# Caulking that doesn't crack



## Rena (May 2, 2010)

I've been using the _'DAP' brand of caulking for years (sealant #230 and Alex) _both of which are silicon based paintable products. Lately however, when the product dries fine cracks appear. The issue has nothing to do with drying time - I allow plenty. I've tried applying a second coat but that doesn't help as it also dries with cracks and when painted, the cracks telegraph through the paint. So yesterday I ended up applying a thin coat of ultra light patching compound over the caulking to get rid of the cracks. Talk about frustrating!! I'm wondering if the company has changed its formulation or if they've turned out a bad batch? Anyone else have this problem?


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

Rena said:


> I've been using the _'DAP' brand of caulking for years (sealant #230 and Alex) _both of which are silicon based paintable products. Lately however, when the product dries fine cracks appear. The issue has nothing to do with drying time - I allow plenty. I've tried applying a second coat but that doesn't help as it also dries with cracks and when painted, the cracks telegraph through the paint. So yesterday I ended up applying a thin coat of ultra light patching compound over the caulking to get rid of the cracks. Talk about frustrating!! I'm wondering if the company has changed its formulation or if they've turned out a bad batch? Anyone else have this problem?


I've started trying out a new brand my paint store carries so I haven't noticed if dap has fallen in quality.

I would pick up a tube of comparable caulking from another company and report back. It's possible there is just too much movement? or too much of a gap? Wish I had more information on exactly what it was being used for, but I've done some pretty crazy stuff with dap in the past with no problems.

( Thinking about it I just used brown dap for a window that had HORRIBLE cracking around it, and it looks great )


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

I stopped using dap after i used a few other brands that work a lot better.


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## aaron61 (Apr 29, 2007)

sw 950 all day


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## brushmonkey (Jan 4, 2010)

U got that right! Been using SW Powerhouse lately also. :thumbsup:


aaron61 said:


> sw 950 all day


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

ICI's elastomeric 55 yr


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## i painter (Mar 14, 2010)

aaron61 said:


> sw 950 all day


:thumbsup:


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## AztecPainting (Jan 28, 2010)

I have used all kinds of caulking from DAP to the paint store brand name but when it comes to caulking that doesn't crack and avoid cracking I always use Big Stretch, Good stuff for contraction and expansion due to temperature changes or moving. It's not very expensive, it is around the same price as DAP but if you need it you need it. 

http://www.sashcosealants.com/home_improvement/Big_Stretch.aspx


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

AztecPainting said:


> I have used all kinds of caulking from DAP to the paint store brand name but when it comes to caulking that doesn't crack and avoid cracking I always use Big Stretch, Good stuff for contraction and expansion due to temperature changes or moving. It's not very expensive, it is around the same price as DAP but if you need it you need it.
> 
> http://www.sashcosealants.com/home_improvement/Big_Stretch.aspx


I've walked by this stuff 100s of times. Thanks, I'll pick up a case on my current project, getting close to needing some.


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## ReNt A PaInTeR (Dec 28, 2008)

SherMAX Ultra Clear


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

ICI's elasto or their year1 45yr latex are great. Workable and thicker and more predictable than SW 950. Alex is like using water and flour mixture :yuk:


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

I've not had or heard of a DAP cracking issue
I have heard (alot) that Phenoseal is the "stretchiest"
I can't confirm that as I've not done tests
I've got a few different caulks that I use depending upon availability rather than app...well, except for the amazingly quick drying Bolt, which I use when I need a quick dry
Some "Caulk Masters" don't care for it, but I like it just fine

When I _know_ I'll need a stretchy caulk, I break out the Phenoseal
So far, it has not let me down

But neither has Bolt, SW950, Moorlastic, or Alex, for their respective apps (most apps)

Here's a fly in the ointment though...there was/is a "bad batch" of Pheno floating around out here
Yeah, that's rare ("a bad batch" of anything manufactured)...it was most likely not a factory thing, but a distributor's truck that it was loaded and then left to freeze (over-night/weekend) this past winter
Unfortunately, it happens

The Exception:
GE
I know they Bring Good Things To Life and all, and thanks to them for my "Get Your Groov On" T-shirt, but their caulks.....HoooBoy
Mostly silicone based, they crack like the smile on a teenage boy's face when the "recently divorced and lonely housewife down the road asks him to "check out her azaleas"
On top of that, they have an expiration date
On top of that, the expiration date is in code
On top of that, it is a code they don't reveal to consumers
On top of that, it is a code that they don't reveal to distributors
On top of that, it is a code that they don't reveal to retailers

After seeing a new const. whole house caulk failure due to "product that should have been rotated out of the consumer arena", even though anyone past the factory has no clue as to the expiration date, and GE's refusal to consider anything but "hey, we told you it's got a shelf life", and the fact that they refused to actually and in reality tell us what that shelf life is in any way shape or form, I can w/o hesitation recommend never, ever, using a GE (alleged) "caulk"


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## Romanski (May 4, 2008)

I've used 950A quite a bit the past 5 years. Lately I've been using White Lightning 3006. Pretty similar just whichever prices are better for you.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

The only times I get those hairline cracks is when I paint over caulk that is not cured, and only with certain types of gloss trim paints.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Nobody said Polyseamseal? I sell that stuff like crazy.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

NCPaint1 said:


> Nobody said Polyseamseal? I sell that stuff like crazy.


That is really good stuff, but it cost more like it should. Most of the the jobs I do don't need the best caulk in the world. I do think the best caulk I have ever used was a GE caulk, that is some spendy stuff though.


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## hammerheart14 (May 29, 2010)

Rena said:


> I've been using the _'DAP' brand of caulking for years (sealant #230 and Alex) _both of which are silicon based paintable products. Lately however, when the product dries fine cracks appear. The issue has nothing to do with drying time - I allow plenty. I've tried applying a second coat but that doesn't help as it also dries with cracks and when painted, the cracks telegraph through the paint. So yesterday I ended up applying a thin coat of ultra light patching compound over the caulking to get rid of the cracks. Talk about frustrating!! I'm wondering if the company has changed its formulation or if they've turned out a bad batch? Anyone else have this problem?


sashco's bigstretch is the best caulking product on the market. no cracks, stretches with the wood. give it a try and you'll thank me later. just be prepared to pay around 5.50 a tube.


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## VanDamme (Feb 13, 2010)

hammerheart14 said:


> sashco's bigstretch is the best caulking product on the market. no cracks, stretches with the wood. give it a try and you'll thank me later. just be prepared to pay around 5.50 a tube.


You FINALLY said something today I can agree with!

While I can't say BS is the absolute BEST caulking on the market, I've been impressed with it and use it exclusively even though it is $5+ per tube or about $60 per case.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

You know I think the lady was talking about the paint cracking over the cauking, in that case its most likely not letting the caulk cure enough. It would do that with any caulking.


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## Rena (May 2, 2010)

*Looking for a new caulking product*

As I stated in my original message ....drying time is not the problem ...I gave it overnight to dry. I think the DAP company put out a bad batch (companies do it all the time). What I'm going to do is try a new company.
thanks!





johnpaint said:


> You know I think the lady was talking about the paint cracking over the cauking, in that case its most likely not letting the caulk cure enough. It would do that with any caulking.


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## Rena (May 2, 2010)

*Sashco's bigstretch Caulking*

Thanks! ...I'm going to give this brand a try.
Rena





hammerheart14 said:


> sashco's bigstretch is the best caulking product on the market. no cracks, stretches with the wood. give it a try and you'll thank me later. just be prepared to pay around 5.50 a tube.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Rena said:


> As I stated in my original message ....drying time is not the problem ...I gave it overnight to dry. I think the DAP company put out a bad batch (companies do it all the time). What I'm going to do is try a new company.
> thanks!


Did the paint crack or did the caulking crack?


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## hammerheart14 (May 29, 2010)

Rena said:


> Thanks! ...I'm going to give this brand a try.
> Rena


no prob. you'll like it. it'll go on like butter.


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## JHill (May 13, 2010)

johnpaint said:


> Did the paint crack or did the caulking crack?


Good point from Johnpaint, flat has a tendancy to crack/alligator, over caulk.


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## S.Indiana (Feb 8, 2010)

Where are you buying big stretch at?


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## H2O Paint Chemist (Jan 7, 2010)

*Possible cause for cracked caulking*

Caulk contains plasticizers to keep them flexible. Most plasticizers are VOC's. VOC's must be reduced to meet ever changing government standards. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you reduce plasticizers or substitute a non-VOC plasticizer, there is a risk of cracking in the long term. Non-VOC plasticizers tend to migrate, then evaporate. This is how you can get cracking (or "alligatoring") in the topcoat paint, especially if the topcoat is flat or satin (less resin, more plasticizer attracting pigments).

I've even seen this phenomenon in rubber piano casters! Rubber needs plasticizer to keep it rubbery. New casters tend to leave black marks on floors, even if they're not moved (plasticizer migration transfering the black pigment to the floor). The old one never do this-they had a tried and true plasticizer that didn't migrate.

Murphy's law rules!


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

elastomeric will crack the paint when it flexes too. The OP is getting bent out of shape, yet hasn't given all the facts to understand what is going on/what they actually used. My guess was it is elastomeric.


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## Builtmany (Dec 5, 2009)

AztecPainting said:


> I always use Big Stretch, Good stuff for contraction and expansion due to temperature changes or moving. It's not very expensive, it is around the same price as DAP but if you need it you need it.
> 
> http://www.sashcosealants.com/home_improvement/Big_Stretch.aspx


Excellent product. Priced right now but when it first hit the market about 10 years ago they wanted $8-10 a tube.


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## hammerheart14 (May 29, 2010)

S.Indiana said:


> Where are you buying big stretch at?



through spectrum paints. PSS also sells it to paint stores. retail wise, well, any good paint store shoul have it.


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## LOSTinDETAILS (Jun 17, 2009)

Crack is Whack! 

None to report down here but I use Geocel and PPG.


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