Caulk Quantity Calculator

Total linear footage combines four sources: each window is assumed to need about 12 linear feet of caulk (the rough perimeter of a typical 3-by-3-foot window frame), each door about 17 feet (a 3-by-6.67-foot frame), plus whatever bathroom and kitchen linear footage you measure directly for tubs, showers, backsplashes, and countertops. Tube count is where gap width matters most: a standard 10.3 oz tube is assumed to cover about 27 linear feet at a standard 1/4-inch bead, and that coverage scales inversely with gap width, so doubling the gap width roughly halves how far a single tube stretches. This is why the gap width input can swing the tube count dramatically even for identical linear footage — a wide, uneven gap around an old window frame eats far more caulk than a tight, factory-fit seam. The result is always rounded up to a whole tube since you can't buy a partial one.

Cost assumes a flat $5 per tube, so it reflects material only, not labor, primers, or backer rod for larger gaps. Application time is a simple linear rate of about 12 feet per hour for careful, tooled caulking — faster if you're less meticulous about smoothing the bead, slower around detailed trim or if this is your first time caulking. Note the window and door footage figures are averages; if your home has unusually large windows or oversized doors, measure those perimeters directly rather than relying on the built-in per-unit estimate.