Difference between caulk and sealant?

[Looneytoons]

Dumb question number one of ?

Is there a difference between caulk and sealant. The Cuddy plans call for a polyurethane caulk, but I can only find polyurethane sealant.

Is this the same stuff? Will either, or both, work for sealing around the trim? Is any brand better than another.

[planovet]

(found on the web)

Caulks vs. Sealants: Some manufacturers use the terms "Sealants & Caulks" interchangeably. Sealants are designed to seal an interface which has movement. Caulks are designed to fill a gap. Sealants are designed to create a long-term seal that stays intact and prevents moisture ingress and are UV resistant. Sealants deal with greater joint movement, extreme temperatures and have very low shrinkage. Class A sealants have +/-25% joint movement capability. Polyurethane (urethane) based sealants are now the most widely used product in the roofing and waterproofing industry. Today, polyurethane sealants (still called caulks by many) are specified for most roofing details. They are used extensively in flashings, termination bars, reglets, copings and pitch pans. Upgrades from this are polyether based sealants which can have +/- 50% to +100/-50% expansion capability.

Exterior grade weatherproof sealants, are high performance polyurethanes which have excellent performance for sealing most interfaces.

"Painters caulks" are price-driven products serving markets where performance is subordinate to economy. Painters grade caulks have limited movement capability; usually less than 12 percent movement before cracking, delaminating, peeling or permanently deforming. Painters caulks shrink quickly over time and have limited (short-term) weathering properties (poor UV resistance). They are NOT DESIGNED FOR long term UV exposure. Painters grade caulks are are based on less expensive polymers such as linseed oil, polybutene, asphalt, butyl rubber, SBR rubber, vinyl acetate and acrylic latex. Do not use these products in exterior applications or where joint movement can be greater than 12%.

[Ageless]

Also; 'caulk' is generally used as a verb:

to stop up and make tight against leakage (as a boat or its seams, the cracks in a window frame, or the joints of a pipe)

[Adz_4]

Funny you should ask this, because I was going to ask exactly the same thing. So for areas that require sealing so that rain doesnt get in (such as the edge between the top of the sidewall and the outside plywood sheet) sealant is the best thing to use??

Also what is the difference between bathroom sealant and multi puropse sealant??

Cheers,

Adam