How to Seal Gaps

Throughout the House

• 1

  Apply a bead of clear, waterproof caulking using a caulking gun along gaps between your kitchen counters and the wall, making sure to drag the tip of the caulking gun along the caulking to flatten and spread the caulking into the gap.

• 2

  Apply pre-mixed grout between gaps in floor and counter tiles using a grout trowel.

• 3

  Drag the tip of a grout knife along the tiles to create a U-shaped bevel in the grout.

• 4

  Apply caulking between gaps in the floor using the caulking gun.

• 5

  Nail wood trim over the caulking using a hammer and the finishing nails.

In the Attic

• 6

  Remove the nails from plywood that doesn't butt against another piece using a hammer.

• 7

  Butt the plywood up against the adjacent plywood planks.

• 8

  Nail the plywood into place using the hammer and flooring nails.

• 9

  Lay strips of L-trim along edges of the plywood and the wall to cover gaps.

• 10

  Nail the L-trim into place using finishing nails.

Basements

• 11

  Apply pre-mixed grout or cement into gaps between bricks using a grout trowel.

• 12

  Apply a 1/2-inch bead of caulking around gaps along the edges of floor drains using a caulking gun.

• 13

  Look for gaps beneath basement doors.

• 14

  Nail 1/4-inch flashing into place along the floor beneath bottoms of basement doors using the hammer and finishing nails.