Oh, this brings back memories, the halcyon days when Joe Biden was coming into office as the Vice-President and President Obama had made him the point man for spending stimulus money like a drunken sailor, looking for "shovel ready projects" and prepping for the "Recovery Summer." Good times.*
From Tedium, November 25:
How caulk became a
standard household building and maintenance staple. If you own a house,
you probably have a caulking gun lying around.
24The approximate amount of hours for caulks and sealants to fully cure. Many types of
caulk will set in after only a few hours, but they won’t work their magic until a day after
application. Acrylic latex caulks allow for painting after two hours, but they won’t work
until a day or so after application. Fully cured caulk will last longer and offer better results,
so patience is necessary to make the most of this wondrous compound.
Everyone needs to use caulking once in a while. Sometimes, your bathtub or toilet needs to be re-caulked. Occasionally, you need to reseal your windows. You may want to reinforce your house’s integrity by sealing any potential gaps and cracks. It’s just part of being a homeowner. There’s also a type of caulk for every occasion. Acrylic, latex, silicone, rubber, and polyurethane are all used to make caulk and sealant—and each one has specific and optimal uses.(Editor’s note: Ask me about the time I re-caulked the baseboards throughout my entire house.)
But what is caulk, exactly? Caulk combines acrylic and latex to create an elastic, versatile compound. People use it for all sorts of construction projects. It’s multifaceted and pretty awesome. Plus, it’s fun to use a caulking gun.
Sealant is similar to caulk but made from silicone. That’s fine, of course. Of course, plenty of people use the terms interchangeably. We don’t like to be pedantic around here, just tedious.
In a 1974 issue of Popular Mechanics, an article called “How and What To Caulk” discusses the benefits of caulking your house to stave off the high fuel costs currently affecting the country....
January 2010Hmm...strategies?...
I got nuthin'. The largest caulk manufacturers are privately held.
The largest caulk gun manufacturer is a family business.
The largest silicone supplier is Momentive Performance Materials Inc. (formerly GE Silicone) controlled by an affiliate of Apollo Management.
Their slogan is "Changing the way you think about caulk".
They seem to be hurting. Here's the last 10Q....
Bill Gates: "Why We Need Innovation, Not Just Insulation" (BRK.A; MSFT)
September 2010
"A Stimulus Project Gets All Caulked Up"
