Advice applying Silicone

[MortarThePoint]

Charlie DIYte has a good video all about applying Silicone [link] and makes some good points. A Cramer Fugi kit is being used.

 

The issue we are getting is a shiny film being left on the tiles after tooling. Hopefully the photo below shows this OK. That raises to questions:

1. How do we stop that from happening
2. How do we remove it when it does happen

 

I'm having some high stakes conversations with the person on this job (SWMBO), so a tactful solution would go a long way.

 

[Spinny]

Rank amateur idjiot here...

 

I am pretty poor at this, and whenever I have to reseal the bath I always have to use masking tape down both sides of the joint. If doing it that way the 2 things I have to watch are 1/ make sure the sealant is as thin as possible at the point it squidges out onto the masking tape to minimise the small edge step you get when the masking tape is removed and 2/ Remove the masking tape before the sealant goes hard with a steady continuous pull with the tape angled away from the join.

 

To get it off I would guess that it may be best to use something to cut the silicon film along each edge of the joint so that when the film is removed it doesn't pull on the main seal line.

 

I would suggest maybe using a test piece to replicate the issue and then experimenting to find a removal approach that works best.

 

(a) Suggest SWMBO has a girls weekend away and then use the opportunity to catch up on a few DIY jobs involving silicon, so to speak.

(b) Accidentally damage the seal line with your screwdriver whilst doing another job, ask to be punished and promise to make the perfect sealant good again.

(c) Explain where it went wrong and then leave the country.

 

 

[Onoff]

You could minimise the staining by masking with tape but set the tape a tad wider than where the bead will finish. Do not plan to peel the tape off to give you as clean edge. That will lift the bead edge slightly and allow muck in to go mouldy. I used the Cramer kit. Cleaned the area first with Multisolve.

 

https://flic.kr/p/2dDDn5o

 

https://flic.kr/p/2dHvhmN

 

[Alan Ambrose]

I watched a professional silicone guy last summer doing windows and chatted to him a bit. He used a steady hand, sometimes bent the nozzle a bit, good quality mastic (Soudal, I think) and occasionally some little curvy wooden tools. And, I’m guessing, lots of practice.

 

The tools looked a bit like this, but I think he made his own:

 

https://www.dortechdirect.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/2010.html

 

Edited 43 minutes ago by Alan Ambrose

[Russell griffiths]

Your bead is too big before you hit it with the Cramer tool. 
I bet you’re picking up a lot of wastage on the tool. 
smaller bead

push firmer with the tool

lots of wet wipes. 

[G and J]

Whatever happened to a licked finger?

[Onoff]

I have a black bin bag, folded back on itself to make like a bin. That plus lots of bog roll. Have the bog roll ready and torn into two sheet pieces. When you see a lot building up on the Cramer tool, stop, remove from the tool with bog roll and drop straight into the bag.