Caulking is a critical component in construction and home improvement, playing a vital role in sealing joints and seams against moisture, air, insects and dust. Mastering the right techniques and choosing the best products are essential for achieving professional results in any caulking project, but many of your customers don’t have the proper knowledge to get the job done right.
Chris Berry, owner of Paint Life Supply Co. in Boise, Idaho, recognized this gap in education and dedicated himself to demystifying the process. With over 20 years of experience as a professional contractor, Berry now shares his expertise through a popular YouTube channel and comprehensive online courses, ensuring that both professionals and DIY enthusiasts have access to the best tools, products and techniques for mastering caulking.
“When I walked into a paint store when I first started as a contractor, nobody would talk to each other because the mindset was if you tell somebody something that will make them better, you’re taking food off your own plate,” Berry says. “Everybody is your competition.”
Determined to change this mindset, Berry began creating YouTube videos to share his hard-earned knowledge. Over the past 13 years, his channel has grown to boast over 600,000 subscribers and amassed nearly 190 million views across almost 2,000 videos.
In 2019, Berry sold his contracting business to pursue his dream of owning a paint supply store and continuing to share the knowledge he gathered throughout his 20 years in the paint industry.
Paint Life TV, Berry’s YouTube Channel, and his more in-depth online courses, Paint Life Academy, offer a wide range of paint knowledge, including multiple videos on caulking and an online caulking program. In the first lesson, Berry covers professional tools used for caulking.
“Whether you’re a professional or not, you have to have the tools professionals use,” Berry says. “There’s a lot of options out there, many of which are good ones, but there are also many bad options. In the caulking course, I talk about the tools I use that made me successful applying caulking and sealants in various scenarios.”
Berry then delves into the specific products he trusts.
“There’s good caulking and there’s bad caulking,” Berry says. “You’re never going to have success if you’re using bad sealants. In one of my videos, I show which sealants I trust and go in depth on why I use that specific brand.”
After covering the tools and products needed, Berry addresses specific techniques and special situations.
“Sponge-caulking a door jam is an art in itself,” he says. “I also walk the student through how to properly caulk a window and other DIY scenarios.”
Berry’s course offers a comprehensive overview of how to become more efficient at caulking, incorporating the techniques he’s honed over the years.
“Our online program is very structured and much more detailed than our YouTube videos,” he says. “The course has quizzes throughout, as well as a final exam, but everything is self-paced, so it’s easy to navigate.”
Upon completing the online program and receiving their Paint Life Academy certificate, Berry hopes students will feel more confident in their caulking skills and ready to tackle any project.
“The end goal of the course is to help them make more money if they’re a pro or be proficient at what they’re doing and get professional results if they’re a DIYer,” he says.
The caulking course, and all of his online courses, aren’t just meant for professionals. He promotes his courses at his store and on his social media accounts.
“We had a customer come into our store who was painting his whole house, and I told him about our exterior painting course and explained the course and how the knowledge gained from it will cost less than if he had a professional come do the job,” Berry says. “He purchased the course and came into the store after he finished and told us everything went great.”
Berry also uses the course to train his employees.
“We require our employees to take the course and give us feedback,” he says. “They’ve all taken the quizzes and passed the final exam, and it’s interesting how much knowledge they gain from taking the course.”
Berry said the courses helped his employees be proficient in answering customers’ questions in store and through their chat system on their website. Since all of his employees have taken his courses, they’re able to answer customers’ questions without Berry, and he trusts them because they have the same knowledge he has.
“Over 95% of the time, our employees can answer any questions our customers have,” he says. “If they can’t, they can contact me, and I’m able to help.”
Berry’s store isn’t like most paint supply stores. He sells everything a customer would need to be successful at a project, but focuses his business more on sundries than on paint and coatings.
“We only sell products that I believe in 100%,” Berry says. “I’m not going to sell a caulking or sealant that I haven’t used or tested and trust.”
