The Two Best Caulks for Small Home Projects, Tested by Our Experts
We put eight caulks and sealants to the test in our labs—we evaluated cure time, durability, adhesion, and more
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I’m a renter so I’ve never had to caulk a bathtub or seal a joint in concrete, but I’ve watched as my dad sealed a hole around a doorframe or window with a caulk gun in my family home. He’s never described himself as a handy person and it shows—it’s always a messy, time-consuming ordeal for him. Sure, he could just hire a professional, but when you have a small enough gap to fill, doing the work yourself can be simpler than finding a contractor and less expensive, and earns you bragging rights with your less handy friends.
- The Products We Liked: DAP Kwik Seal Flex Seal
- More on Caulks and Selants: Caulks v. Sealants Caulks You Can Skip Where Shouldn't You Use Caulk? How We Tested Caulks and Sealants
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When shopping for caulk, select a product that lists the area or material you are applying the caulk to among its list of recommended uses. The two products we recommend are ideal for small DIY projects at home. While the best-performing caulk we feature here is the most expensive product we tested, Amézquita says, “Price is not a determining factor for performance among these products. Our testing and cost evaluation performance is mixed among higher and lower cost per ounce.”
See CR's Caulk Test in Action
What Is the Difference Between Caulk and Sealant?
Caulk and sealant are often used interchangeably. On some of the products we tested, both terms were used right in the product name, but there is a difference between the two. Both can be used to fill and seal gaps around and outside a home. Once dry, caulk is usually stiff and inflexible, so it is better suited for areas with little movement, like baseboards and window frames, to avoid cracking. Sealants are a little bit flexible and are better suited for bathrooms, kitchens, and outdoor applications where they may be exposed to moisture, movement, and temperature fluctuations, and are usually made from silicone and cannot be painted. Caulk is made from acrylic or latex and can be painted once cured (the time it takes for the caulk to completely dry and become impermeable to water).
