A gap between a window and brick will make that area look uncared for or ugly. It will also be moist with unusual airflow. The gap will allow raindrops to drip through the floor, spoiling your studs or plasterboard. Moisture around the walls will also encourage mold growth which can interfere with your health. What’s more is that this space can also allow in dirt, dust or dangerous animals which can harm you and your family.
To be safe, you need to learn how to seal this gap and reduce your electricity bills as dirt interferes with an AC’s normal operation. You can achieve this by caulking or using a sealant.
Read on to learn more on how to achieve this with ease.
Things to Use: To Seal Gap between Window and Wall
If you’ve got a gap between your window and brick wall, caulking is one of the best solutions. But this is ideal for a gap of not more than ½ an inch. However, if you’ve got a bigger space between these two surfaces, it’s advisable to use expanding polyurethane foam. It will swell up and cover the gap without a struggle.
Tools And Materials You’ll Require
- Cloth
- Knife
- Brush or a clean rug
- Masking tape
- Sealant cartridge gun
- Sealant finishing tool
- White spirit
- Sealant remover
- Frame sealant
Guide to Seal Gap between Window & Brick Wall
Video: How to silicone Around Window
Before you start sealing this gap, ensure you’ve got all the supplies that will enable you to work with ease. Also, check if the weather is favorable enough to allow you to work. Remember, some sealants like polyurethane-based formulas take longer to dry. Additionally, rain can interfere with your newly applied caulk. So, plan well not to waste your time and money.
Step 1: Clean the Affected Area
After that, you need to clean your window frame to remove dirt, dust, or any oil around it. You can use a brush to remove the dust and cobwebs on the frame. Also, if you’re replacing caulk, do the same. Leaving damaged caulk over this surface will make the seal ineffective as it may have moisture or mold around it that will contribute to cracking.
You can peel off the caulk with your hands, but use a heat gun if it proves to be tough. If there’s any caulk on the window’s glass, scrape it off using a knife. But do this carefully as glass can easily break.
Then damp cloth on white spirit and use it to clean the window’s frame to help you eliminate any oil or grease traces on this area. Give your window at least 15 minutes to dry off before starting the next step. However, you need to patch any broken brick and let it cure.
Step 2: Cover The Work Area
The next thing you need to do to avoid overworking yourself is cover the work area. This will prevent your window or brick from looking messy after the caulk sticks on them. Use a masking tape to mask around the window frame or where you’ll be working so that you don’t clean afterward. You can have old newspapers to help hold the masking tape to the surface.
Step 3: Test Your Caulking Gun
If you’re using a new caulking gun, you need to test if it’s operational. Check if the trigger or lever is okay by squeezing it. Then cut off the tip just above the screw. Carefully detach the nozzle head and cut it at 45 degrees.
However, the size you’ll cut will depend on the gap. But don’t cut a bigger space as you won’t narrow the tip afterward. Then open your caulking gun and insert the tube inside. Gently squeeze the trigger until the tube holds well and the beads start. In most cases, you’ll find some caulk with cut lines, so you’ll not struggle to do this.
Step 4: Caulk Around the Window
Immediately you’re done testing; if the caulking gun is operational, you need to begin to caulk around the window and brick. Place the gun’s tip at the edge of the gap, then gently release the trigger using your other hand. You can use the other hand to hold the barrel or the tip.
If the gap between the window and brick is big, fix a foam backer rod in that space. Doing this will help you reduce the amount of caulk you’ll use to seal the gap. It will also give the caulk a solid surface for the sealant to hold on, so it doesn’t sag or fall off.
Ensure the beads adhere in between the gaps. Furthermore, if you’re using a foam backer, the beads should also stick on it. Do this slowly until you get the desired width of the bead. Remember doing this in a rush will leave your window with variable width as moving your body will interfere with the results. Caulk material will also not stick well as they require time to dry off. You can, in this case, do half a line at ago, then do the rest continuously to get an even surface.
Step 5: Smoothen The Caulk
Finally, you need to smoothen out the caulk to remove the raised surfaces. You should do this before the caulk starts to dry off. Use a spoon or your wet fingers to do this. Run your fingertip up and down along the brick and window edges.
Ensure you wipe out excess caulk on a tissue paper or towel as you do this. Doing this will enable you to have a neat-looking caulk that can waterproof the area. At the same time, check if there’s any unsealed gap and seal it through with your fingers.
However, if the caulk forms larger breaks, use the caulking gun to add more, then seal the area again. If you’re using polyurethane caulk, ensure you put on your gloves as they’re sticky and can leave your fingers messy. But you can dip it in spirit so that you can smoothen it with ease.
Step 6: Clean Your Work Area
Before you finish up, clean the window edges that might have caulk stuck on them. But if by any chance caulk sticks on the glass of your window as you work, use a damp cloth to clean it off. If it has dried up, use a knife to scrape it off.
Then remove the masking tape before the caulk on the gap dries off. This will prevent the masking tape and newspaper from sticking around the window and probably become part of the design.
Step 7: Allow The Caulk to Dry Off
The time your caulk will take to dry off depends on the caulking material you’re using. Some can take less than an hour to dry, while others take up to 2 days. For example, acrylic-based caulks will require less than 24 hours to dry, while polyurethane can take ten days. Check on the caulk tube to know the duration your caulk will take to dry off. However, you need not interfere with your caulk immediately; it dries off like spraying water around it as it can get spoilt.
Step 8: Check To Ensure the Gap Is Perfectly Sealed
Before celebrating the end of this nightmare gap that has been interfering with your peace, it’s advisable to check your work. Inspect if there’s any unattended gap between the window and brick. You can hold a lit candle next to the caulked area.
If there are some vibrations, it’s an indication that some gap is there that can allow in air. You can re-caulk this spot to seal it off. Also, check if there are any remaining bits of caulk on your work area and clean it out.
Bottom Line
You don’t need to call a professional to help you seal a gap between a window and a brick wall, as this is a simple to-do project. All you need to do is follow this guide and choose the right sealant or type of caulk and bridge the gap. But ensure you clean the surface before applying the caulk and smoothen it off to have a good-looking surface. Also, make sure you seal all the space without leaving a slight gap where air or dirt can pass through.
