't capable of joint design, I recommend using the most expensive latex sealant you can find, because latex is cleaned with water and not too strong to remove, and the expensive ones have more stretch to them, preventing many failures. If you have persistent failure, consider increasing the size of the joint and using backer rod foam or polyethylene tape (like vapor barrier tape or standard clear paper tape) as bond breakers under the joint to give the sealant more room to stretch.
Thanks for this, i know its and older video but we just moved home and im sure the caulk is 15 years old, cracked and shrunk. But ive started and it looks great - thank you
For fine cracks I use a boat product called Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure. A very thin sealant which once the crack is full is easily sanded and overpainted.
Does the Captain Tolley's Shrink?
Im a new subscriber, even though I have only seen a handful of your videos so far, I can tell you are a good handyman to have. You don't cheap out or get lazy to cut a corner. You dont hesitate to take the extra step if by taking it ensures the project is done the right way. I wish more handymen / contractors had your attention to detail and lack of laziness. keep up the great work, I will definitely continue to check out your channel.
@Jay Ross there are actually more of us tradesmen that are line that and take pride in our worry than they're are lazy ones and cowboys. It's a case of the few willing it for the many. Manchester carpenter and joiner here. 👍🏻🙂
You play the drums too? A man after my own heart!
I was trying to identify the vintage kick pedal and not listening to the video. Drummer in Tennessee.
Excellent video as always, thank you Andy. It's satin not gloss but Zinsser Permawhite satin is a pretty good waterbased paint and it has good adhesion to other paints with minimal or no sanding.
Cheers Mark! Yeah, there's a few satin ones that seem to hold the white well. Still struggling to find a proper gloss that does. Nearly 2020 - thought we'd have that one fixed by now! 😂👍👊
Regarding water based gloss enamels. Painted my trims downstairs 15 years ago and they are still white, no yellowing whatsoever. To the point where 2 years ago I replaced all of the skirting board (base board) having retiled the floors and the white finish was the same as the door trim from 15 years before. Australis perfect prep and Australis Supertrim, in Australia obviously.
Leyland water based acrylic primer undercoat x 2 coats (always x2 when undercoating) and then, Leyland water based eggshell. I have used this method over the last 15 years and never had any yellowing also very hard wearing and wipeable, easy to keep clean.
For water stains on ceilings and walls: Oil based undercoat x 2 (always x2 when undercoating) and then, whatever you like inc water based emulsion.
I found this to be the most reliable and economical method, as the stains never return.
As for favourite gloss paints I’m with you - Johnstone’s takes some beating. Okay, it’s not as glossy as oil based but that seems to be fashionable these days anyway. It sure beats re-glossing every three months when the oil based stuff has gone yellow.
Yup - defo seems to stay white on the woodwork I've applied it to - just a bit concerned about the yellowing on the tin itself. Strange. 🤔👍
@@GosforthHandyman I was going to say that wondered if that might be due to some gentle rusting on the rim of the tin but then I remembered that the 'tins' are plastic these days.
Dulux water based quick drying gloss is amazing..... great finish
Thank you so much. Now I can get to work on my 30 something windows and base boards.
A great video was just looking at my window cracks yesterday lol annoyingly all the trades shows I'm getting on RUclips are from England and I'm in Canada - but I am British ! It started cause I wanted a lot of specific info on MDF but then I couldn't find the products here.
Same with Caulk everyone and their grandmother uses an interior caulk called Alex plus and DAP, not really any other choices! Also they banned interior oil paint over 10 years ago I can't believe England still uses it
New Subie. I'm excited about doing this myself. My husband thinks that didn't need caulking. UGH !!
Mine too. I've this problem in my kitchen wall cabinets
Stumbled across this - really helpful and have subscribed. Really nice job
Very helpful video, thanks - my favourite water based gloss is Crown Trade Fastflow quick dry gloss which does not yellow and stays white
I literally was about to check your back videos to see if you have any vids on this as its a job i need to tackle this weekend! Savage mate! - you read my mind! Greetings from County Meath in Ireland by the way, loving the podcast too in the car on my commute!
Big welcome to County Meath! Cheers bud! 👍👊
@@GosforthHandyman always been subbed... Loving the channel since the early days. Keep up the good work.
Good job Andy. My preferred paint for a few years now is Bedec Aqua-Advanced, available as Primer/Undercoat, High Gloss, Satin Finish, Eggshell & Matt.
Jst noticed my windows have a slight draught around a few of them I've noticed, it's only small draught but this cold weather atm, I'm losing my heating that way and it's been taking a hood while to heat up in my apartment.. and I've noticed the draught tonight... so I'm hoping I'll be able do it myself with your help from this..!!! So ill say thanks in advance....!! X
My favourite gloss?
Whatever i find in me shed like 😁
Thank you for re homing the spider and for teaching us!
I am a 66 year old female watching videos to learn how to make my own home repairs. Using a caulking gun is almost impossible for me. I just finished caulking siding on front porch and painting! I used a single tube of Dynafex 230. Can you suggest what I should buy for the lighter back up application in a smaller tube? Next project is repairing a vertical crack separation down the wall next to a built in bookcase. Your video was VERY helpful in removing the old caulking first!!!!!!!!! Not a window seal but same separation of old caulk from wall.
Love te demonstration ... and the drummimg at the end!
Amazing how you can make a PITA job look so easy and professional! Thanks for the video. Cheers, David
I discovered cracks around my house and put me caulk in em, the public housing complained that I didn't complained, now they need to pay me back for doing the job and stuff by law, I wrote them an invoice "hours worked 3, price per hour, 0, supply cost 0, balance paid in full, thank you!" they didn't harass me about maintaining the property again.
Word of advice for property managers: if your occupants are maintaining the property up to your standard and they leave the property in either as good or better condition than they moved in and it's safe for further occupation... don't harass them over it, especially when they probably were on top of it and saved you thousands in just minor call outs to things that they can fix.
I did call them for things that did need licensing however.. I don't want to be responsible for the building burning down or collapsing... but yes, RUclips for small things has been my friend.
thanks! Great Vid!!! Love the tip on top types of caulk and the back fill...
Quite low window cills! 😂 You know there low when the skirting boards are higher! Great video as always!
Cheers bud! 😂👍
I use a reduced odour quicker drying oil gloss from Resene and love it. Touch dry in about 6 hours and yellows less than regular stuff. It must have a different solvent
Oh thank you! I have all the materials. Not looking forward to removing the old caulking but.
Thanks and an excellent lesson , I am doing my DIY for the very first time .
Hi Andy
Another excellent video but even more praise for your rehoming the spider !
Top Man 👍👍
Martin
Great video mate, good tips. Mine is 2 and a half years old so got a few cracks to sort out, suppose now I've seen this I've got no excuse!
Spray foam for the win on any and all cracks,movement wise or whatever.then poly fill or caulk
🍻
I like Dulux Aquaenamel. I'm in Australia and haven't seen the paint you used. Thanks for tips. Very helpful.
I just close my eyes,I find that helps😂😂😂😂😂
I was at 7:30 (he was backfilling) and few seconds into hearing the background music when reading your comment “I just close my eyes”. I thought the music was going to be “Dust in the Wind” and you’re saying calming music helps to do a job like this: “I close my eyes Only for a moment, and the moment's gone...”😅
I've gone off Johnstone's Aqua as it was ruining my brushes. Went back to Leyland water based gloss...cheap, washes out of brushes and can be picked up just about everywhere!! Looking forward to the comparison!
all those hybrids do and they still yellow they ant the way forward dulux trade acrylic gloss is good bedec gloss and should never yellow though not as tough but more flexible so won't naturally crack like oil hybrids
I tried the Dulux stuff a few years ago and it was awful but hoping it's moved on a bit now. 👍
@@GosforthHandyman they discontinued the acrylic gloss don't like using hybrids because they mess your brushes up bedec is the best acrylic gloss ive used and shouldn't yellow.
The only white gloss to use is zinsser bin perma white. You're welcome! 😉😁
Thanks! I'm in the process. Happy to see I'm doing it correctly so far. This will certainly help!
Excellent video. Informative, friendly, well filmed.
Subscribed for the re-homed spyder
Top video bud, thanks for going into detail! Looking forward to the next one :)
Cheers dude! 😎👍
Screwfix also do a no nonsense anti crack caulk which is better than the standard caulk,does not shrink so much,is more flexible and does not crack.
Vic Firth and BD Pedal ... me senses a drummer’s home! 😊 - UPDATE: Ah!! I saw the end!! 🥁
Try the No-Nonsense Anti crack Acrylic, I find it miles better than the caulk.
Thank you for a great job.
Ah brilliant video, really learnt a lot, can you please show us cracks next to stairs and what's the best way to repair them.
I can't fault Screwfix no nonsense water based gloss use it all the time it's spot on and cheap
Don't think I've tried their water based gloss yet - will dig it out. 👍
I use Johnstones water-based gloss and don't find in yellows apart from on the edge of the tin, I have always put it down to the fact that it is causing the tin to rust under the paint where I have opened it with a screwdriver and the rust is bleeding through the paint.
My living room has 2 internal doors, 5 years ago I painted 1 with oil-based gloss and the other with water-based gloss. Today the oil-based gloss has yellowed and the water-based gloss still looks white
PS
According to my local Johnstones decorating centre, water-based gloss still containes oil. can't remember what oil, I believe it is a vegetable-based oil such as Lincead oil
The 'yellowing on the tin' thing is weird - as you say, seems to be fine on the woodwork, but even the drips on my tin are yellow. Time will tell! 👍😀
I always use Leyland Trade Fast Drying Satin. In combination with the acrylic primer undercoat. I'm used to it and get acceptable results so reluctant to try others - would love to see how it fares against others in a test! Thanks for the vids.
Probably just set in my ways but I’ve always used Dulux quick drying primer/ undercoat, followed by the quick drying gloss.
Good vid, never considered backfilling cracks with courk, I usually use a “no nails” variant.
Nice job 👏👍
A tip. To prevent white paint yellowing a drop dark bleu in it will help. just a drop . If you notes the paint turns blue , it was to match. Believe me just a drop and stir well. Good luck.
Only decent, non-yellowing gloss I've used that has flow, non-yellowing and quick drying is Bedec's water-based line. All of the various sheen levels are as good as each other and it's usually around £20 a litre, so tends to be cheaper than the big-name brands which aren't nearly as good.
I gave up on gloss a long time ago having found Crown Trade FastFlow Quick Dry Satin. It's expensive but it's a pleasure to use, good open time and self levelling properties. Crucially, absolutely no sign of yellowing even behind furniture which was suprising as most white paint needs UV to stay white. Also it doesn't have that strange sticky feel, even weeks later, like the Dulux water bourne stuff.
It seems to be the glossyness that causes the yellowing - will check it out! 👍
Great end result!
Of all the tools available, my finger seems to still be the best for finishing :)
I've stopped using Screwfix standard No Nonsense caulk because it would shrink too much and the paint would craze over it, and I'd have to make another visit to sort it out. Then I found their No Nonsense Anti Crack Acrylic caulk. A bit more expensive than the standard one, but doesn't seem to shrink as much, or craze as much and the fnit saves having to revisit the job then it's worth paying a bit more. You should give it a try. I won't use the standard one anymore.
Simple lesson, but worth learning.
Perfect video! Exactly that I was looking for! THANK YOU!
Good informative video, subscribed off the back of this 👍
That looks great, definitely cheaper and faster than replacing those things. I was wondering what you would think about cleaning up the paint and prep like you did but spray painting the whole area and then caulking at the end. Or is that not a good idea?