The purpose of sealant or caulking on the exterior of a home is to fill gaps that allow air and moisture to infiltrate the home’s structure.
This may seem simple enough, but the reality of building materials is that they are constantly moving.
Changes in temperature and humidity cause them to constantly expand and contract, which means that the size of those gaps is constantly changing.
This means that the caulk filling those gaps is regularly stretched and compressed, so if it dries too hard it will crack within a season or two due to movement. To have any longer life in the outdoor environment, the sealant must remain flexible even after it dries.
Since most homes are made up of 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 wide range of surface materials and textures.
Since exterior sealant is highly visible, it is also important that it blends aesthetically with your home. Some caulk options are very flexible but cannot be painted and only come in a few colors. Although there are plenty of “paintable” caulk options, many of them dry relatively hard within a few months.
Solution: rubber dam
Rubber dam is a great solution because it has the ability to expand.
Titebond has addressed all of these issues with their new multi-purpose exterior sealant called TiteShield.
It is a flexible insulating material which, as the name suggests, can stretch even after it dries completely. In fact, TiteShield can expand and contract up to 50% of the joint size while covering gaps up to two inches wide.
TiteShield also bonds well to a variety of building materials from wood and metal to concrete and glass.
Additionally, it is available in a variety of colors but can also be painted with regular latex paint.
