# Can you use caulk to seal drywall?



## JFS (Apr 19, 2013)

I am renovating a wall in my house.  It's the wall of my chimney chase- the chase protrudes about 7 inches into the living room, and this drywall covers this interior section.  I have two pieces of drywall coming together at a 90 degree angle- where the chase wall meets the interior wall.  Can I seal this joint with some kind of silicone or adhesive caulk?  

The reason I ask is that the joint will be covered by some stonework and I won't be able to get to it to repair it if something were to crack or peel.  But the stone will only cover about 1.5 inches of the wall out from the seam, so anything wider than that would have to be painted to match the wall and that wall is huge an isn't scheduled to be painted. Doing so would be a whole lot of extra work.  If I can use a caulk bead, which is easily less than 1.5 inches I won't have to paint.

So what's the best seal I can get without going more than 1.5 inches from the corner?  It has to be a good one since that seal is the air barrier between an inside room and the outside air coming into the chase.


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## fireman32 (Apr 19, 2013)

I've used DAP interior latex caulk on sheetrock, it sealed it in the corners, but it also shrank. If you have time to let it cure and then reapply it may work well. Mine has been done for a little over a year and I've had no cracking of the caulk, only shrinkage.


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## JohnnyWalker (Apr 19, 2013)

I think that some joint tape covered with joint compound will seal it and you will have a finished corner protruding from behind the stone.  I know its a little more work but if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.


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## leemckinney (Apr 20, 2013)

Use fire caulking.


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## JFS (Apr 20, 2013)

JohnnyWalker said:


> I think that some joint tape covered with joint compound will seal it and you will have a finished corner protruding from behind the stone.  I know its a little more work but if it is worth doing, it is worth doing right.



Ok, dumb question but what if I just used tape?  I know the compound is required to get a good finished look, but no one wil see this and the compound will likely spread wider than my 1.5 inch limit.  So what if I tape and don't mud?  Does the mud seal,  or is it just to help with thee looks?


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## swamp hunter (Apr 20, 2013)

I've Caulked many a Drywall Joint. 
Use quality Caulking and it'll outlast you espically in an Interior enviroment.


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## CC Rider (Apr 22, 2013)

If it's going to be behind rock and concealed, use peel and stick bitumen flashing.


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