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Caulking is a process used in the sealing of the seams in wooden boats and making them watertight. A traditional method of doing this was by using oakum which consisted of pieces of untwisted rope that had been soaked in tar. Double wound cottotn stands may also be used to achieve the same effect when put into gaps using a caulking mallet and a caulking iron which is a chisel-like device.
The caulking sustance may be referred to as caulk or calk and both spellings are interchangable as a noun, when referring to the substance and as a verb meaning to apply it, when refering to other products and uses where the intent is to seal a gap against water and/or air. Examples include a specific method of joining glass to frames and a sealant that may be used in the gaps between bathroom floors and walls.
Never go into a hardware store and ask for "caulk." Always "caulking." Never "caulk."