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Caulking & Sealants (3)
Mouldings & Trim (5)
Plywood (2)
Siding & Aluminum (1)
Product Comparisons (11)
Tools & Safety (3)
Caulking & Sealants
Silicone, Polyurethane or Acrylic Latex: Which Sealant for the Joint
Silicone, polyurethane and acrylic latex are not interchangeable. The chemistry decides what the bead sticks to, how far the joint can move, and whether you can paint over it.
What to Caulk — and What to Leave Alone — Before Winter
There are gaps that cost you money if you leave them open, and there are gaps that are supposed to be there. Seal the wrong ones and you trap water inside your wall assembly.
Different Types of Caulking: what to use ?
When it comes to sealing gaps, cracks, and joints in construction or renovation projects, caulking is essential. It not only improves a structure’s appearance but also protects against air leaks, water intrusion, mold growth, and energy loss.
Mouldings & Trim
Door and Window Casing: Colonial, Tudor or Step Bevel
Casing is the trim that finishes a door or window opening. When you are matching existing trim, the profile name is only half the answer: the face width and thickness decide the rest.
Baseboard, Shoe Base, Quarter Round and Back Band: Which Moulding Goes Where
Baseboard finishes the floor line, shoe base and quarter round close the gap below it, and back band and door stop finish the opening. Here is which one goes where, and the sizes we carry.
Flat or V-Groove Jamb Extensions: How to Choose
When a new window or a thicker wall leaves the frame short of the finished surface, the casing will not sit flat. A jamb extension closes that gap. Here is how to pick flat or V-groove, and which size.
Crown Moulding: Spring Angle, Measuring and Cutting the Corners
Crown moulding sits at an angle between the wall and the ceiling, which is what makes it harder than baseboard or casing. Here is how to read the spring angle, cut the corners and finish the joints.
Window and Door Casing: How Much to Buy and How to Fit It
Two questions come to the counter more than any others: how much casing do I need, and why will it not sit flat? Here is the arithmetic for one opening, what each of our lengths gives you, and the six things that go wrong.
Plywood
Flexible Plywood: Where It Bends and Which Grade to Use
Flexible plywood bends to the radius you need right on the job site, for curved formwork, columns and wall panels. Here are the thicknesses, the grades, and where each one is used.
Choosing the Right Plywood: A Quick Guide
What the grade letters mean, the sizes worth knowing about, and when flexible plywood is the answer. Most people choose plywood by thickness and price, which are the two things least likely to cause a problem.
Siding & Aluminum
Vinyl or Aluminum Siding: Panels, Soffit and Trim
Clapboard or Dutch lap, horizontal or vertical, solid or vented soffit: here is how the siding panels, soffit and trim we carry fit together, in vinyl and in aluminum.
Product Comparisons
Dymonic 100 vs Dymonic FC: which one for the job
Both are Tremco and Cranco carries both. Dymonic 100 is a polyurethane and Dymonic FC is a hybrid.
Dymonic 100 vs Vulkem 116: which one for the job
Both are Tremco polyurethanes and Cranco carries both. They are built for expansion joints and perimeter work.
Tremsil 200 vs Tremsil 600: which one for the job
Both are one-part Tremco silicones rated to 25% movement, and Cranco carries both.
DOWSIL 791 vs DOWSIL 795: which one for the job
Both are Dow silicones rated to 50% movement, and Cranco carries both. Dow does not treat them as interchangeable.
DOWSIL 790 vs DOWSIL 795: which one for the job
Both are Dow silicone building sealants and Cranco carries both. They are built for different joints.
Dymonic FC vs Vulkem 116: which one for the job
Both are Tremco and Cranco carries both. Dymonic FC is a hybrid and Vulkem 116 is a polyurethane.
ALEX FAST DRY vs ALEX PLUS: which one for the job
Both are DAP acrylic latex caulks with silicone, both paintable, both interior and exterior. Cranco carries both.
Flextra vs Mulco Supra Expert: which one for the job
Both are Mulco thermoplastic sealants for exterior window, door and siding joints. Cranco carries both.
Polyurethane vs silicone sealant: which one for the job
Cranco carries both. The chemistry decides how fast it skins, what it sticks to, and whether you can paint it.
Caulking vs sealant: the difference
Contractors and manufacturers use the two words loosely. The standard printed on the tube is the part that is not loose.
Vulkem 116 vs Vulkem 45 SSL: what Cranco carries
Cranco carries Vulkem 116. It does not carry Vulkem 45 SSL.
Tools & Safety
Types of Saw Blades: learn to cut ?
When it comes to cutting materials—whether wood, metal, plastic, or tile—the blade you use can make or break your project. Different types of saws use specific blades designed for certain applications.
Work Gloves: Which Coating for Which Job
A glove is a liner that fits your hand and a coating that does the gripping. Cotton with PVC dots, nitrile or latex crinkle: which one for which job, what the numbers mean, and what none of them protect you from.
Suction Cups and Vacuum Lifters: How They Hold, and What They Hold
A suction cup does not pull; the weight of the air outside holds it on. Every rule for using one follows from that. Lever and vacuum cups, what a rating means, and which surfaces will never hold.