Contractor using a caulking gun along a baseboard - Aquaarts Studio/Getty Images When you think of a home renovation project, tasks like painting the walls and installing new fixtures might be the ...

Possibly the most valuable skill a homeowner can have is the ability to caulk. More specifically, the ability to caulk properly. Shower surrounds and shower doors rely on caulk to keep water inside.

Caulk is one of the greatest tools of illusion ever invented. We’ve been using it to stop leaks and hide gaps for centuries, and it remains one of the most useful things you can have in your toolbox.