I’m a DIY whizz

Jan 09, 2024

A PAINTER and decorator has revealed how to get rid of that annoying crack on your stairs - and it's all about how much caulk you use, and when you use it.

Joanne Hay regularly shares videos on her TikTok revealing tips and tricks of the trade, and recently posted a detailed explanation on how to make your stairs look picture perfect.

"First of all, remove the ridiculous unnecessary amount of caulk that's been applied," Joanne began.

"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."

Once removing all the caulk, she began sanding everything down, so she could see exactly what prep she needed to do.

And then, instead of filling with caulk, she used an expanding foam to fill the hole, which was about 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 that's dry, you can then cut away the excess foam and it's time to get going with your filler.

Fill as much as you need to - Joanne did two fills before sanding it down when it was dry.

"Before anything else you want to prime the filler," she continued.

"This is the only time when you should be using caulk. So once the filler is primed, you can then apply a bead of 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."

To avoid making too much of a mess, Joanne advised keeping a wet rag with you to wipe your finger on once you've used it to smooth out the caulk.

Once you've done all that, you can get going with the painting - making sure to once again prime by undercoating before applying the colour.

Joanne was quickly praised for sharing her video, with one person writing 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," another added.

While a third wrote: "*puts the caulk down*."