Caulking Guns

Designed for the controlled dispensing of caulk and other sealants, caulking guns offer a user-friendly and portable applicator that's quick and easy to use. Available in a wide variety of types, we stock strong and durable caulking guns from reliable brands like Araldite®, Everbuild® and our own brand Kennedy®.

What are caulking guns?

Essentially a tube holder with a trigger system, caulking guns, sometimes called mastic guns, hold a cartridge of sealant material to allow for controlled sealing of gaps in plumbing fixtures, wooden cabinets, and door frames to name but a few. Designed to be compatible with most cartridges, they can be manually, or battery operated for a straight and clean application.

Why caulking guns?

Caulking guns allow for a continuous line of filling or sealing material to be applied in a neat line for clean and effective work. They're extremely user-friendly and a convenient option when sealing or filling is needed.

Caulking gun types

Caulking guns come in a wide range of styles and designs to choose from, with lots of additional features depending on the type you go for. Manual types are available in a variety of sizes and thrust ratio, while cordless and pneumatic are lightweight and can feature shaft rotation and soft trigger pads for comfort.

• Manual   -   Trigger must be pressed repeatedly for amount required, lightweight and user-friendly

• Cordless   -   Battery powered with variable speed and optimum flow rates

• Pneumatic   -   Features air-powered trigger mechanisms

• Sausage   -   These guns dispense sealants packaged in sausage-style tubes

• Dual-cannister   -   Dispenses two-part sealants and some epoxy products

Considerations when choosing a caulking gun

• Application frequency - for infrequent, light-duty use, a cheaper, more basic gun is a good choice. While for heavy-duty, frequent applications, look for a good-quality caulking gun with added features.

• Weight - the open-frame type is lighter than the full-body type, while battery powered caulking guns are often made of lighter weight material to compensate for the addition of a battery.

• Plunger type - a ratcheting plunger will dispense the caulk or silicone with each pull on the trigger, while a smooth plunger dispenses a smooth flow of material for easier and controlled dispensing.

• Features - additional features, such as padded triggers and 360° shaft rotation make application easier and more comfortable.

• Thrust ratios - this is dependent on the type of material used, with viscous products requiring at least a 10:1 thrust ratio, while thicker caulks need higher for effective application.

Caulking gun jargon buster

We want to make it easy for you to shop our caulking gun range, so we've put together some basic information to help you choose the best product for you.

What does thrust ratio mean?

The term thrust ratio is applied in the context of manual silicone guns and is the ratio of force needed on the trigger to effectively push out the caulking material. This ratio is universally measured in pounds (lbs), so a 6:1 thrust ratio translates as every 1lb of force from the gun's trigger generates 6lbs of force on the plunger.

Furthermore, the force required increases with the thickness of the caulking material.

Let's break it down...

• 6:1 - latex, acrylic, siliconised acrylic

• 10:1 - adhesive and silicone

• 12:1 - urethane, construction adhesive and cement products

• 18:1 - construction adhesive, intumescent, elastomeric, polyurethane

• 22:1 - polyurethane, mastic

• 26:1 - butyl, epoxy

• 34:1 - epoxy

FAQs

How do I clean my caulking gun?

It's always a good idea to wipe your gun down after each use and prevent the sealing material from curing on the mechanism. There are a range of cleaning solutions available on the market to give your caulking gun a thorough clean, however, we recommend that you check the manufacturer's instructions on the caulking tube before committing to anything, as they often recommend the best products to clean away any excess material.

What's a dripless caulking gun?

A dripless caulking gun features a smooth rod plunger that often pulls back once pressure is taken off the trigger. This prevents any force causing excess product out of the spout when it's not needed and dispenses the right amount in a controlled manner to avoid wastage.