LUCKY FOR US, WE NO LONGER HAVE TO STUFF RAGS OR SMELLY FISH GLUE INTO THESE CREVICES.

TODAY'S CAULKING AND DRYWALL COMPOUNDS FORM DURABLE SYNTHETIC SEALS THAT ALSO BLEND INTO THE DECOR.

THIS COMPANY'S CAULKING COMES IN TWO TYPES, LATEX AND ACRYLIC, BOTH GOOD FOR INDOOR AND OUTDOOR USE.

TO MAKE ACRYLIC CAULKING, THEY BLEND WATER WITH CHEMICALS THAT PREVENT MOLD AND HELP THE CAULKING WITHSTAND COLD WEATHER.

EVERYTHING BLENDS FOR ABOUT ONE MINUTE.

THE BATCH THEN GOES INTO ANOTHER MIXER CONTAINING 1,500 POUNDS OF SYNTHETIC RESIN.

THEY ADD A PLASTICIZER THAT KEEPS THE CAULKING FLEXIBLE OVER TIME.

A COMBINATION OF COLORANTS TINTS THE CAULKING -- IN THIS CASE, A SHADE OF BROWN CALLED SANDALWOOD.

AFTER 15 MINUTES OF BLENDING, THE CAULKING IS READY.

TO TEST THE BATCH, THEY CURE A SAMPLE AT 77 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT FOR ONE WEEK...THEN CHECK ITS FLEXIBILITY.

IF THE BATCH GETS THE OKAY, IT GOES INTO THIS MACHINE, WHICH LINES UP PLASTIC CAULKING TUBES.

PISTON PUMPS LIFT FOUR TUBES AT A TIME, AND THE NOZZLES FILL EACH TUBE WITH 10 OUNCES OF CAULKING.

THE MACHINE CAN FILL UP TO 1,000 TUBES PER HOUR.

THE MACHINE THEN SEALS THE BOTTOM END OF THE TUBES WITH PLASTIC COVERS.

THE TOP ENDS HAVE CLOSED NOZZLES WITH REPLACEABLE CAPS.

THANKS TO THE RESINS AND PLASTICIZERS, THIS COMPANY'S PRODUCTS LAST UP TO 30 YEARS.

THAT'S THE TOUGH SIDE OF CAULKING, BUT THERE'S ALSO A GENTLER, CRAFTIER SIDE.

START BY DRAWING A PATTERN ON A PIECE OF PAPER.

THEN LAY GLASS ON TOP AND RUN CAULKING ALONG THE PATTERN.

AFTER 48 HOURS, THE CAULKING HARDENS INTO A DELICATE LATTICE.

THEN FILL IN THE SPACES WITH CLEAR SILICONE FOR A FROSTED LOOK.

USE A SMALL STEEL BRUSH AND RUBBER GLOVES TO SPREAD IT AND CREATE TEXTURE.

PERFECT FOR A DOOR OR A BATHROOM WINDOW.