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What is decorators caulk

Posted by Adrian
February 22nd, 2019

What is decorators caulk / filler

Decorators caulk is a decorating gap filler, is made of an acrylic and is flexible once dried. It is ideal for areas that have movement but cannot be used like a powder filler and cannot be rubbed down, it can be painted over. It is the best kept decorators secret ever, my wife had never heard about “flexi-filler” as she calls it until I met her.

Notice the spelling also, it is decorators caulk, not cork.

What is decorators caulk used for

Decorators caulk, or decorators filler as it’s sometimes called is used for filling gaps around door and window frames, along the top of skirting boards, gaps around the ceiling and coving line and is ideal for using if there is movement due to it’s flexible properties.
Caulking Gun

Use decorators caulk for:

  • Around Door frames
  • Around Window frames (Wood or UPVC)
  • Skirting boards
  • Ceiling and wall line
  • Around coving
  • Staircases
  • Interior wall corners

How long does decorators caulk take to dry

This is dependent on many factors such as room temperature and humidity, size of gap filled and porousness of where it has been applied. The drying time can be anything from 20 minutes to 2 or more hours. If unsure it is best to leave for a few hours before over painting it.

How to use decorators caulk

Decorators caulk is easy to use, we have written a post detailing how to use decorators caulk on our other blog DIY By Design so there isn’t any need to cover it in depth here.

Why does decorators caulk crack

Decorators caulk may crack if the gap you filled is too large, it may also sink or shrink slightly. If this is the case apply a second layer of caulk over the top of the first one.

If the caulk has cracked or crazed when you have painted it, this could be you didn’t leave it long enough for it to dry.

It isn’t uncommon for paint to crack or craze on top of the filler, this is mostly a problem for emulsions, a simple solution is to paint over the caulk with a non-vinyl paint, such as an acrylic primer.

Update

I have done a review on a caulk that doesn’t crack or craze, I have been using it for a while and the results are good.
Read my Review Of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler Caulk here. And if you would like to buy some for yourself you can buy Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Filler caulk from here.

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Posted in Decorating Tips, Home Improvements | 1 Comment »




Dunlop Pro Decor

Posted by Adrian
February 27th, 2016

Dunlop Pro Decor filer  artwork

Dunlop Pro Decor

After I was recently asked by Dunlop to do a review of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler on this blog the post has beem well received and I was contacted via my twitter account this month and asked if they could use a quote from my review on some of there marketing counter top displays.

I of course said yes, the filler is a great product and it does as it claims. I have been impressed with the results I get from it, and pleased to have my name and website on their point of sale display.

Look out for it in a store near you or at a trade day.

Dunlop Pro Decor filer  artwork with my quote on

Dunlop Pro Decor images used with permission from Dunlop

Buying the Dunlop Pro Decor products

You can buy all your Dunlop Pro Decor products from My Paintbrush.

My Paintbrush

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Posted in Decorating Tips, News, Resources, Reviews | No Comments »




Review of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk

Posted by Adrian
March 9th, 2015

Dunlop Flexible Acrylic Filler

Review of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk

I recently received a tube of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler to try and review, there has been a bit of a buzz over this product from professional decorators like myself, why, you ask, well because of its claims not to crack and its anti crazing properties. Now unless you use caulk daily like us decorators you may not know the ongoing problem we have when we use caulk and paint over it.

I have written about this problem before on this blog, Tips on using decorator’s caulk, also on Rayfields Interiors, How to use decorators caulk and also Fillers – knowing which one to use and on the Improving Your Property blog, What is decorators caulk / filler.

So when I got this opportunity to try this product and give a review I was very keen to do so, could this really be the end to cracking and crazing filer?

The tubes are filled with a white acrylic filler and come in a 310ml tube, allowing easy application by using a caulking gun.

I have tried the product and here is my review.

My review of Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler

On the Dunlop Decorators website it says this about the product:

FLEXIBLE ACRYLIC FILLER™

A high performance gunnable filler which can be used internally and externally for filling skirting boards, window and door frames as well as repairing cracks and damage to walls and ceilings.

  • Paintable in 60 minutes
  • No Crazing
  • Ultra smooth
  • Anti-Crack

I was very keen to test the no crazing and anti-cracking claims.

I tried the acrylic filler on my last two jobs, I have used it around skirting boards and ceilings, and painted over it with different types of paint, including water based primer /undercoat, gloss, satinwood and emulsion. I also noted the drying time and smoothness once dried.

The result

I was pleased to be able to try this acrylic filler and see if it met all of it’s claims, which for me it did. It seemed to dry fast allowing me to paint over it quickly. For the normal troublesome emulsion crazing / cracking issue I can say I didn’t come across any of this issue so was really impressed. Once dry the filler left a smooth surface that didn’t show once pained. I also didn’t see any cracking once it dried, I tried this product in both small and large gaps and had the same results.

In conclusion

I was very please with this acrylic filler, and from a professional decorators point of view the fact it stand up to it’s claims and doesn’t crack or craze like many other brands of decorator caulk, this is something we have been waiting for for years.
Now that I have used this product I will certainly be changing over to use this acrylic filler all the time and will certainly be wanting to try Dunlop Pro Decor’s other fillers such as deep hole filler and fine and lightweight fillers in the future.

Buy Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk

You can buy Dunlop Pro Decor Flexible Acrylic Filler caulk from My Paintbrush.

Dunlop Flexible Acrylic filler tubes

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Posted in News, Resources, Reviews | 12 Comments »




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