Caulking Services in Port Hope, ON

Sealing Old Wood Windows the Careful Way

An old wood window has two kinds of joint, and they need different materials. The glass is held in the sash with glazing putty, which dries and cracks with age, and putty is what it should be repaired with. Caulk belongs where the window frame meets the brick or siding, and where trim boards meet one another. Using caulk on the glass is a shortcut that makes every later repair harder.

Around a window set in brick, the gap between frame and masonry can be wide and uneven. Filling it solid with caulk doesn't work well. A foam backer rod goes in first so the bead has the right depth and can stretch as the wood moves through the seasons. We use a paintable acrylic-latex on these joints, so the bead can disappear under the trim colour.

Much of the draft in an old window comes through gaps around the frame and sash rather than through the glass. Fresh caulking outside and weatherstripping on the sash can make a single-pane window noticeably more comfortable without replacing it. Inside, bathrooms get the same care: shower recaulking means cutting out every bit of the old bead, cleaning the joint with a mildew remover and running fresh 100% silicone.

Pedro handles caulking removal and replacement around tubs, showers, sinks and windows. For how he approaches caulking services in general, see our caulking services page.