A PAINTER and decorator reveals how to fix that annoying crack on your stairs. It’s all about how many and how often you use the caulk.
Joanne Hay shares regularly on TikTok videos that reveal tips and tricks of tradeThis is a detailed guide on how to create beautiful stairs.
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“First of all, remove the ridiculous unnecessary amount of caulk that’s been applied,”Joanne started.
“Piping it in like you’re piping icing on a cake is not going to hold up – it’s not what caulk is for.
“So, you want to take a sharp blade and remove all that caulk so you can see just how big the gap is that you’re working with.
“No matter how much you apply, it isn’t going to hold it. Caulk is for minimal movement only.”
She began to sand everything down after removing all caulk. This allowed her to see exactly what preparation she needed.
Then, instead of using caulk to fill the hole she used expanding foam. It was approximately four inches deep.
“The gun grade foam is easier to use, it’s a lot easier to apply and there’s a lot less hassle and mess,”She explained.
“I did put two applications in of this foam because I felt like there wasn’t enough in.”
Once it has dried, you will be able to cut the foam off and then start filling with your filler.
Fill it as full as you can – Joanne did 2 fills, then sanded it when dry.
“Before anything else you want to prime the filler,”She went on.
This is the only occasion when caulk should be used. Once the filler has dried, you can apply a little caulk.
“If you apply the caulk over the filler without priming, the filler will suck out the moisture from the caulk and that will end up resulting in the caulk failing.”
Joanne recommended keeping a rag handy to wipe off your finger after applying the caulk.
Once that’s done, you can start painting. Remember to prime the area and apply the undercoat before applying the colour.
Joanne was quick to be praised for sharing her video. One person wrote in the comments: “How people can say decorating ain’t a trade is beyond me. Smashing work.”
“Always such a professional and amazing finish – such attention to absolute detail,”An additional option was added.
One third wrote: “*puts the caulk down*.”
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