Stop Choosing The Wrong Caulking! (Get What The Pros Use) 

A lot of people asking about the red caps for storage in the video. Here is the affiliate Amazon link: amzn.to/3Xkqs9y

Absolutely zero wasted time in getting out this helpful info. Props for making clear concise videos like this.

A breath of fresh air video. Walk into Lowes and there are shelves full of caulking and I have no idea what I need. Thank you

After all these years, I finally got educated on the proper caulk for a particular job. Absolutely an excellent and informative video. Keeping it simple and interesting. You did it. Thanks.

Awesome demonstration. Drying out the "strings" of caulk for a side-by-side comparison is just a genius way to demonstrate flexibility.

No one has ever explained it as well as you. Thank you for examining all the issues so carefully.

Another thing I like about 230 is it doesn't set up hard in the nozzle. I generally squeeze out a small protruding amount at the tip and when that air dries it prevents the product from drying further down the tube. I've been using it for years and have never had it harden so that it had to be thrown out.

This is the best video that I have ever seen about which caulk to use. It had enough detail and wasn't overly long.

Finally, a thorough explanation of these products. Thanks so much!!

Thank you for this video. I really appreciate how you covered all of the characteristics of each and demonstrated. Wish I had this information years ago. I would also appreciate a video on exterior caulks for siding and trim. My house was resided with LP Smartside about 12 years ago and the OSI Quad caulk has not held up well. I’m not sure if it was the caulk or poor installation by the contractor. A video on exterior caulk and proper removal of old and application of new caulk around window trim, doors and siding corner boards would be much appreciated. 😊

You got to the point, told us which one to choose, then captivated us with the reasons to stay. Nice video.

Just what I needed to know before caulking a fairly large trim job. Thanks!!!

BEST caulking brands video I have ever seen and thanks for sharing your professional words of wisdom with all of us!

This was enough for me to start using the dynaflex caulk over the others I’ve been using. Big Stretch is my other go to. Good job.

I have learned to ALWAYS check the best before dates on the tubes, just yesterday I had a guy buy some silicone for sticking down some thresholds on a floating floor and two of the tubes he bought had a best before date of 2011, 11 years past the recommended date!! Also, if you open a tube of 100% silicone and it doesn't have the strong vinegar smell then it's not good, don't use it!

I wasn't aware of the variations associated with caulk specifications. Thanks for sharing your wisdom!

Great job straight and to the point! Ive been using The Big Stretch for years and swear by it.

You summed up 30 years of lessons learned in under 7 min. I remeber caulking cracked stucko walls before repainting & accidentally selected a non printable silicone. Needless to say that was a bunch of wated time. Great overview & recommendation. As a DIY guy no longer in the trades I hate having to buy, store & throw away multiple tunes of caulking so having a good general purpose covers 99% of my applications. You also make a great point onnthe porosity of caulking especially for baseboards or in the kitchen where dust or grease clings to it & just looks disgusting quickly & cleaning is a hassle.

Thank you ! I had no idea about the roughness of the caulks after drying. It makes sense that the painters pick the Alex Plus which will bond with paint better but I like that the dynaflex will still bond but if you fail to paint it then the cleaning is just as easy as if painted !

You are the boss. Your prep and thorough experimentation is phenomenal.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the Dynamic Flex info to avoid future dust issues on top of my trim. I’m just getting ready to update our trim and this IS an awesome tip! Also, I noticed when you showed the paint board at 2:52 that the Dynaflex has a bit more sheen but that’s probably what makes it easier to wipe away the dust.

Great video! I've spent years wondering why there are so darn many options for caulk. This video makes it simple and clear enough that I almost know what I’m doing now.

Awesome. I typically go to one end of the spectrum or the other - largely on the basis of paint/no paint. Great to know more about these in-between options! Thanks.

Great video! Your insights on professional-grade caulking are really helpful.

You nailed it with caulk! This is the best informational video I have seen on RU-vid.

Thanks for such a great video. About to caulk a bunch of baseboard. Going to go with the dynaflex now

Man! You just answered a few questions I didn't know to ask! Thanks for the insight on the differences between them and why you have one that works the vast majority of the time.

This is the video that I had no idea I needed. Been struggling with cracking caulking forever. Just so happened to pick up the dynaflex to give it a try. Great to hear I picked a winner. Thank you!

Wow, this was the best explanation of caulk I have ever watched. Just masterful

Yup, can vouch for Dynaflex, it's great since it covers most of what you need to do, I always keep a few tubes of white and clear in the work van. I also love Lexel for stuff that needs to be waterproof immediately, and crystal clear or needs to be able to be painted later. Lexel is easy to reuse too, only the very tip of the nozzle firms up, so it's easy to use every last bit of the tube over many uses.

I've been using that Alex 40yr for all my projects the past few years and never had an issue. Will definitely try out the Dynaflex though for my next one

Wow. Ok, you made me a believer. Great information especially with the sound and smooth showcase.

I love Big Stretch because it offers a range of wood-toned colors, is easy to work with and weathers well.

Man these videos are great - I was just faced with this dilemma when I last went to get caulking tubes and had no idea what the differences were between all of the different types. Prior to your tips video I was atrocious and hated to do any caulking. Now, I'm a monster of caulk.

Thank you so much, just experienced that dryness in the bathroom because I don't know much about it and its differences until I watched your video. Great day to you and yours.

This is better than any commercial I've ever watched. This clears up so much confusion.

Great info as always. I used to always use Alex Plus for around baseboards, etc, but with your demonstration I now I realize it only looks good IF you paint it. If not, it picks up dust and dirt stains like a magnet and stains as easily as flat ceiling paint. I'll use Dynaflex next time!

Excellent info in this video & I agree completely. Dap 230 has been my go to for longer than I can remember. When I need a silicone caulk my go-to is Sashco Lexel which is actually not 100% silicone but works better than any silicone I've ever tried and is much clearer than 100% silicone.

Just awesome. Many thx, and remember, laughter is the only tranquilizer that doesn't leave negative side affects. Keep on teaching and keep on smiling.

Loved the comparison board! 🙌

I've definitely been guilty of over-using the two on the far right. However, I did discover the 230 a couple of years ago and have moved to that almost exclusively for my DIY carpentry/trim work. Great stuff!

Great show! It's been a difficult subject to learn over the years, walking into stores and seeing dozens of different product with little clue which one to purchase. This is very helpful.

Thanks for a clear explanation of the different types and their uses. Great info.

Love love LOVE those red caps. Thanks so much for the recommendation!

That was about as good as it's going to get folks in regards to caulk. Holly smokes I just learned everything I will ever need to know about choosing the right caulk and why in 6 1/2 minutes. The visual examples are spot on too. Buddy you crushed this video.

I use Dynaflex 230 as well. It's good stuff! BUT, it has to be painted on trim, especially on baseboard. Reason why is because dust will fall on it and it will be tacky enough, even when dried for a long time, for the dust to stick and look ugly. It also yellows a bit over time. Painting solves that problem. If you are a contractor, you can get away without painting it because you will be long gone before it turns yellow and dusty. But trust me, it must be painted if you want it to look good for a long time.

that was SUPER useful! thanks for demonstrating the differences, pros and cons, etc

You are great - You have told things that are so important to know as what is the best product/brand for the job and why. Thankyou for this video. Pls keep sharing your knowledge with us.

Dynaflex is an excellent, versatile product, but I don't use it in applications where it will be exposed to dust or grime. It tends to attract and hold on to contaminants unless painted over.

This is exactly what choice I've come to make (Dynaflex 230 95% of the time & 100% Silicone 5% of the time) during my 35 years painting outdoor murals and sculpture and almost 20 years working on home projects. It's nice to hear someone layout so clearly my reasoning which simply came from an intuitive decision and experience.

These videos are awesome! Thanks for putting them together.

Really helpful! Needed this 30 years ago. Thanks so much.

I started using the dynaflex 230 for most of my baseboard/trim caulking the last year or so. There is something about it too that just makes it "nice" to work with. Can't really even describe it, but it just lays down so clean and smooths out beautifully when you run your finger over it after.

I really like the "Cooks Illustrated" approach to showing youtubers the various product and the pros and cons: I went and bought some DAP 230 for my trim. I have a particular question for which caulk would you use for a kitchen counter backsplash behind the sink faucet? What I used previously before was way to brittle and it got pretty brown and manky. The ideal product would have strong adhesion to prevent any water intrusion, would be elastic to not dry up and get brittle, and would have strong repellant qualities to prevent a manky build-up behind the faucet.

What an excellent and thorough review. I know this video took quite some time to make and it was excellent and extremely helpful. Thank you.

Thank you for the info and demo. I did not know most of this and you presented it in a way I will probably remember 👍

Excellent! I usually just go for the Alex plus but now I realize I’ve been pretty much doing it wrong. And the points you made about painting over the caulk was excellent too, It’s the same thing with prime trim if you don’t paint it it’s just gonna get extremely dirty because it’s meant to sealed by paint.

Good information thanks for the video. Some of my ceramic toilet paper holders were glued using silicone over 30 years ago. I would add that for showers and bathtubs areas the anti mold additive in silicone is important, not sure if that comes in the blended tubes,

Thank you so much I did my entire main floor with the wrong stuff and now I am doing my second floor and this helps so much. I used the one all the way on the right for the main floor and i hate cleaning the baseboards. You saved med so much time!

Your videos are the BEST! Your clear teaching style, focus on what the viewer needs to know (vs extraneous / nice to know) , and conciseness are very much appreciated by this DIYer. Thank you!

Good video. Not all caulks are created equal.

Great demo but I have two small issues one is there is paintable silicone it is made by GE and is available at Home Depot for about $14 and I use for a ton of exterior painting jobs it’s great for the north east just keep a container of denatured alcohol for clean up. The other is I would never caulk in a toilet if there is a leak it can only go one way and you won’t know it till it’s coming through the ceiling. But maybe that’s just me

THANK YOU. super informative, cut straight to the chase with amazing examples. You are awesome.

Thanks Thanks Thanks‼️ You have answered so many questions about caulk! I have made tons of mistakes with this stuff‼️👍👍👍👌🏼

I've been an Alex Plus fan for years because it's so easy to apply, smooth out to a perfect seam, and clean up with a damp rag, but it does have its issues with staying that way and cleaning it over the years. The 100% silicone is a nightmare to get the perfect look because it's too sticky and hard to get off your hands. Looking forward to trying 230 as that seems like the best of both worlds.

Thanks, I learned a lot about the different caulk products. I've always bought the recommended products but didn't understand the different applications. Now I do

Excellent vid. In the middle of remodel and pondering all the choices. I've been happy in the past w/ the Alex Plus for routine interior work. I never knew about your "Goldilocks" pick.

When it comes to silicone I use only the type 1 stinky type. Through some frustrating experience I found the newer type 2 which is non stinky has a very unpredictable shelf life resulting in a bead that does not cure but leaves a goopy mess that has to be removed and re done. I think I will give your suggestion a try, thank you and great video as always.

This is JUST WHAT I NEEDED!! I've been trying to caulk our bathtub and it just cracks repaired no matter how long we let it dry. I will get some silicone this time. Thanks for a great video and all the tests you did!

Great video, thanks for sharing! Can you make another one going into more details on a bathroom application? Exploring different options and how good they are for waterproof/mildew resistance

Great, concise explanation...excellent video overall. Thank you!

Big Stretch is far superior to Dap Dynoflex. It shrinks less, it covers larger gaps easier, and it tools in better... The reason you go with Dynoflex is it's 80% as good for 50% the price.

Great video! I always grabbed the Alex Plus. For now on I will grab the Dynaflex 230. Thanks for the video bud! 🇺🇦🇺🇸👊

In a couple of words: FANTASTIC VIDEO!! You didn't spend a million words to preface your conclusions!! You got right to the answer, FAST!! Thank you so very much!!

Dude, your videos are top notch. I come back to them often.

Very good video. Straight to the point, used demonstrations to prove your comments, have a lot of very valuable information. Thanks. Very nice work

You are right for the most part. There's also the cost factor involved, but we'll leave that aside. The 230 and latex silicone are primarily what I use. The cheapest, 25 year acrylic caulk is ok for baseboards and trim that are being painted, and I've seen it last for many years without problems. It also cures to be more durable after a couple months. However, I still advise most to use the latex silicone on all trim that's going to be painted, because as you said, it is more flexible and it's reasonably priced, well at least it was before covid. I'll use the 230 if something needs a stronger bond, but it's usually not necessary for caulking around trim, and it's twice the price, even though the advantages are negligible. Now the BIG caveat here is, never use pure silicone around or inside bathtubs or showers, despite what the so called "professionals" tell you!!! I've been in the industry off and on for 45 years, and whenever I've encountered pure silicone in showers, it's almost always either moldy behind it, or peeling off, and it peels off with two fingers, especially when the mold has gotten behind it, which it almost always seems to do after a couple years. It's also extremely messy, difficult to clean up, and it can leave a thin film along it's edges that'll look ok at first, but after a few cleanings, it'll begin to peel on those edges. No, the best I've used around tubs is either the 40 year latex silicone, or the Dynaflex 230. I've caulked around several hundred showers/tubs over the years, and a few I've had to revisit several years later, and these two products resist mold, bond incredibly well, and look great the majority of the time! The silicone, well let's just say, I've had to remove and re-caulk dozens of showers that someone, (professional?) used it on, and it's pretty much always a mess... Everybody has their own opinion, but take it from a "professional", using 40 year latex silicone, or Dynaflex 230, is your best bet for your tub, even 5 years later, it'll still look great as long as the tub is periodically cleaned. The amazing part is, it seems to get stronger as time goes by... I know, because I've personally painted over a thousand homes, and it lasts longer than anything else I've used, and Dynaflex 230 hasn't been around all that long... Bottom line, avoid pure silicone like the plague on any exposed surfaces!!! Interior or exterior, or you'll regret it later, take my word for it...

Two additional products to consider: Shermax and AllPro ProStretch. Both are a urethanized elastomeric sealant with lifetime warranties. ProStretch and Dynaflex 230 have the same Dynamic Joint Movement (ASTM C719) rating of +/- 25% (stretchability). Shermax has a DJM rating of +/- 35%.

Well done video. The side by side’s helped me understand each. Thanks

OK, now we're talking. Great video, and "why" was explained clearly enough to stick. Kudos

Best advice of a lifetime for me was to stay far away from DAP caulking products. GE has never failed me.

Jumping straight into it. I love it

Thanks for the video. The 230 works excellent. As for caps I have found wine corks with 1/4 inch hole drilled part way to be awesome caps. When removed its like just opened container fresh and cheaper and fun to collect.

Let’s talk about caulking a toilet to the floor. When the wax ring fails and leaks water under your toilet, the caulk holds the gross water under the toilet and destroys your flooring without warning you that there is a leak. Let’s not discuss caulking toilets to the floor again… don’t do it

Best video with great explanation. Thanks so much.

this video helped me the most out of any caulking video. I could not figure out why my new caulking was just peeling off. thank you.

Thank you Sir. Straight to the point, easy to understand and informative!

Great video. Now I know what to use for my wall molding that has cracked caulk. I will use the Dynaflex 230 as you suggest. Thank you for your great videos.

Your caulking tips video is awesome, it was a game changer for me

Great info! Thanks for posting this video.

Excellent detailed quick to the point information! Thank you!

Like your delivery and learned something. Thanks

Thank you this was so helpful. I had problems with having the acrylic-latex caulk crack around windows due to it not being flexible. Now I think I'll try the dynaflex! Thanks!

So happy I stumbled on your channel! Watched videos about caulking baseboards and went down the rabbit hole :-) I didn't know what I didn't know. Thank you so much!

Wonderful video. Thank you for the detail explanation!

Super appreciate your videos! Super helpful!

Great video! I switched a couple years ago to the Dynaflex 230 elastomeric sealant for virtually all of my joint sealant work and found it to be the best overall product.

Outstanding That explanation just totally tuned me up. Thanks

This is really helpful. I started using Alex plus because my contractor did, and I had learned the hard way about silicone and paint. I’ll give the Dyna one a try. I am going to go back and paint over if I EVER finish my bathroom. I need to pull the toilet and replace the molding, and I have just put it off a ridiculous length of time. It isn’t a difficult job, I don’t know why I keep procrastinating, but there it is. 😸

Thanks! Your videos are super useful for anyone who needs to get some finish carpentry done.