The purpose of sealant or caulk on the exterior of a home is to seal gaps that allow air and moisture to penetrate the home’s structure.
This sounds simple enough, but the reality of building materials is that they are constantly in motion.
They’re constantly expanding and contracting due to changes in temperature and humidity, which means the size of those gaps is constantly changing.
This means that the sealant filling those gaps is being stretched and squeezed on a regular basis, so if it dries hard it will crack within a season or two due to the movement. To have any longevity in an outdoor environment, a sealant needs to remain flexible even after it dries.
Since most homes are made of several different types of materials, the gaps that need to be filled are often between completely different building materials. Therefore, a successful exterior caulk also needs to bond or adhere well to a variety of materials and surface textures.
Since exterior sealant is very visible, it’s also important that it blends in aesthetically with your home. Some caulk options are very flexible but can’t be painted and only come in a few colors. While there are plenty of “paintable” caulk options, many of them dry out relatively hard within a few months.
The Solution: Elastomeric Caulk
Elastomeric caulk is a good solution because it has the ability to stretch.
Titebond has addressed all of those issues with its new multipurpose exterior sealant called TiteShield.
This is an elastomeric caulk that, as the name implies, can stretch even after it’s completely dry. In fact, TiteShield can expand and contract up to 50% of the joint’s size while covering gaps up to two inches in width.
TiteShield also bonds well to a variety of building materials, from wood and metal to concrete and glass.
In addition, it is available in a variety of colors, but it can also be painted with ordinary latex paint.