The Buildhub Sealant Challenge - are you up to it eh?

[ToughButterCup]

Staying sealant smear free that is.

 

There's summat about sealant (CT1 or otherwise) that makes me revert to the carefree snotty-nosed 6 year old I once was. 

On this build, I've been using the stuff for 10 years. And still - still - get it everywhere. Trousers is a favourite, knees mostly. But yesterday I sat in a smut of it and - you're there before me dear reader - distributed it round the house. Sofa was worst, followed by the toilet lid ( how Ian, how? ) , the cat's fur, the dog's fur, my wife's weeding 'chair' , the grandchildren's tent, my marker pen, the wheelbarrow.

 

Best of all on a jar of marmalade. Figure that one out - - - -

 

All because I sealed a slot drain in place with CT1. A ten second job.

You can tell the plumbers and tilers in our pub : look at their work trousers - there's a few dozen white coloured finger smudges round their pockets. So its not just me. 

 

I bet there's a practising Buildhubber who can let us into the secret of how not to get sealant everywhere. 

If you know, tell us all please.

[marshian]

3 minutes ago, ToughButterCup said:

I bet there's a practising Buildhubber who can let us into the secret of how not to get sealant everywhere. 

If you know, tell us all please.

 

Large box of latex/nitrile gloves - any on the gloves and it's glove change time.

[SteamyTea]

Depress the latch lever as soon as you finish applying.

 

 

You can get silicone sealant remover, but white spirit works as well when it is still soft.

If you are using polyurethanes, I have told you what to use many times, but as you decided that it gives you cancer, even though its main usage is to get the caffeine out of drinks, I can't be bothered to tell you again.

[Pocster]

I have a box of nitre gloves with me when ever I sealant anything . If the nozzle drips too much or it just becomes messy I wipe it on the back of the glove . As soon as gloves become “ too messy “ - I throw them and put a new pair on . With gloves also can smear said sealant with finger - then bin gloves .

The answer here is disposable gloves and use constantly . A ‘simple ‘ job might mean I easily get through 3 or 4 pairs - but almost never do I get the sealant everywhere .

Edited July 29 by Pocster

[SteamyTea]

1 hour ago, Pocster said:

I have a box of nitre gloves

And tissues.

 

 

[ToughButterCup]

2 hours ago, Pocster said:

....but almost never do I get the sealant everywhere .

 

son, that's uncharacteristically modest of you.... bless.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> Large box of latex/nitrile gloves

 

and innumerable rolls of kitchen towel to wipe up any extra as soon as it appears.

 

I did watch a professional mastic guy last summer - he didn't get it anywhere except where it was meant to go.

[SteamyTea]

25 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said:

did watch a professional mastic guy last summer - he didn't get it anywhere except where it was meant to go.

Had a West Indian guy called Tony, he used to do all the sealing on our steam rooms.

He used to leave spotless.

He also knew when to leave a bit till hard, trim back, and redo.

 

White spirit, on a lint free cloth, is good for ridding excess.

 

If you mix white spirit into some silicone sealant, it makes it more pliable and stretchy.

[Andehh]

Lots of love for this thread!!!! Yep, I'm another one. 10min applying sealant.....30mins trying to get it off everything I've managed to smeer into! 

 

Expanding foam is another one... One does not simply apply expanding foam, without making a mess of everything within a 5 foot radius! 

[Pocster]

15 hours ago, Andehh said:

Expanding foam is another one... One does not simply apply expanding foam, without making a mess of everything within a 5 foot radius! 

Expanding foam is my favourite . You put a bit in , then wait . Not expanded enough . But I know it will , so wait . Ffs ! Not expanded enough so add more . 3 minutes later it’s 26,000 times its original size . Amazing stuff

[Benpointer]

22 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

Depress the latch lever as soon as you finish applying.

 

 

You can get silicone sealant remover, but white spirit works as well when it is still soft.

If you are using polyurethanes, I have told you what to use many times, but as you decided that it gives you cancer, even though its main usage is to get the caffeine out of drinks, I can't be bothered to tell you again.

 

Please Sir - tell me!

[SteamyTea]

1 minute ago, Benpointer said:

 

Please Sir - tell me

What, every time you use one.

[Benpointer]

6 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

What, every time you use one.

Just the once, and I'll try to remember