Removing exterior caulk from casement/brick installation
#1
07-10-07, 09:03 AM
Removing exterior caulk from casement/brick installation
My frame house has a facebrick exterior with vinyl-wrapped casement windows, installed in 1984. The caulk job is a mess. Can anyone tell me how to proceed? I would like to remove the caulk, clean up the brick and window frame, and do an application of the right caulk--all neat and pretty. I guess I'm wondering how to do a complete removal and then select and apply the right caulk.
This is a great forum!
Thanks, Gary
<http://www.photolava.com/view/3ujs.html>
This is a great forum!
Thanks, Gary
<http://www.photolava.com/view/3ujs.html>
#2
07-10-07, 09:59 AM
Any failed caulk should pull right off. the rest may need to be scraped or cut off. Use a good siliconized acrylic latex caulk, an urathane caulk would be better but can be hard to find.
Caulking to brick can be difficult. It must be applied neatly. You can do very little tooling or wiping because it will smear it onto the brick. I rely on my many years of experience with a caulk gun, not sure I know any "tricks" to pass along to make the job easier
Caulking to brick can be difficult. It must be applied neatly. You can do very little tooling or wiping because it will smear it onto the brick. I rely on my many years of experience with a caulk gun, not sure I know any "tricks" to pass along to make the job easier
#3
07-10-07, 10:27 AM
Group Moderator
Well hopefully whoever caulked the windows did not use 100% silicone which is a real pain to get off of brick. I usually will use a glazing knife (like a thick putty knife but pointed on the end like a chisel) and tap on it with a hammer to chip off any caulking on the brick. It's a lot of work, and no easy way to do it. Wire brushes or heat guns just turn the caulking into a smeary mess.
The trick to caulking against brick is to grip the caulking gun toward the front, and with the same hand, use the trim or edge of the window as a straightedge to guide your hand as you caulk. While doing this, keep your caulking nozzle away from the brick so that it doesn't "bump" on the bricks. What this will do if you hold the caulking gun at a 45 degree angle to the corner, is it will run a nice straight bead along the trim, while the caulking is pushed into all the irregularities of the brick. Try not to stop and start- do an entire side at a time, only stopping if you need to wipe the tip. (If the nozzle gets goop around the tip of it, wipe it clean with a paper towel and continue. Don't caulk with goop around the tip of the nozzle- it makes a mess out of your bead.)
Resist the temptation to tool it or run your finger in the caulk. If the nozzle is cut the right size and and angle, the nozzle of the caulking gun should be all you need to tool the caulk as it is extruded.
The trick to caulking against brick is to grip the caulking gun toward the front, and with the same hand, use the trim or edge of the window as a straightedge to guide your hand as you caulk. While doing this, keep your caulking nozzle away from the brick so that it doesn't "bump" on the bricks. What this will do if you hold the caulking gun at a 45 degree angle to the corner, is it will run a nice straight bead along the trim, while the caulking is pushed into all the irregularities of the brick. Try not to stop and start- do an entire side at a time, only stopping if you need to wipe the tip. (If the nozzle gets goop around the tip of it, wipe it clean with a paper towel and continue. Don't caulk with goop around the tip of the nozzle- it makes a mess out of your bead.)
Resist the temptation to tool it or run your finger in the caulk. If the nozzle is cut the right size and and angle, the nozzle of the caulking gun should be all you need to tool the caulk as it is extruded.
