Sealant on Worktop

[photek1000]

I need to finish of a bit more of the kitchen this weekend by running sealant around the work tops where they meet the tiles.

Whats the best method, I've read about using masking tape and running a wet finger around it to smooth it out.

What are other peoples experiances of this fun little job.

[tombott]

Yeah tape and finger, don't even need to be wet really.

Just make sure you have a wet rag to wipe your finger on, to clean the sealant off every now and again.

[chesser]

yes wet finger and a rag should do the trick, don't cut the nozzle back too much either and cut it on the angle so it runs smoothly against the joint

[photek1000]

Cool cheers.

One more Q though, is it better to push the gun along or pull it backwards.

[Kev]

To get a neat line i can do it free hand

But if your not too good at it i suggest you use masking tape put it along each side to be siliconed. .

Then run the gun along putting an equal amount in between the masking tape then using spit i know its
unhygenic but its the best way to not let it stick to your fingers .. smooth the silicone out make sure the silicone is not too thick otherwise you will end end up with a lip on the silicone .. then while the silicone is still wet put the masking tape off quickly and that should be a nice neat line

[Kev]

Cool cheers.

One more Q though, is it better to push the gun along or pull it backwards.

Pull it backwards

[photek1000]

Cheers, I'll update wthis with how it goes.

[willp2003]

yep my dad always said wet your finger and then smooth it in one continuous go (oo err). i need to sort my bathroom out, but can never be arsed!

[Soulassassin]

Mask it, silicone it, put a disposable rubber glove on, run your finger down it,remove tape then glove, put new glove on and run finger down again (gently this time).

Thats how I do it anyway.

[moe]

washing up liquid in some water mate. dip your finger in it, and run accross the sealant.

[bomberman]

As mo sates use soapy water and cut a small stick and dip that in the soapy water as using your finger will cause the sealant to sink in the middle i.e. your finger is not square/straight. Don't forget to use masking tape and to remove it prior to the sealant drying...

Good luck

B

[B B Leo]

the only reason u wet ur finger is to stop the silcone sticking to ur finger and to pevent drag on the silcone.

[richibeno]

yes mate allways use tape to your thiickness you want and then get a sauser with a bit of water and fary liquid in it and then smooth the silicone ,all ways pull the gun never push

[Nathz29]

Deffo washing up liquid, stops the silicon adhering to your finger and pulling out of the seal.

[MajorFU]

i re-did the bath a few months back, god it was fucking mouldy as I did not use enough when I 1st did it about 8 years back and there is a fair bit of showering done in there which is a killer for the mould. I bought some rather expensive silicone removal stuff and some even more expensive mould free silicone.

Applied the red shit to remove left for a few hours, came back and used a plastic scraper to get it all off, also used a flat screwdriver between tiles and bath making sure not to hit either surface. Then cleaned and scrubbed thoroughly and then dried using kitchen roll before generously applying the new silicone and smoothed down with my marigold clad finger.

[photek1000]

Well job was completed, think it took longer to get the old sealant out of the nozel than to do the job

But once I found some masking tapa with some stick to it I was away, just a used a finger in a latex glove dipped in warm water to smooth it out and romved the tape once i had run along the whole length of the top.

looks nice, I even impressed myself

Only problem now is I have been tasked with refreshing the mouldy sealant around the bath, it never ends.

[MajorFU]

it never ends.

too fucking right, easier to be less fussy and put up wiv niggling stuff than be obsessed with having the perfect funtional and asthetically pleasing home.

if i was that bovvered i would have been redecorating the 1st room i did just after i finished the last and just keep going forever

[Lighty]

just a note for the future, if you really want to be doing it properlythen you should actually be using a silicone 1 part primer before running the silicone, or a strong pva solution if you dont have any primer, just worth noting as noboduy in this thread mentioned it at all
It will stop the silicone eventually de-bonding from the worktop. Even more inmportant in a humid room like a bathroom
Dow corning part p primer is a good one if you can get hold iof it if not PVA is fine just let it completely dry before sealing on it.