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If you’re looking to do some home improvement work, you might be thinking what the difference is between caulk and putty.

Caulk and putty are two common materials used to fill gaps in walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. While they both do the same job, they have some key differences that make them ideal for different applications. 

In this article, we’ll look at how to differentiate between caulk and putty so you can choose the right material for your plumbing project.

What is plumbers putty?

Plumbers putty is a type of silicone sealant that’s used to create an airtight seal between two surfaces. It’s often used in plumbing applications but can even be used on other surfaces in your home or office.

It is a great way to ensure that the water in your pipes does not leak into other areas of your house, which can lead to mold and other problems. In fact, a plumber’s putty is one of the best ways to prevent leaks in your plumbing system.

Plumbers putty comes in different colors and textures, so it’s really important that you pick the right one for your needs.

Plumbers putty can be bought at hardware stores, but you can also make it yourself by mixing silicone lubricant with powdered graphite.

What is Caulk?

Caulk is a solid or liquid sealant used to fill gaps and seal joints. It can also be used for waterproofing and insulation.

Caulking is a type of construction work that uses flexible or elastic materials like silicone, rubber, or plastic to create a seal between two or more surfaces.

Caulking performs the function of sealing gaps and cracks in materials such as brickwork, concrete, stucco, tile, and wood. Caulking is also used to waterproof an area against water penetration. The material used for caulking can be either flexible (e.g., silicone) or rigid (e.g., urethane).

The Difference Between Caulk And Plumbers Putty

Wondering, “What’s the difference between plumber’s putty and caulk?” Well. 

Caulking and plumbers’ putty are similar in many ways, but they are also different.

The two products can be used to seal gaps in walls and windows, prevent leaks from pipes, and create a barrier between different surfaces. They can even be used to make sure that your bathtub or shower sits securely on the floor.

But despite their similarities, there are some important differences between caulk and plumbers’ putty that you should know about before you choose one over the other for your project.

Let’s find out.

  • Composition

The first difference between caulk and plumber’s putty is their composition. Caulk is a plastic-based substance that hardens as it dries, while plumber putty consists of a rubber-like substance that will not harden when it dries. This makes caulk ideal for sealing larger gaps in pipes or walls, while a plumber’s putty can be used to fill smaller holes and cracks.

  • Application

Both caulk and plumber’s putty can be used to seal gaps in your home’s exterior walls or interior walls if they are not too wide (around 1/4 inch). However, caulk tends to be more flexible than plumbers putty because it has less filler in its composition; this makes it more likely that you’ll need to reapply it once or twice over time as your walls expand and contract due to differences in temperature or humidity levels inside your house. Plumber’s putty is less prone to this problem if you don’t have too much movement inside your home’s structure over time (which could cause cracks or other damage).

  • Flexibility 

Caulk is more flexible than a plumber’s putty, which means it can stretch out and fill in gaps in your wall if need be. Plumber’s putty is not as flexible and cannot stretch as easily or fill gaps as well. 

  • Water resistance

This means caulk is better at keeping water out of your walls than a plumber’s putty. Plumbers putty can absorb moisture, while caulk is water-resistant and will not absorb moisture into the material itself. Also, both products dry out over time with exposure to air and sunlight, but caulk dries faster than plumber’s putty does because it contains more water in its makeup than plumber’s putty does (which is why it can stretch more easily).

  • Durability

Caulk is more durable than a plumber’s putty because it’s stronger and lasts longer. It also works better with older pipes because it doesn’t rust as easily as a plumber’s putty does.

  • Cleanup

One of the biggest distinctions between caulk and plumber’s putty is how difficult it is to clean up. Caulk is water soluble, which means you can easily remove it with water or soap if you make a mistake. Plumbers putty, on the other hand, is solvent based. This makes it harder to remove if it gets on something you don’t want it to stick to.

  • Versatility

Plumbers putty has a wider variety of uses than caulk, including sealing windows and doors, keeping plumbing pipes from leaking, and even as an adhesive between two pieces of wood that are too large to fit together by themselves.

Quick Comparison Chart: Are Plumbers Putty And Plumbers Caulk The Same

Here’s a concise comparison chart from a trusted plumber in Calgary highlighting the differences between caulk and plumber’s putty.

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Drake Ahern did an awesome job cleaning the ducts. Was very friendly and professional. Worked hard and paid attention to all the details. I’d definitely have him back next time.

David Dickinson

Heinz was professional and honest. He gave me options and the price. The price was the price and there were no extra charges. He worked on a boiler system that was having issues. He flushed and cleaned system and everything is back up and running. When he was finished he asked if I had any question. I look forward to him coming back to service this system again.

Curtis W.

Barry was fantastic. Explained the steps that would be required to detect the leak and then proceeded with the work. He was professional and managed to fix our issue same day. He left our home clean and tidy before leaving. Overall very happy.

Jonathan Wilson

Arrived on time and did a quick and efficient replacement of my kitchen sink faucet. Also took the time to further explain the operation of the water softener installed on the last visit.
Richard was friendly and knowledgeable. Great service!

Marybeth Marrow

Can’t say enough about the great service I received from Heinz regarding some concerning alerts we got on our Ecobee Smart Thermostat yesterday. I felt cared for and trusted that he was focused on the necessary followup to assure our safety. Heinz is very good at his job.

Kim Koch

Clearview was excellent to deal with. Very professional in their approach and the picture sent of the plumber before hand is an excellent idea. Richard was great to deal with. He gave me different options to resolve the problem.

Rick Pultz

Jon was on time and dispatch team did their best to get him to the property to do an inspection on leaking pipes and backup sewer system. Jon then immediately got another job into the system to have a deeper inspection of the entire system to determine where the blockage was.

David Crawford

John came out to review our heating and AC set-up. He was very knowledgeable and patient as he walked us through the various units and proposed maintenance program. Would highly recommend.

Lucus Tomei

I had furnace venting replaced. This company is efficient and very professional. You know who is coming to do the work and given notice of when they’ll arrive. Heinz was very knowledgeable, professional, was not bothered by all my questions. He gave full explanations, reasons why, and great advice on maintenance care. He showed that he cared about what he was doing and was very efficient in getting the work done quickly. I highly recommend this company and Heinz.

Elsa Krienke

I felt the company is oriented on quality of customer service , they send me the track link when dispatch the plumber, and the plumber is super on time too . I really appreciate Richard , he is supper patient to help me find out what is the best solution, focus on customer’s interest . Thank you again , I will definitely use your service again when I having plumbing problems, which I hope it will never happen.

Jing Huang

Had them update and install our infloor heating two zones, and add tank less hot water on demand and install a water softener. Our technician was very professional kept his work area tidy, cleaned up after himself. He also wiped down all the equipment used including piping and tubing. He was friendly, kept us informed on his progress. You could tell he enjoys what he does… great job Thank you so much.

Carol Hill

The appointment to come to check my boiler was prompt and early I’m the day so I didn’t have to wait the whole day. I received a call 15mins before the arrival. An email and a text was sent earlier. Gerry introduced himself and told me his purpose. He checked my boiler for a while then explained clear to me what the problem was, it was relief to know that it is nit necessarily a serious one. He made further checks and made some recommendations for change of some worn out parts, the re-glycol – 10yrs overdue and some leak that…

Roland B.

Thank you! Your service has always been reliable, professional,and friendly.
Rural folks can depend on you, as We have for more than 30 years, for both our property and others.
If you say you’re coming – you show up- or you promptly let us know of any delays! AND do a fantastic job. We’d asked for certain day & hours, as our neighbour has a B&B, didn’t want to cause issues with septic removal smells for them. YOU DELIVERED! Thank you. The Jackson’s.

Robert Jackson

Barry did a great job in replacing a leaking Hot Water tank. Just a bit shocked at how much the cost of a new tank has increased over the years. We would certainly use ClearView for future jobs.

Ken Stowell

We could not do the water valve replacement because the city could not shut the water off. I was warned ahead of time that this might happen so was not worried. Yamil was courteous and professional and I look forward to his return when the city can fulfill there end of the job. Justin and Sean were great with the furnace install. It went smoothly and Justin explained the new thermostat fully. The walk through on the furnace was useful and timely. Justin and Sean were friendly and professional and great to work with. John who came out for the initial inspection…

Paul Palardy

Our hot water tank blew and fortunately we noticed right away. We called Clearview Services late in the evening and we were answered right away. We were kept in the loop throughout the entire experience and Gabe Colpitts was the service technician who visited the next morning. He was very professional and spent the time to explain and educate the different options that were available. We were up and running with hot water the very next day.

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