Walk in Cooler Panels
Normally wall and ceiling panels will lock together tight and not require caulking—the only exception is when it is difficult to get the box completely level and square. In that case, caulk any walk in cooler panels that are not entirely tight to prevent air infiltration.
The only panel seams you need to caulk will be at the floor and ceiling perimeter joints. Apply a generous bead with the silicone we have provided, and using a caulking tool or even your finger, smooth the bead out so that good adhesion is made to both surfaces. Clean up can be performed with mineral spirits. Leave the doors of your cabinet open until the silicone cures and the vinegar-like smell diminishes.
Display Doors
If your walk in cooler includes display doors, run a bead of silicone around the entire inside perimeter of the frame after installation. If the gap is too large for silicone, stuff fiberglass insulation or backer rod to fill the joint instead. The same applies for glass viewing windows. Make sure they are well sealed prior to the window trim being secured.
Refrigeration
All refrigeration or electrical lines penetrating the walls or ceiling need to be sealed. In addition, the inside of all electrical conduits must be sealed prior to entering the walk in cooler. This will help avoid future electrical problems by preventing moisture from collecting inside the conduit. Not all electricians are familiar with this possibility, so it never hurts to remind your contractor.
If You See Moisture…
When your walk in cooler is in operation, if you see any water droplets running down the wall panels or water pooling onto the floor, it indicates warm air is entering the walk in cooler causing moisture and condensation to form. Determine the source of the air leak and seal properly.
What About Larger Gaps?
If you needed to shim your walk in cooler during installation to compensate for an uneven floor, you may be faced with gaps larger than silicone caulk alone can seal.
Minimal expansion spray foam can be purchased at any hardware store or building center. It is sold under various brand names in convenient aerosol dispensing cans. You may need several cans depending on the size of your walk in cooler. The directions on the can will give you an idea of the product coverage.
First, install whatever type of finish trim you had planned for the outside of the walk in cooler. There are many possibilities (for example: vinyl cove base, tile, or wood molding). Having this in place will prevent the spray foam from expanding all over the outside flooring.
Now you can apply the foam underneath the wall panels from the inside of the walk in cooler. If you are unfamiliar working with this product, test spray a small amount into an empty box, and get a feel for how much it expands. This will give you an idea of how much to apply. Apply masking tape over the inside perimeter of the floor if you wish to protect the surface. After the product has finished expanding and has cured, it can be trimmed flush with the wall panel with a sharp knife. You will be left with an air tight seal, and can now finish it off with whatever base trim you choose.
Pictures/Examples
It's always great when customers send SRC pictures of their new walk in coolers (before, during, and after installation!)... But from those pictures, I actually couldn't find one specifically of the caulking process. Instead, through Google, I found a good example of caulking here. If you scroll a bit farther than halfway down the page, you'll see a heading called "Plywood and Seams Finished." Ken writes, "Finished layering the inside with plywood, and then caulked all the seams. Decided to use basic painters caulking, since I had a lot of it on hand." There are several good, up-close pictures posted!
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