Just wondering because the people who put linoleum in my parents' house put caulk along the bottom to seal any gaps. Whoever built my house did a crappy job with the tile and baseboards so I have huge gaps everywhere where the ants come in and I wonder if I should seal it off with caulk. I think it's a bit unconventional though, so I'm deciding which will bring down the value of the house more, the caulk or the gaps.
Do you have caulk along your kitchen baseboards?
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quicksilver
Washing Up
As there is no such thing as a square wall, caulk is the solution to a multitude of sins.
Your best bet is to go with a latex/acrylic, as it shinks and expands with hot and cold. And it's water clean up while wet. It may dry to touch and is paintable in 24 hours, but it really cures in 5-7 days, depending on humidity and how wide you lay your bead down.
Silicone does not shrink or expand and is not water clean up and is not paintable. But is good in bath, or water areas. Usually it is more expensive.
Gaps are never good. Critters, dirt.
If you match the color as close as you can, caulk becomes invisible. You'll always be more critical, knowing it's there, but others won't notice.
Altough I'm saying this not knowing how big your gaps are.
Good luck.
Your best bet is to go with a latex/acrylic, as it shinks and expands with hot and cold. And it's water clean up while wet. It may dry to touch and is paintable in 24 hours, but it really cures in 5-7 days, depending on humidity and how wide you lay your bead down.
Silicone does not shrink or expand and is not water clean up and is not paintable. But is good in bath, or water areas. Usually it is more expensive.
Gaps are never good. Critters, dirt.
If you match the color as close as you can, caulk becomes invisible. You'll always be more critical, knowing it's there, but others won't notice.
Altough I'm saying this not knowing how big your gaps are.
Good luck.
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
just put in new kitchen and bathroom latex tile floors. handy man used silicone for sealing out moisture.
babe
babe
Maverick2272
Washing Up
Baseboards?? What baseboards?? LOL If I had em I would caulk em yes. Then if necessary paint them to match the baseboards. It is easier with wood floors as sometimes you can use quarter round to hide the gaps, but tiles will always have gaps between them where the grout is as the grout is not as high as the tile.
Did that make sense?? LOL.
Did that make sense?? LOL.
Maverick2272
Washing Up
PS I voted Yes just because I would caulk in a kitchen or bathroom even though right now nothing is caulked... its all falling apart ;(
LT72884
Head Chef
It wont bring down the value of the house, well not in Draper it wont. If you were to try and sell your house, people would ask if there has been any watter damage because the gaps allow water to hit the subflooring. We had to replace our entire kitchen and bathroom floors because of this very issue. if you were to loose any value it would be very little. The trick is to get a good bead, its alot like welding. I have had alot of practice at both so im pretty good at it. That was not a hint. LOL
Elf
Senior Cook
Even with tile I think I would run a bead of caulk, then cover with 1/4 round. Quarter round just gives finished look to the base cabinets. They sell a 1/4 round made out of some type of paintable plastic that is very flexible, if you have any weird radius to do. I bought some at Home Depot
Jeekinz
Washing Up
There's no need to caulk between the flooring and the base moulding. But it's normal to caulk between the base moulding and the wall, and the vertical joints (if there are any) at the corners...if the trim is painted obviously.
Caulk where it's green, not where it's red.
Caulk where it's green, not where it's red.
Maverick2272
Washing Up
And here I was hoping it was exactly that and I could lure you out here... my beads are never even... ugg!
bethzaring
Master Chef
we have no caulk. We have hardwood floors with the toe board? kick board? butting right on the hardwood flooring.
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
There's no need to caulk between the flooring and the base moulding. But it's normal to caulk between the base moulding and the wall, and the vertical joints (if there are any) at the corners...if the trim is painted obviously.
Caulk where it's green, not where it's red.
We need to talk about your painters and/or what you are drinking when you are painting - and colors
...srsly!Fisher's Mom
Executive Chef
I was thinking the same thing!We need to talk about your painters and/or what you are drinking when you are painting - and colors
Fisher's Mom
Executive Chef
That's what I do - a baseboard and then quarter round trim. The resin stuff is great since the color goes clear through and it is flexible enough to accommodate uneven floors. I only caulk on the top of the baseboard and the top of the quarter round.
Jeekinz
Washing Up
We need to talk about your painters and/or what you are drinking when you are painting - and colors
LOL...does that look like it would be in my house?
Fisher's Mom
Executive Chef
We were joking - your house looks like it could be in a magazine! (I'm especially fond of the pumpkin kitchen since my livingroom is that exact same color!)LOL...does that look like it would be in my house?
Jeekinz
Washing Up
Maverick2272
Washing Up
That is interesting. I have very uneven walls so caulking the tops of the baseboard is a necessity, but while the top of the quarter round always fit flush and therefore didn't need caulk, the bottom did as there were gaps between the tiles (where the grout is) and without the caulk water could seep thru those gaps along the floor. Anyone else encounter this?
My problem is the wife wants wood trim throughout the rest of the house, and again the walls are very uneven, so I am not sure what to do there. I am being told I should put in wood putty to fill it in?
Jeekinz
Washing Up
Uneven walls add charachter.
Dont caulk the tile floor to base moulding.
Dont caulk the tile floor to base moulding.
Maverick2272
Washing Up
See, I would be very inclined to caulk that up as I don't think quarter round would do the trick well enough.
