Translation guide
The process of sealing joints or seams to prevent leaks, typically in construction or shipbuilding.
I need to caulk the bathtub.
To fill gaps between materials to make them watertight or airtight.
The most common term for caulking in modern Japanese, used for sealing gaps with sealant.
The caulking in the bathroom got old, so I redid it.
Often used interchangeably with コーキング, but can imply a more flexible sealant or the act of sealing.
The sealing around the window frame has deteriorated.
A more general term meaning 'filling gaps', can refer to caulking or any gap-filling activity.
I use caulking material to fill the gaps.
Specifically refers to filling joints (目地) in tiling or masonry, often with mortar or sealant.
The tile joints need to be re-caulked.
To drive oakum or other material into the seams of a wooden ship to make it watertight.
In home improvement stores, look for コーキング材 (caulking material) or シーリング材 (sealant). The verb 'to caulk' is often expressed as コーキングをする or コーキングを打つ (literally 'to shoot caulking').
In building Japanese wooden ships, caulking with cypress bark was done.