Overheard a superintendent say "caulk and paint makes a carpenter what he ain't" on a job site last month

It stuck with me because I spent 3 hours trying to get a baseboard miter perfect in an old house where the walls aren't even square, and he was right that a little filler and touch up would have saved me all that headache. Has anyone else tried that shortcut and regretted it later when the wood shifts?

2 comments

2 Comments

schmidt.grant13h ago

Oh man, that saying is older than dirt but it hits different once you've fought with old houses. I read this thing online a while back where a trim carpenter was saying how modern houses with stable environments let you get away with perfect fits, but in old houses with plaster walls and seasonal movement, you're basically fighting a losing battle if you try for zero gaps. The wood will shift no matter what, so a little caulk and paint is just being realistic about how materials behave. I've definitely gone back to jobs where my "perfect" joint opened up over winter and wished I'd just filled and moved on.

richardfox9h ago

Used to be a stickler about filling gaps honestly, thought caulk was just covering up sloppy work. But after a few seasons watching my own carefully fitted baseboards pull apart, I've come around to your way of thinking.