How to Caulk an Old Wooden Boat
Release time：2023-04-29 16:13:45 oRead0
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:
Preparation
- 1 Get the boat ready for caulking. If you intend to repaint your boat, strip off the paint before starting to re-caulk.
- 2 Clean out all the old putty and caulking cotton with the raking iron, taking care not to damage the wood.
- 3 Prime the seams with the oil based paint or with red-lead paint.
- 1 Different builders have differing ideas on where to start caulking.
- 2 Some like to do all the butt ends first then start on the lower seams and finish off with the rabbet and garboard seam.
- 3 However, here is no reason why you should not start on a seam above the water line, if you want to get into the swing of it first.
- 4 The main thing is remembering which seams have been done and which are still to do.
- 5 How many strands of cotton you use will depend on the size of the seams.
- 6 Ideally the cotton should fill the deepest third of the seam.
- 7 This means that when tapping it home the iron should go in by about two thirds of the plank thickness.
- 8 Add or subtract strands as needed.
- 9 But always remember that it is to be tapped in not hammered.
- 10 Don’t over caulk, the cotton and the wood are going to swell when wet.
- 11 Some authorities suggest laying out enough cotton to do a full seam.
- 12 That is fine if you are laying it out in a perfectly clean floor.
- 13 The cotton is rather hairy and will pick up any and every bit of dirt or wood shaving on the floor.
- 14 I found that it was better to feed it straight from the ball, but keeping the ball in a cardboard box which can be pushed along with your foot as you go.
- 15 If you have to join strands mid seam do not tie a knot, this will produce a thick, hard lump.
- 16 Simply roll the ends together between finger and thumb.
- 17 Start off by using the paying iron to tack or loop the cotton loosely into a foot or two of the seam.
- 18 Then go back and using a rocking action with the iron tap the cotton home with the mallet.
- 19 If there are any wide seams leave them for last.
- 20 By caulking all the tight seams first you could find that this has caused the wider ones to close up.
- 21 Wide seams can be caulked in two runs, thus increasing the number of strands.
- 22 Some builders suggest priming the cotton before applying the putty.
- 1 The traditional compound for stopping seams is linseed oil putty mixed with red led powder.
- 2 When mixing this caulking compound take a tennis ball sized dollop of the putty mix enough red lead powder to give an even red color add linseed oil if needed to keep it soft.
- 3 Then add a thumbnail sized dollop of multi-purpose grease, mix it well and push it into the seam with a putty knife.
- 4 The grease will help keep the putty soft and flexible thus preventing any hardening and cracking later.
- 5 You can either smooth the putty flush with the planking or used a curved scraper to produce a concave seam.
- 1 When it comes to launch day you might find that some of the seams have opened up.
- 2 Do not be tempted to add any more caulking cotton.
- 3 You can add some more of the paying compound but this will probably end up being squeezes out as the wood and cotton take up.
- 4 Providing the gaps are not excessive its better to use a temporary method of stopping.
- 5 Taping over the cracks with masking tape will slow water intake sufficiently while the planks take up.
- 6 Or fill the cracks with soap, use bar soap rubbed into the crevices this will eventually just wash away.
- 7 How quickly she takes up will depend on the wood of the planking.
- 8 Soft woods will usually take up faster than hardwood.
- 9 My first attempt at re-caulking a complete hull was on Mignonne, she has been in the water now for three years and she is still afloat and watertight.
- 10 If I can do it anyone can, with a little care you can do it too.