Any tips on getting a professional finish when applying silicone sealant in the bathroom?

Question

I'm planning on applying silicone sealant in a new bathroom between a tiled floor and the skirting board. I can never seem to get a consistent finish without blobs or gaps. Any ideas?

Answer 1

Easy! Just run a cloth over it after applying. I might remove the skirting board, apply the silicone and replace the board so your pretty boards will show while you still benefit from the silicone. But on all visible surfaces the cloth works great!

Answer 2

Most people are not happy or confident about using silicone sealant, I can sympathize with them but there is really nothing to it that a little practice and good advice will not sort out!
The first mistake people make is applying too much silicone, this is easily done and can make a complete mess!

The best advice I can give you is to apply the silicone sparingly, If you miss a little bit you can always go back afterwards and fill the gap!
Keep plenty of washing up liquid to hand when using silicone and plenty of Kitchen towel as you will need somewhere to wipe the excess silicone!

Wait until the next day and remove the washing up liquid by wiping, this normally does not affect the silicone in any way at all!

Silicone has some excellent properties, mainly it's water resistance and flexibility. This makes it ideal for use anywhere, it's uses are unlimited. There is even a heat resistant version of silicone!



SEALING AROUND A BATH

Sealing the edge around a bath is normally done with either silicone sealant or bathroom and kitchen sealant, there is a small difference between the chemical make up of these two products but they appear identical.

Before beading around the bath it is essential to remove any traces of old silicone, this can be done by cutting it away with a sharp knife or you can now purchase "silicone eater" which makes removal far easier!

Ensure the surfaces to be beaded are 100% dry and clean!

Remove the bath panel from the bath and ensure that it is supported sufficiently underneath, most baths when fitted only have a metal frame around them and a set of legs! This is not really good enough to support the bath fully and as a consequence the weight of the bath when filled with water and the weight of the adult in the bath causes it to flex and move away from the wall slightly therefore breaking the bead of silicone. Cast iron baths do not suffer from the flexing problem but can move slightly with all the weight in the bath!

To ensure the bath does not move much or flex it is a good idea to place either some house bricks or blocks or wood between the bottom of the bath and the floorboards, in most cases this will stop the bath from moving and therefore breaking the seal!

Ensure that the bricks/blocks of wood are a tight fit between the bottom of the bath and the floorboards, you may need to use a combination of different size materials to get a tight fit between the two! Replace the bath panel.

Now fill the bath to just below the overflow, this will mean the bath is pulled slightly from the wall, you will not see the movement as it is minute!

Apply a small but constant bead of silicone all the way around the edges of the bath which are to be sealed, now cover your beading finger of choice (it will normally be your middle or forefinger) with washing up liquid and draw it along the bead of silicone. If you get a build up of silicone on your finger wipe it off with kitchen towel or similar, wet finger again with washing up liquid and continue until finished. Remove any excessive silicone with washing up liquid and kitchen roll. Leave till the next day and wipe clean with a damp cloth.

Although you can normally pick silicone sealant up for around a pound a tube it is always best to save what you can as it always comes in useful, do this by screwing a tight fitting screw into the nozzle, this stops the air getting to the silicone and curing

Answer 3

I find silicone sealant a real pain so I prefer epoxy resin sealant it may seem a little runny but it spreads about and doesn't leave any gobs, blobs, or gaps. Sometimes you do have to apply a 2nd application. It costs a tad more than the silicone sealant but in my opinion it's work it. If you want to stick with silicone you can you can always push down the gops or blob or fill in the gaps. Sorry don't have any better idea here.. I'm more of a bricklayer than a floor person but have done a little floor work!

Answer 4

Dude, do I have a tool for you...had the same problem for years until I discovered a device at Home Depot in the glue & sealant section of the paint dept. It is nothing more than a small (about 3" long by 1") square plastic tube with one end cut at an angle and a molded-in scoop in the inside. (hard to describe but follow along). Run an average size bead of sealant along the tile and baseboard (I only did one lenght at a time) then using the tube (cannot for the life of me remember what it is called) you simply 'push' the angled end along the surface, the bottom of the tube on the floor and one side along the baseboard, and it simply scoops off the excess sealant leaving a perfect bead in the gap. If you see this thing it will become crystal clear at once how it works and you will wonder why this wasn't invented years ago. Cost is about three dollars I think.

Answer 5

You will need to cut the nozzle of the silicone tube on 45 deg angle. Try to keep the angle constant and apply even pressure with the gun. Not sure where your from so I'll tell you what I do. I use a plastic ice cream container(empty :)) and cut out a rectangular piece out of one of the curved parts. Make the bottom of it rounded. Hold this against the silicone you just put down and run it along. this will smooth the silicone out giving you a nice finish.

Answer 6

Use a rag from T-shirt material, soaked with mineral spirits. Smooth with finger wiped with spirit rag before it skims over, apply and smooth shorter lengths at a time until you get a smooth finish. Touch up along the edges with a wide scraper wrapped in a single layer of the spirit rag. You have to fill the gap completely, else the caulk will shrink and show gaps (it shrinks until dried, some caulks shrink more than others).
A siliconized acrylic latex caulk would be easier to work with and you could use water instead of mineral spirits.

Answer 7

Silicone is really sticky so you want to try and get the best finish possible right out of the caulking tube. When you first cut the tube make sure that you create a hole a bit smaller than the size of the crack your trying to seal. Place a bead of caulk and let sit for about 5-7 mins. then take either your finger or a glazing tool and rub along the bead of caulk until you reach desired finish. If you use your finger wash with cold water and soap directly after you have finished.

Answer 8

Awful stuff I agree. You must cut the tube at a 45 and start from the corners to the middle keeping the angles consistent and don't allow the tip to deviate from the 45. Also, keep a dish of thinner handy for you finger to dip and smooth out the bumps very softly. Hope that helps. And try not to lose your temper. PS. Try practicing a little on a fake setup and make sure you cut the tube as big as the widest gap.

Answer 9

This is difficult as I know to my cost!
Use a sealant gun, the type that works on the rachet principal,
ensure that the sealant tube is warm, cut the tube nozzle at a 45 degree angle and do not try to apply too fast. A little practice is worth a lot. Smooth any lumps and bumps by licking your little finger and running it along the sealant as soon as possible. Finger has to be really wet, mild soap solution works really well!
Good Luck and dont give up.
Rowdy.

Answer 10

I have done bathrooms for apartments for years and my method are very simple though, Lowes sales self adhesive strips, but they are worthless in my book.
I mix up gout with hardener thick and apply it with my fingers to fill in the space on the seam and use a nice soft sponge wet to smooth off excess and then wet my fingers and slide it across the gout for a smooth clean appearance.
Once it dries then you can over again with a sponge and remove the excess white powder risidual without damaging your good appearance on the grout.
Do not buy premix...that's junk.
Mix your own powder so that you can desire your own thickness to apply...less mess and easier done.
It is an art that is perfected that made me the best at what I do when replacing tiles in bathroom showers or floors.
The gout can be purchased at Lowe's or any hardware store, but make sure you also buy the hardener or when it gets wet over a period of time it cracks without the hardener . The hardener usually comes in a milk carton and is milky white fluid...use that with your powder and mix your own like making cake mix except you make it thick not runny. This way it is clean and easier to apply like playdoah. Do not buy that premix gout or sealant gout in a tube...that is junk, all junk and I have my reasons why I dislike it and only use it for other jobs that do njot require gout.
Good