15:00 Just wow! look at how much effort it takes to make these tutorials and then using so much silicone and tissues etc! Proper DIY channel thanks mate! much appreciated
Great video, nice to see someone tackle a real life silicone application. Plus go into the difficulties of running silicone across a tiled surface...Good job 👍🏻
Nothing wrong with sponsorship, I'd actually prefer you to be payed for the videos and your help, Problems comes if you was stop checking yourself or greed starts to creep up and start becoming dishonest, and favour your profit over value for money for your viewers, But I'm fully confident that you are a scrupulous , moral, hardworking, wanting to help others for free type of person so you'll always check yourself, Though we all make mistakes, and flows I think you're great upright individual person, And my hats of to you, respect for your help which is self-evident. Bless stay safe all in these troubled times.
Thanks. It's an absolutely no no as far as I'm concerned because it compromises the joint as I explained here ruclips.net/video/_DI4hfHM_Hg/видео.html 👍🏻
Thanks again. My silicone skills have really improved since starting to watch your channel. A really good tip that I picked up from " Bathroom Plumbing and Fitting" was to have a spray bottle with water and a little detergent to spray the tissue before cleaning the tool.
Some advice from a regular user of mastic.....your video is very informative and there are some great points of advice, 1 I personally dont agree with is not wetting down the area prior to tooling off. I also believe a straight cut nozel forces mastic between the surfaces, but if you can keep the bead of mastic neat and parallel as possible as you you apply it you then can wet surrounding areas and tool the mastic. This helps excess being spread in unwanted areas and will improve the finish of the mastic (smoother surface) and will not leave fine smearing that can be caused by the dry profile tool. To clean tools used during and after upvc solvent cleaner an an old cloth works perfectly, cheaper than the ct1 spray and old cotton t-shirts cut up will save the paper roll consumption. Great video overall 👍
Another excellent video on how to achieve the best possible result when applying a silicone seal to surfaces. I purchased the kit as shown in the first video on "how to silicone" and it did take me three jobs before I became proficient with the tools, but it's absolutely worth persevering. My tip for getting to grips with the tool would be these: 1/ Have plenty of paper roll to hand to wipe the excess silicone from the tool 2/ Hold the silicone gun straight and don't be tempted to angle it as if the nozzle were cut at an angle 3/ As point 2, keep the tools straight to the silicone and don't be tempted to angle it when smoothing off, despite one's desire to do so - take a leap of faith, it works!
Just moved into our new home (not a newbuild) and am loving your tips on the silicon application as I am replacing all silicon in the house !! Thank you Sir !!
These are such good videos Charlie. I now have my Cramer set and silicone remover. However, you have a HUGE gap behind your taps, compared to mine. Will look to cut in half a cheaper B&Q profiler and stick it on a lollipop stick - wish me luck!
The best way IME to remove silicone is to use a snap off craft knife, with the blade extended fully. This makes the blade bend flat against the vertical or horizontal surface and makes the job easy. I will do a video on this when I get a chance. Good video ! 👍
Nice job Charlie and those tools look pretty useful. However, of all the silicone techniques I've ever used (a LOT) the VERY best by far is when using masking tape on both the horizontal and vertical mating surfaces (or other angles too). By leaving whatever gap necessary for the size of bead I require, I then use a silicone "finger/thumb" to FORCE the silicone into the gap as needed and also I can repeat as often as I like to get as much silicone as required into the gap. Leave for ten minutes and remove the tape carefully at an angle away from the bead and the job is done. When siliconing upstands onto a new kitchen worktop last year I dry fitted the upstands to check for fit against the wall and top, then fitted tape flat to the top, vertical to the upstand, flat on the top surface of the upstand and vertical on the wall above the upstand prior to fitting. when fitting I used no-more-nails (or equivalent) then a substantial bead of silicone on both the top back edge and the bottom edge then fitted the upstand,.ensuring the silicone was exuding from the whole of the top and the bottom. ensured it was pressed uniformly back into the gaps top and bottom with the silicone rubber thumb, final smooth off, remove the tape and a bead of just 2 mm perfectly fitting between base and worktop and able to compensate for less than perfectly flat walls by adding more silicone as required in a few places before final smoothing and removing tape at the top too. Absolutely THE tidiest job I've ever managed in over 40 years of different techniques. The best thing about it is than it works great behind taps and in awkward corners, but ALSO always the use of one's own fingers without being too concerned about ultimate accuracy.
Just purchased the Cramer kit to mastic my completed bathroom refit, I dreaded the mastic more than anything !! It can make a good job look awful...and to my surprise the Cramer kit helped me achieve the best ever silicon mastic I've ever done, by far....thanks for your video's on the subject, they helped me no end ! Gave me the confidence to have a go ! Keep up the great work !!! Steve.
Good video, lots of little tips. I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but here's another tip I do all the time. When changing tubes I take the nozzle from the spent tube and put it on the new one. This has two advantages. As Charlie mentioned, it's difficult getting silicon out of a used nozzle which would normally get thrown away. Enough silicon gets wasted when sealing anything so at least you're not chucking nozzles away full of the stuff. You also get to save a brand new nozzle from the new tube which can come in handy if you need to seal a gap with varying thickness.
Hi. I've just re-siliconed bathroom and for the difficult areas to remove the sealant, I modified a hacksaw blade by gently grinding the teeth away then sharpened it. It worked really well.
Another great video Charlie! Here are a few points which may be useful: a) Some 45 degree silicone applicators are so cheap you could cut one back and glue it to a suitable handle b) You can get a cap that just screws onto a half used silicone tube c) In your previous video about how to fill a bath with water before siliconing the edges I looked at the setting time for the silicone which was hours so, to keep dry, I did the edges first and then filled the bath with water d) Using 45 degree edges is not for timid DIYers as it is always so tempting to smooth off with a finger which of course is for concave edges
Another excellent video Charlie - many thanks. I’ve just re siliconed my bath having watched your original video on this using the Fuji kit - wow! What a difference! I’m now going to be tackling all the dodgy silicone jobs done in the past that have been annoying me for years! Thanks for giving me the confidence to do this.
You're very welcome, Simon. So glad you aced it, and thanks for letting me know. If you haven't seen it already, take a look at my corners video if you have time, ruclips.net/video/EErbuodMOAM/видео.html as I didn't really cover corners that well in my original video. 👍
Thanks, your videos have been the best I've seen on this topic. I've been working on removing very old caulking around my shower frame on a fiberglass surround. I've found that soaking a paper towel in rubbing alcohol and then laying it on the caulk for about 30 minutes really softens it up. I learned this trick from another video that showed how to clean calcium deposits off a toilet bowl with paper towels soaked in vinegar.
Great advice. I followed your thoughts and choice of tools and now I mastic like a professional. The testing it out on small sections is invaluable. Works for me on a daily basis as now renewing mastic is part of most days. Tyvm sir
Interesting vid. Smoothing agent works and this is how. Squeeze an 8mm bead in your joint, spray with soapy water, now take a 6mm jointing tool and use it. The excess is removed leaving a smooth 6mm bead, the trick is to use a smaller tool than the bead you have squeezed. Cheers.
Peeling out silicone in one giant piece is oddly satisfying! Bought a Cramer fuji kit and rotating nozzles based on a previous video and glad I did. Wish I'd known about the multisolve before. Inherited mosaic tiling in a shower cubicle with a terrible silicone job done previously. Nightmare made a lot easier especially with the rake tool. Same mosaic tiles with a very very small gap between the tap with plug mechanism and the wall. Not sure the fugenfux kit will fit when at 90 degrees to the wall, but looks like, with the long handle that something good might come of it.
I've been using a silicon spatula - originally intended for getting cake mixture out of the mixing bowl - with some success. Not sure if I can add a photo but it looks to be the same material as in the video
Used masking tape up tp now and attempting to cut a 2mm strip of tape behind the taps but i wont be using that method again after watching this. Charlie is neat, clean, precise, and so in other words, a pefectionist. Trouble is,o nce you get like this you'll never be 100% with any finished job
Charlie you really are a mind reader🙌🏻 I accidentally🙄🙄 removed some of the silicone from my bath an sink after spraying Astonish Mould an Mildew Blaster to clean my tiles. So ended up removing the rest an today honestly went to look for your previous fantastic videos an you had just uploaded a new one🙋🏼♀️😜😂 You are a life(well stress) saver😂 Thank you for another excellent vid😜🙌🏻
For the non-screw top caulking tubes, I wrap the end with cling wrap (the clear stuff) and then put the tube in a plastic bag, wrap the bag around the tube, wrapping the top/nozzle with the bag (twisting it around the nozzle), and then use elastic band to seal the top/nozzle. Keeps the caulking fresh for years.
I've tried aluminum foil, figuring it was more air tight, but cling wrap probably would be better sealing at the nozzle than the foil, since it can cling more tightly. I'll have to try that-
Great video. I can see why using silicon can be daunting for DIYers. I'm a Glazier for over 30 years and silicon joint everything imaginable. I must confess if you're not use to handling silicon your advice is perfect 😊 But for volume of work wetting down beads before smoothing is a far better finish.
I suppose as long as your bead completely covers the joint and doesn't need to be pushed out any further to an uncovered area, it would be okay. If it's dry though, it could allow the gathered silicone to be used for sealing down the line, so it might be more conservative of the amount used.
I've been watching several videos about applying silicone into the joint so I can finish my shower project. Many others (including some very reputable folks) use the diluted detergent to help get the bead clean. I was concerned about your statement about this ruining the joint if any gets behind the silicone. I'm still very concerned and think I should avoid the detergent water trick. Thanks for the great video!
Charlie, I would like to thank you for introducing me to the Cramer kit 7. Its already made it in to my ‘goes to every job’ tool box 👍. How I’ve not heard of this kit before just proves I am in my own little world. The Current Misses is right.
Well done mate. The sign of a good trade is someone who's always open to new ideas and innovations. It's awesome isn't it! Massive thanks for the comment 👍🏻
When I'm finished with silicone and want to preserve the remaining contents I cut a finger off a rubber glove and put it between the nozzle and tube. You can also buy blanking nuts that fit onto the threads from ebay.
Great tips! If you happen to own an air compressor, as a final step before re-siliconing, use it with a small tip and high pressure to blast away any debris or moisture that may still remain in the gap. A can of compressed air works too if you don’t own an air compressor.
Brilliant video Charli.Best scraper i used is made by Olfa Japan. Also there are caps i recently found on Amazon to prevent hardening of an unused silicone tube,cheers.
@@CharlieDIYte I'll be honest, most of my DIY efforts are fly-by-pants efforts that somehow seem to look, when completed, like they were planned to perfection. We do the best with what we have. 😀 Keep these videos coming, mate. They're a great help.
Making a good silicone beed in any bathroom or kitchen job can be difficult and I have tried many different techniques and fancy expensive tools like you demonstrate. I now don't use any tools now other than the five different size beed runners I have on my hand ie my fingers, and I only usually use the two smallest. The marble vanity unit you demonstrate on is a nice easy job, and I don't think that plastic lollipop thing would fare very well on tiles with grouting lines that run perpendicular to any flat surace. I use masking tape, run parallel to the joint on both horizontal and flat surface set back from the joint by about 4mm to 5mm. I ensure the tape is pushed firmly into recesses at grouting lines so there is no gap. I then carefully run the silicone into the joints ensuring there is just enough silicone in so there is not too much excess, the least excess the better. I also make sure the nozzle is cut smaller than the joint to ensure there is good penetration of the silicone into the joint. I run my finger (making sure my hands are clean beforehand) dampened a bit with water and a little washing up liquid, run it along the joint quickly to do the initial beed and remove excess sealant, then fill in any low spots with sealant, run along again usually with my pinkie finger. I may do this two or three times whilst the silicone is still soft so as to remove as much excess off as possilbe.The flexibility and softenss of your skin allows it to adjust to any uneven spots at grouting lines etc. I don't apply too much pressure. Leave it for 10 minutes or so and then pull off the masking tape making sure I pull the tape off diaganally away from the joints. The masking tape ensures that any excess build of sealant does not get onto the surface of the bath, shower tray or whatever surfaces you are sealing, so excess build up is not so much a problem. I also put masking tape around any sanitary ware such as taps etc because cleaning silicone smudges off chrome and acrylic can be a pain. I have found this method to be the easiest and by far the cheapest method of getting good even and attractive silicone beeds. I think those tools are ridiculously priced for what they cost to make. A little practice using the method I explained can ensure you get just as good a job, if not better with your just your hands and masking tape.
Found it such a difficult and messy task applying silicone! Will refer back to this video when I need to do the job again in the kitchen and bathroom etc..
Nice video. Those Fugenfux tools certainly look handy! Wish I had known about them before redoing the silicon around my shower enclosure, it'd certainly have made a neater job in the area between the enclosure and vanity unit!
Looking forward to refreshing my shower tray. I bought all the kit after watching your pro video and then broke my hand. Hope to get the job done in a couple of weeks time. It’s a job I’m nervous about but I’ve got all the kit now.
best thing I've found for cleaning off sealant are the blue "big wipes" from screwfix & toolstation etc....they are incredible at removing everything including silicone sealant!!
Lighter fluid (same as mineral spirits) or 91% alcohol as prep cleaner. Also, dampen the paper towels used to clean finger or tool with soapy water to keep it cleanest and wiping smoothly. Not wet though.
Excellent video. I've subscribed. I have a couple of hopefully helpful points to add. It's a longer read but I have a lot of experience in this area to share. I like tool sets and they look quite perfect for a DIY application. I've done residential/commercial glass caulking for many years on widows. In a frequent situation, the OEM gaskets had been trimmed flush to allow for window films to be installed. Then a bead of Dow 995 (structural siliconized rubber) had to be applied to cover the transition between film-glass-frame. Anyone who has tried Dow 995, knows it's nasty stuff. Almost impossible to tool and touch up. I've done kilometers of this type of work. Here are my suggestions for anyone doing caulking. 1) make your own profiles for cleaning joints. I use waste hard cards, such as gift cards, coupon cards any card stock that resembles a credit card in thickness and composition. They are easy to cut accurately, and the possibilities of shapes you can make are endless. You will always have the right sized tool now. Best part is that they are free and headed to landfill anyways, I'm just repurposing them. You could attach them to a stick with some CA glue and actuator if you're in a hurry. 2) Don't use a tool. Become good enough with the caulking gun to use the edge on the tip of the gun to flatten your bead perfectly and force it into the joint as it comes out. In most applications I cut my tip almost flat. I find having slightly off from 90 degrees works better. That's the only way I could do those jobs and make a living. Not possible in every situation (awkward spaces, abrasive surfaces) but is possible in the vast majority. 3) Use heat gun or hair dryer to soften old caulking. I have made a custom tip, to force the heat in a more concentrated way onto the bead. I'll have to try your solvent some time. I have reservations on using anything to remove a product that I need to reapply over the same surface after because of residue concerns. I usually clean a surface with 99% isopropyl alcohol, dispensed from a miniscule spray bottle before applying a new bead. I also used it extensively for tool clean up. 4) An Olfa utility knife is perfect for caulking removal. I mostly use the H1. It's sturdy, the blade hardly bends. Gets into all sorts of tight spaces, I would think better than the tool you are using. Plus, it's not an extra tool to have to own for nothing. When one edge gets dull it can be sharpened or snapped off. 5) Keep caulking in the fridge or freezer before application. Silicone behaves much better when chilled. I used to roll up to the job site with a big igloo camping cooler full of cold packs and a few dozen cartridges or sausages inside. If you've read this far, cheers.
Hi Peter, thanks for this, and also for subscribing. There are a lot of useful insights in there. I don't agree with you about not tooling the silicone but I can see why you prefer not to, if the stuff you're referring to is tricky to tool and I've heard other pro's doing it this way, eg if caulking natural oak skirtings and the like. For most of us DIYers who aren't doing this day in day out like you are, it's very hard to achieve a perfect bead without tooling, and there's always more of a danger that you'll leave a minute gap behind the bead which tooling tends to eliminate. I think I'd find the Olfa a bit too bulky to get in flush, but you're saying not, so I'll try that out some time. Thanks again!
@@CharlieDIYte When using the Olfa I have the blade extended nearly all the way. Sometimes I use the smaller Olfas when more blade flex is desired, perhaps in your situation that would be better. Tooling vs No Tooling. I think you can only do without tooling if there isn't a crevasse behind the 90 degrees that needs filling in. Great content and I like the intelligent commentary from your viewers. Edit: Something I didn't touch on is what to do if there is a large crevasse in behind the joint or if the joint needing to be filed requires a very large bead. Here in 🇨🇦 we have a product called "baker rod" which probably goes by other names. It is a closed-cell foam roll with a cylindrical profile. It comes in many diameters. It's meant to be stuffed into the back of the crack. It serves a dual purpose. 1) Using less expensive material 2) Improved results. A sealant bead performs better if it's only bonding to the two side faces of a joint and not the back. It also cures more evenly because the thickness is more near to uniform and not bulkier in the middle. If there's a lot of bulk in the middle, as it cures, it may partially pull itself from the sides as the middle contracts.
@@Road_to_Tolaria Thanks Peter. Ah, yes, I figured you'd had the blade quite a long way out, but deleted that observation when you said it didn't flex much. That makes sense now. Yes, the comments are what I love most about doing this. You can trawl down through them and find an absolute wealth of knowledge. People so freely sharing their hard earned experience is truly humbling 👍
Really enjoy your channel. When storing a part used tube of silicone, a suitable sized screw in the end of the nozzle seals it nicely, and is easy to remove for future re-use.
Great video as always. You have to be careful with the solvent not to damage your waterproofing/tanking if you are doing this on a shower. In this case, better not to spay directly on the silicone....
thanks, learnt a lot from this video; one question about putting away left-over sealant: why hasn't anyone yet marketed a set of small, just fitting caps to close off. Surely the exchange with a dried out/solidified nozzle is one step (I do that too but then also add a small piece of film right over the silicon/glue/compound just to avoid an air chamber, no matter how small). A small screwcap would be so much simpler andless wastful, but not in the industry's interest I suppose?
I agree, Paul. Companies like Metolux make caps for their fillers bit.ly/37nyc2s but the diameter of the thread is larger than your typical silicone nozzle as these fillers are designed to extrude and mix the filler and hardener in one motion.
I use Multi Solve, And always keep a can in the Van. CT1 have brought out a new Sealant BT1! It use supposed to never go mouldy. I haven't tried it as yet.
Thanks Chris. You could, but it's the composition of the rubber combined with the way it's bevelled that makes this tool so effective at producing such effortless, clean lines.
The multi solve works particularly well on marble because it’s porous. Not so well on ceramic, but still okay. I also cut the nozzle with a bevel and apply at a matching angle, makes it easy going around taps and corners.
I'm a newbie, but I've been watching a lot of videos to help me with my DIY project. It's my understanding that Marble is very porous. (And relatively soft) It's a reason you need to be careful about what grout you use in the joints. Watch out for halo effect as the dye in the grout can leach into the color of the marble.
Nice job Charlie, corners are always a pita. Ordered the Cramer kit last time following your guide and just bought my first tin of ct1, usually use no nonsense stuff but it makes a snotty mess I'll be glad to be rid of.
Thanks mate. I always have a can of Multisolve kicking around. It's a general life saver around the house. Used to rave about the CT1 silicone as well, but I put it on the windows as a glazing bead and the whole lot disintegrated in the sun, so I won't be using it again.
@@CharlieDIYte I like siroflex rainproof exterior caulk for that sort of job, not as easy to work as silicone but stuff sets solid inside or out and paintable too.
Just purchased that ct1 sealant remover from your link, cant wait to use it on my next silicone job, hope it works as good as it does in your video, nothing worse then trying to take off old silicone when its baking hot and your blade has gone blunt
Really good video Charlie - bought one of those kits after your first video and have used them 3 times now with excellent results. Must try the multi solve spray - I used Stanley knife blades and then methylated spirits to remove the old silicone
Thank you for your videos! I started caulking with tape now I use the same tools as you and I do amazing jobs. I love caulking (sometimes) lol. I do like to finish with my finger still because I find myself spending to much time detailing with the tools
Wish able to get these products as cheap in the states as you can in UK. Yes, definitely not as easy as ppl think, but, as you showed.....able to scrape off & redo it before skims over. Nothing wrong with that. Of course, could always run a long bead & tool with finger, but sometimes just doesn’t look as nice or hard to get into areas.
Before I re-silicone I use meths as a final cleaner - it removes any oil and dirt residue leftover and then evaporates off so you don't have to worry about it affecting the adhesion of your new bead.
Thank you always great advice here one point I would like to add is nine times out of ten you have tile joints and this tool would jump in to the grout line so leaving this out of the video was disappointing if only all bathrooms had continuous marble splash backs so to get a kit like yours with the additional black guides is a big help with the joints personally I would go a millionaire bigger with the nozzle cut than the size of the remover tool and one tip for you when cutting open a new tube of silicone or caulk try this, while holding the tube on a flat surface instead of sawing with the blade to make the cut hold the blade rigidly with moderate pressure and slightly roll the tube forwards and backwards 30 years in the trade but I still look for new and better ways of working with materials Again thank you for your ideas have you tried the tape on stainless steel nozzles a whole new way of working with silicone
Really helpful caulking videos! :) Regarding fitting the cramer tool behind the tap: maybe next time you can cut the tool shorter / in half :) the concave corner won't be used probably ;)
Great video - lots of helpful tips - I wonder if you may have used the wrong silicone though - I believe that mapesil LM rather than mapesil AC is recommended for natural stone like your marble - I could be wrong though. Thanks again for the video.
Question: in previous videos you’ve emphasized the need to use some de-greasing solvent - methylated spirit or acetone, with preference to the former. I believe the multi-solve product you’ve used is oil-based: is there no problem using it to clean the rubber forming tool, and immediately use it again for forming the silicone bead? Or should the forming tool be cleaned from any multi-solve residue first?
After laying down a bead we spray with 100 denatured alcohol before tooling. It will keep silicone from sticking where you don’t want it to, and it evaporates residue free
When cleaning the nozzle on unused sealant, I stick a small piece of clingfilm over the cut end of the tube before securing it with the new/cleaned nozzle. Keeps it for longer.
Yes, decorators wipes are very effective but I tend to mostly use paper and then clean the tool down with a wipe to get the stubborn stuff off, at the end of the job. That Multisolve spray is also fabulously effective at cleaning the tool.
Great video, and love the Multisolve - looks like it works a treat! My only concern is that all the mould behind the silicone you removed still remains. It’s so important to use a product to kill that before you reapply silicone…otherwise the mould just festers away behind the new silicone, waiting to wreak its vengeance on us DIYers!
I agree you need to remove a much as possible and something like HG mould spray would help with that. Reality is though mould can't form where there's no moisture so if you've siliconed properly you haven't got too much to worry about.
Charlie, good overview and interesting tips. But I would of went with a 90° corner or a very small radius. Over time the edges of silicone work lose where dirt can form. Each crafts person has thier methods and results but for this one min sealant in joint, dry finger radius, one or two passes down wet all the way. Ps. If using paper towel to wipe tool. Start wipe at each corner and fold it over at 45° repeat at each corner. Once around you can keep repeating till use up. Cant stand when fold wipe from center of towel and the thtow away 90° of the towel. If you have a lot cut the towel into quarters (full sheet paper towel) then you have 16 corners to wipe with and toss. Steven Columbus Michigan
I have a tip that was shared by a pro decorator; I've used it on internal and external gaps ever since and it works a treat. the silicone/adhesive/caulking is applied with a flush-cut nozzle (in line with Charlie's advice) and while a silicon tool can be used to shape/remove the excess - the top tip tool is the old 'magic digit' wrapped in a general-purpose cleanup wipe (tubs found at Screwfix/Toolstation etc) and then run your finger along the line. by applying a little pressure, it pushes the silicone deeper into the gap, making a fuller bead in the gap but one with a thinner/minimal bead on the actual surface joint (sightline) making for an extremely secure and clean looking joint. what's the worst that could happen - give it a try!
What another great and useful vid Charlie. Super explanation and thank you for posting as I have some black silicon to replace on my granite worktop.... Behind the kitchen sink taps. Perfect 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I find its better to let the silicone cure in the nozzles , which you'll find you can be removed with a slim screwdriver or implement. It will pull out whole, rendering the adjustable nozzles reusable time after time... Saves on tissue paper and wipes too.
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15:00 Just wow! look at how much effort it takes to make these tutorials and then using so much silicone and tissues etc!
Proper DIY channel
thanks mate! much appreciated
Great video, nice to see someone tackle a real life silicone application. Plus go into the difficulties of running silicone across a tiled surface...Good job 👍🏻
Nothing wrong with sponsorship, I'd actually prefer you to be payed for the videos and your help,
Problems comes if you was stop checking yourself or greed starts to creep up and start becoming dishonest, and favour your profit over value for money for your viewers,
But I'm fully confident that you are a scrupulous , moral, hardworking, wanting to help others for free type of person so you'll always check yourself,
Though we all make mistakes, and flows I think you're great upright individual person,
And my hats of to you, respect for your help which is self-evident.
Bless stay safe all in these troubled times.
It's so nice to find a bloke who doesn't use tape or hose it down with soapy water
Thanks. It's an absolutely no no as far as I'm concerned because it compromises the joint as I explained here ruclips.net/video/_DI4hfHM_Hg/видео.html 👍🏻
I used a hair dryer to heat along the silicone, and it just pealed right off . So easy.
Thats what I did too 😁
A ringing endorsement!
@@daytona1960 u single
Thanks again. My silicone skills have really improved since starting to watch your channel. A really good tip that I picked up from "
Bathroom Plumbing and Fitting" was to have a spray bottle with water and a little detergent to spray the tissue before cleaning the tool.
Some advice from a regular user of mastic.....your video is very informative and there are some great points of advice, 1 I personally dont agree with is not wetting down the area prior to tooling off. I also believe a straight cut nozel forces mastic between the surfaces, but if you can keep the bead of mastic neat and parallel as possible as you you apply it you then can wet surrounding areas and tool the mastic. This helps excess being spread in unwanted areas and will improve the finish of the mastic (smoother surface) and will not leave fine smearing that can be caused by the dry profile tool. To clean tools used during and after upvc solvent cleaner an an old cloth works perfectly, cheaper than the ct1 spray and old cotton t-shirts cut up will save the paper roll consumption. Great video overall 👍
Another excellent video on how to achieve the best possible result when applying a silicone seal to surfaces. I purchased the kit as shown in the first video on "how to silicone" and it did take me three jobs before I became proficient with the tools, but it's absolutely worth persevering. My tip for getting to grips with the tool would be these:
1/ Have plenty of paper roll to hand to wipe the excess silicone from the tool
2/ Hold the silicone gun straight and don't be tempted to angle it as if the nozzle were cut at an angle
3/ As point 2, keep the tools straight to the silicone and don't be tempted to angle it when smoothing off, despite one's desire to do so - take a leap of faith, it works!
Spot on 👍🏻
Is the beveled side of the tool supposed to lead or the flat side? Why is one better than the other?
@@wingerrrrrrrrr flat
Just moved into our new home (not a newbuild) and am loving your tips on the silicon application as I am replacing all silicon in the house !! Thank you Sir !!
You're welcome, Richard. Thanks for the comment 👍🏻
Another fantastic tutorial!
The modification of the tool at the end was so clever. Top work!
These are such good videos Charlie. I now have my Cramer set and silicone remover. However, you have a HUGE gap behind your taps, compared to mine. Will look to cut in half a cheaper B&Q profiler and stick it on a lollipop stick - wish me luck!
The best way IME to remove silicone is to use a snap off craft knife, with the blade extended fully. This makes the blade bend flat against the vertical or horizontal surface and makes the job easy. I will do a video on this when I get a chance. Good video ! 👍
Easily the best set/series of siliconing videos on YT. What a resource.
Nice job Charlie and those tools look pretty useful. However, of all the silicone techniques I've ever used (a LOT) the VERY best by far is when using masking tape on both the horizontal and vertical mating surfaces (or other angles too). By leaving whatever gap necessary for the size of bead I require, I then use a silicone "finger/thumb" to FORCE the silicone into the gap as needed and also I can repeat as often as I like to get as much silicone as required into the gap. Leave for ten minutes and remove the tape carefully at an angle away from the bead and the job is done.
When siliconing upstands onto a new kitchen worktop last year I dry fitted the upstands to check for fit against the wall and top, then fitted tape flat to the top, vertical to the upstand, flat on the top surface of the upstand and vertical on the wall above the upstand prior to fitting. when fitting I used no-more-nails (or equivalent) then a substantial bead of silicone on both the top back edge and the bottom edge then fitted the upstand,.ensuring the silicone was exuding from the whole of the top and the bottom. ensured it was pressed uniformly back into the gaps top and bottom with the silicone rubber thumb, final smooth off, remove the tape and a bead of just 2 mm perfectly fitting between base and worktop and able to compensate for less than perfectly flat walls by adding more silicone as required in a few places before final smoothing and removing tape at the top too.
Absolutely THE tidiest job I've ever managed in over 40 years of different techniques. The best thing about it is than it works great behind taps and in awkward corners, but ALSO always the use of one's own fingers without being too concerned about ultimate accuracy.
He explains why not to use finger technique in another video. It gives a concave finish with a weak bond. Simple physics!
Just purchased the Cramer kit to mastic my completed bathroom refit, I dreaded the mastic more than anything !! It can make a good job look awful...and to my surprise the Cramer kit helped me achieve the best ever silicon mastic I've ever done, by far....thanks for your video's on the subject, they helped me no end ! Gave me the confidence to have a go ! Keep up the great work !!! Steve.
Good video, lots of little tips.
I don't know if anyone else has mentioned this, but here's another tip I do all the time.
When changing tubes I take the nozzle from the spent tube and put it on the new one. This has two advantages. As Charlie mentioned, it's difficult getting silicon out of a used nozzle which would normally get thrown away. Enough silicon gets wasted when sealing anything so at least you're not chucking nozzles away full of the stuff. You also get to save a brand new nozzle from the new tube which can come in handy if you need to seal a gap with varying thickness.
Thanks Garry. Good tip 👍🏻
Hi.
I've just re-siliconed bathroom and for the difficult areas to remove the sealant, I modified a hacksaw blade by gently grinding the teeth away then sharpened it. It worked really well.
Good thinking. I can see that would work well 👍👏
Another great video Charlie! Here are a few points which may be useful:
a) Some 45 degree silicone applicators are so cheap you could cut one back and glue it to a suitable handle
b) You can get a cap that just screws onto a half used silicone tube
c) In your previous video about how to fill a bath with water before siliconing the edges I looked at the setting time for the silicone which was hours so, to keep dry, I did the edges first and then filled the bath with water
d) Using 45 degree edges is not for timid DIYers as it is always so tempting to smooth off with a finger which of course is for concave edges
I've done that with cap better the screw in end of nozzle.but I found just a plastic sandwich bag over tube screw nozzle back on.
Another excellent video Charlie - many thanks. I’ve just re siliconed my bath having watched your original video on this using the Fuji kit - wow! What a difference! I’m now going to be tackling all the dodgy silicone jobs done in the past that have been annoying me for years! Thanks for giving me the confidence to do this.
You're very welcome, Simon. So glad you aced it, and thanks for letting me know. If you haven't seen it already, take a look at my corners video if you have time, ruclips.net/video/EErbuodMOAM/видео.html as I didn't really cover corners that well in my original video. 👍
Did you get the Fuji or just generic silicone tools?
Thanks, your videos have been the best I've seen on this topic. I've been working on removing very old caulking around my shower frame on a fiberglass surround. I've found that soaking a paper towel in rubbing alcohol and then laying it on the caulk for about 30 minutes really softens it up. I learned this trick from another video that showed how to clean calcium deposits off a toilet bowl with paper towels soaked in vinegar.
Thanks, that's very kind. Clever! I guess the same technique would work to remove mould - soaking the towel in bleach 👍
Great advice. I followed your thoughts and choice of tools and now I mastic like a professional. The testing it out on small sections is invaluable. Works for me on a daily basis as now renewing mastic is part of most days. Tyvm sir
Interesting vid. Smoothing agent works and this is how. Squeeze an 8mm bead in your joint, spray with soapy water, now take a 6mm jointing tool and use it. The excess is removed leaving a smooth 6mm bead, the trick is to use a smaller tool than the bead you have squeezed. Cheers.
I have sharpened the front edge of one of the old fashioned potato peelers for removing silicone and it works a treat, you know the pointy ones.:)
Peeling out silicone in one giant piece is oddly satisfying! Bought a Cramer fuji kit and rotating nozzles based on a previous video and glad I did. Wish I'd known about the multisolve before. Inherited mosaic tiling in a shower cubicle with a terrible silicone job done previously. Nightmare made a lot easier especially with the rake tool. Same mosaic tiles with a very very small gap between the tap with plug mechanism and the wall. Not sure the fugenfux kit will fit when at 90 degrees to the wall, but looks like, with the long handle that something good might come of it.
I've been using a silicon spatula - originally intended for getting cake mixture out of the mixing bowl - with some success. Not sure if I can add a photo but it looks to be the same material as in the video
Thanks Charlie for showing me how to do my first silicon job properly. Great videos with useful details. Keep the good job going!
You're welcome Lubo. Thanks for the comment 👍
Did my bath yesterday based on your Fugi videos and achieved perfection, except for behind the taps. Should have got something like this.
Used masking tape up tp now and attempting to cut a 2mm strip of tape behind the taps but i wont be using that method again after watching this. Charlie is neat, clean, precise, and so in other words, a pefectionist. Trouble is,o nce you get like this you'll never be 100% with any finished job
Great stuff Charlie! You are by far the best DYI on RUclips and a silicon magician.
Wow, not sure about that, but that's incredibly kind of you 👍
Wow! Applying silicone the 'correct' way is labor intensive! Very instructive video.
Labor intensive but worth it, because if you do it right once, you shouldn't have to re-do it for a very long time 👍
Charlie you really are a mind reader🙌🏻 I accidentally🙄🙄 removed some of the silicone from my bath an sink after spraying Astonish Mould an Mildew Blaster to clean my tiles. So ended up removing the rest an today honestly went to look for your previous fantastic videos an you had just uploaded a new one🙋🏼♀️😜😂 You are a life(well stress) saver😂 Thank you for another excellent vid😜🙌🏻
For the non-screw top caulking tubes, I wrap the end with cling wrap (the clear stuff) and then put the tube in a plastic bag, wrap the bag around the tube, wrapping the top/nozzle with the bag (twisting it around the nozzle), and then use elastic band to seal the top/nozzle. Keeps the caulking fresh for years.
I've tried aluminum foil, figuring it was more air tight, but cling wrap probably would be better sealing at the nozzle than the foil, since it can cling more tightly. I'll have to try that-
Great video. I can see why using silicon can be daunting for DIYers. I'm a Glazier for over 30 years and silicon joint everything imaginable. I must confess if you're not use to handling silicon your advice is perfect 😊 But for volume of work wetting down beads before smoothing is a far better finish.
I suppose as long as your bead completely covers the joint and doesn't need to be pushed out any further to an uncovered area, it would be okay. If it's dry though, it could allow the gathered silicone to be used for sealing down the line, so it might be more conservative of the amount used.
I've been watching several videos about applying silicone into the joint so I can finish my shower project. Many others (including some very reputable folks) use the diluted detergent to help get the bead clean. I was concerned about your statement about this ruining the joint if any gets behind the silicone. I'm still very concerned and think I should avoid the detergent water trick. Thanks for the great video!
Yes avoid detergent and buy a Cramer tool - ideally the profiling kit 5 or 7. You won't regret it!
Charlie, I would like to thank you for introducing me to the Cramer kit 7. Its already made it in to my ‘goes to every job’ tool box 👍.
How I’ve not heard of this kit before just proves I am in my own little world. The Current Misses is right.
Well done mate. The sign of a good trade is someone who's always open to new ideas and innovations. It's awesome isn't it! Massive thanks for the comment 👍🏻
When I'm finished with silicone and want to preserve the remaining contents I cut a finger off a rubber glove and put it between the nozzle and tube. You can also buy blanking nuts that fit onto the threads from ebay.
Nice tips, Maurice 👍🏻
Clear explanation easy to understand and followed Love it! Thank You Charlie.
You're welcome. Thanks for the comment 👍🏻
Thank you so much for showing us how to do this. Much appreciated.
You're welcome. Thanks for the comment. 👍
Great tips! If you happen to own an air compressor, as a final step before re-siliconing, use it with a small tip and high pressure to blast away any debris or moisture that may still remain in the gap. A can of compressed air works too if you don’t own an air compressor.
Cheers Mike. Good thinking. 👍
Very comprehensive and cleared up a lot of questions.
great video - brilliant tip on storing the used silicon with an old nozzle
Thanks Mike 👍
Brilliant video Charli.Best scraper i used is made by Olfa Japan.
Also there are caps i recently found on Amazon to prevent hardening of an unused silicone tube,cheers.
Thanks, I appreciate that 👍 I'll check out those caps. Thanks for the tip.
Did this a few weeks ago, only I siliconed the sink before fitting the tap! 👌😀
Now that, my friend is true DIY genius, so long as you've tooled the silicone to last...👍
@@CharlieDIYte I'll be honest, most of my DIY efforts are fly-by-pants efforts that somehow seem to look, when completed, like they were planned to perfection. We do the best with what we have. 😀 Keep these videos coming, mate. They're a great help.
Making a good silicone beed in any bathroom or kitchen job can be difficult and I have tried many different techniques and fancy expensive tools like you demonstrate. I now don't use any tools now other than the five different size beed runners I have on my hand ie my fingers, and I only usually use the two smallest. The marble vanity unit you demonstrate on is a nice easy job, and I don't think that plastic lollipop thing would fare very well on tiles with grouting lines that run perpendicular to any flat surace. I use masking tape, run parallel to the joint on both horizontal and flat surface set back from the joint by about 4mm to 5mm. I ensure the tape is pushed firmly into recesses at grouting lines so there is no gap. I then carefully run the silicone into the joints ensuring there is just enough silicone in so there is not too much excess, the least excess the better. I also make sure the nozzle is cut smaller than the joint to ensure there is good penetration of the silicone into the joint. I run my finger (making sure my hands are clean beforehand) dampened a bit with water and a little washing up liquid, run it along the joint quickly to do the initial beed and remove excess sealant, then fill in any low spots with sealant, run along again usually with my pinkie finger. I may do this two or three times whilst the silicone is still soft so as to remove as much excess off as possilbe.The flexibility and softenss of your skin allows it to adjust to any uneven spots at grouting lines etc. I don't apply too much pressure. Leave it for 10 minutes or so and then pull off the masking tape making sure I pull the tape off diaganally away from the joints. The masking tape ensures that any excess build of sealant does not get onto the surface of the bath, shower tray or whatever surfaces you are sealing, so excess build up is not so much a problem. I also put masking tape around any sanitary ware such as taps etc because cleaning silicone smudges off chrome and acrylic can be a pain. I have found this method to be the easiest and by far the cheapest method of getting good even and attractive silicone beeds. I think those tools are ridiculously priced for what they cost to make. A little practice using the method I explained can ensure you get just as good a job, if not better with your just your hands and masking tape.
Found it such a difficult and messy task applying silicone! Will refer back to this video when I need to do the job again in the kitchen and bathroom etc..
Practice makes perfect, my friend. But these forming tools are an absolute must. You would have found it much easier with one of these.
Nice video. Those Fugenfux tools certainly look handy! Wish I had known about them before redoing the silicon around my shower enclosure, it'd certainly have made a neater job in the area between the enclosure and vanity unit!
Looking forward to refreshing my shower tray. I bought all the kit after watching your pro video and then broke my hand. Hope to get the job done in a couple of weeks time. It’s a job I’m nervous about but I’ve got all the kit now.
best thing I've found for cleaning off sealant are the blue "big wipes" from screwfix & toolstation etc....they are incredible at removing everything including silicone sealant!!
Excellent video presentation for someone new to applying silicone.
Thanks.
As usual, a highly practical and well presented video....many thanks.
Thanks buddy 👍
Lighter fluid (same as mineral spirits) or 91% alcohol as prep cleaner. Also, dampen the paper towels used to clean finger or tool with soapy water to keep it cleanest and wiping smoothly. Not wet though.
I purchased the Fugi tools that you first recommended about a year ago. They are really good thanks
Excellent video. I've subscribed. I have a couple of hopefully helpful points to add. It's a longer read but I have a lot of experience in this area to share.
I like tool sets and they look quite perfect for a DIY application. I've done residential/commercial glass caulking for many years on widows. In a frequent situation, the OEM gaskets had been trimmed flush to allow for window films to be installed. Then a bead of Dow 995 (structural siliconized rubber) had to be applied to cover the transition between film-glass-frame. Anyone who has tried Dow 995, knows it's nasty stuff. Almost impossible to tool and touch up. I've done kilometers of this type of work. Here are my suggestions for anyone doing caulking.
1) make your own profiles for cleaning joints. I use waste hard cards, such as gift cards, coupon cards any card stock that resembles a credit card in thickness and composition. They are easy to cut accurately, and the possibilities of shapes you can make are endless. You will always have the right sized tool now. Best part is that they are free and headed to landfill anyways, I'm just repurposing them. You could attach them to a stick with some CA glue and actuator if you're in a hurry.
2) Don't use a tool. Become good enough with the caulking gun to use the edge on the tip of the gun to flatten your bead perfectly and force it into the joint as it comes out. In most applications I cut my tip almost flat. I find having slightly off from 90 degrees works better. That's the only way I could do those jobs and make a living. Not possible in every situation (awkward spaces, abrasive surfaces) but is possible in the vast majority.
3) Use heat gun or hair dryer to soften old caulking. I have made a custom tip, to force the heat in a more concentrated way onto the bead. I'll have to try your solvent some time. I have reservations on using anything to remove a product that I need to reapply over the same surface after because of residue concerns. I usually clean a surface with 99% isopropyl alcohol, dispensed from a miniscule spray bottle before applying a new bead. I also used it extensively for tool clean up.
4) An Olfa utility knife is perfect for caulking removal. I mostly use the H1. It's sturdy, the blade hardly bends. Gets into all sorts of tight spaces, I would think better than the tool you are using. Plus, it's not an extra tool to have to own for nothing. When one edge gets dull it can be sharpened or snapped off.
5) Keep caulking in the fridge or freezer before application. Silicone behaves much better when chilled. I used to roll up to the job site with a big igloo camping cooler full of cold packs and a few dozen cartridges or sausages inside.
If you've read this far, cheers.
Hi Peter, thanks for this, and also for subscribing. There are a lot of useful insights in there. I don't agree with you about not tooling the silicone but I can see why you prefer not to, if the stuff you're referring to is tricky to tool and I've heard other pro's doing it this way, eg if caulking natural oak skirtings and the like. For most of us DIYers who aren't doing this day in day out like you are, it's very hard to achieve a perfect bead without tooling, and there's always more of a danger that you'll leave a minute gap behind the bead which tooling tends to eliminate. I think I'd find the Olfa a bit too bulky to get in flush, but you're saying not, so I'll try that out some time. Thanks again!
@@CharlieDIYte When using the Olfa I have the blade extended nearly all the way. Sometimes I use the smaller Olfas when more blade flex is desired, perhaps in your situation that would be better.
Tooling vs No Tooling. I think you can only do without tooling if there isn't a crevasse behind the 90 degrees that needs filling in.
Great content and I like the intelligent commentary from your viewers.
Edit:
Something I didn't touch on is what to do if there is a large crevasse in behind the joint or if the joint needing to be filed requires a very large bead. Here in 🇨🇦 we have a product called "baker rod" which probably goes by other names. It is a closed-cell foam roll with a cylindrical profile. It comes in many diameters. It's meant to be stuffed into the back of the crack. It serves a dual purpose.
1) Using less expensive material
2) Improved results. A sealant bead performs better if it's only bonding to the two side faces of a joint and not the back. It also cures more evenly because the thickness is more near to uniform and not bulkier in the middle. If there's a lot of bulk in the middle, as it cures, it may partially pull itself from the sides as the middle contracts.
@@Road_to_Tolaria Thanks Peter. Ah, yes, I figured you'd had the blade quite a long way out, but deleted that observation when you said it didn't flex much. That makes sense now. Yes, the comments are what I love most about doing this. You can trawl down through them and find an absolute wealth of knowledge. People so freely sharing their hard earned experience is truly humbling 👍
Excellent tutorial as always. Full of handy tips.
Another great video, very concise.
another fantastic video thanks for sharing this information with us enjoyed the video.
You're welcome, and good to hear from you again 👍
Really enjoy your channel. When storing a part used tube of silicone, a suitable sized screw in the end of the nozzle seals it nicely, and is easy to remove for future re-use.
Great video as always. You have to be careful with the solvent not to damage your waterproofing/tanking if you are doing this on a shower. In this case, better not to spay directly on the silicone....
thanks, learnt a lot from this video; one question about putting away left-over sealant: why hasn't anyone yet marketed a set of small, just fitting caps to close off. Surely the exchange with a dried out/solidified nozzle is one step (I do that too but then also add a small piece of film right over the silicon/glue/compound just to avoid an air chamber, no matter how small). A small screwcap would be so much simpler andless wastful, but not in the industry's interest I suppose?
I agree, Paul. Companies like Metolux make caps for their fillers bit.ly/37nyc2s but the diameter of the thread is larger than your typical silicone nozzle as these fillers are designed to extrude and mix the filler and hardener in one motion.
I use Multi Solve, And always keep a can in the Van. CT1 have brought out a new Sealant BT1! It use supposed to never go mouldy. I haven't tried it as yet.
Thanks for the tips! Guess you can of fashion a shaping tool yourself but with the blade in the kit it seems worthwhile.
Thanks Chris. You could, but it's the composition of the rubber combined with the way it's bevelled that makes this tool so effective at producing such effortless, clean lines.
The multi solve works particularly well on marble because it’s porous. Not so well on ceramic, but still okay. I also cut the nozzle with a bevel and apply at a matching angle, makes it easy going around taps and corners.
Makes sense, Karl. Thanks for the comment 👍
I'm a newbie, but I've been watching a lot of videos to help me with my DIY project. It's my understanding that Marble is very porous. (And relatively soft) It's a reason you need to be careful about what grout you use in the joints. Watch out for halo effect as the dye in the grout can leach into the color of the marble.
@@JohnColeman-z4c absolutely. Love marble, but such pain to work with, even after you seal it.
Nice job Charlie, corners are always a pita. Ordered the Cramer kit last time following your guide and just bought my first tin of ct1, usually use no nonsense stuff but it makes a snotty mess I'll be glad to be rid of.
Thanks mate. I always have a can of Multisolve kicking around. It's a general life saver around the house. Used to rave about the CT1 silicone as well, but I put it on the windows as a glazing bead and the whole lot disintegrated in the sun, so I won't be using it again.
@@CharlieDIYte I like siroflex rainproof exterior caulk for that sort of job, not as easy to work as silicone but stuff sets solid inside or out and paintable too.
Just purchased that ct1 sealant remover from your link, cant wait to use it on my next silicone job, hope it works as good as it does in your video, nothing worse then trying to take off old silicone when its baking hot and your blade has gone blunt
Really good video Charlie - bought one of those kits after your first video and have used them 3 times now with excellent results. Must try the multi solve spray - I used Stanley knife blades and then methylated spirits to remove the old silicone
Thank you for your videos! I started caulking with tape now I use the same tools as you and I do amazing jobs. I love caulking (sometimes) lol. I do like to finish with my finger still because I find myself spending to much time detailing with the tools
Thank you so much. So informative and helpful. I also very much like your tool recommendations.best regards
Heather
Aw, thanks Heather, I really appreciate the comment 👍 Good luck with your siliconing and drop me a line if you've got any questions.
Wish able to get these products as cheap in the states as you can in UK. Yes, definitely not as easy as ppl think, but, as you showed.....able to scrape off & redo it before skims over. Nothing wrong with that. Of course, could always run a long bead & tool with finger, but sometimes just doesn’t look as nice or hard to get into areas.
That diy focus music. Gets me right in the zone
I found the information in this video to be extremely helpful. Can't wait to try the new fugenfux tool. Thanks a lot.
Glad you found it useful. It's a great little tool. Thanks for the comment.
Before I re-silicone I use meths as a final cleaner - it removes any oil and dirt residue leftover and then evaporates off so you don't have to worry about it affecting the adhesion of your new bead.
Yes, that's also a good product, Simon. Or acetone. I should have mentioned this in the video.
@@CharlieDIYte not acetone on acrylic stuff
Thank you always great advice here one point I would like to add is nine times out of ten you have tile joints and this tool would jump in to the grout line so leaving this out of the video was disappointing if only all bathrooms had continuous marble splash backs so to get a kit like yours with the additional black guides is a big help with the joints personally I would go a millionaire bigger with the nozzle cut than the size of the remover tool and one tip for you when cutting open a new tube of silicone or caulk try this, while holding the tube on a flat surface instead of sawing with the blade to make the cut hold the blade rigidly with moderate pressure and slightly roll the tube forwards and backwards 30 years in the trade but I still look for new and better ways of working with materials
Again thank you for your ideas have you tried the tape on stainless steel nozzles a whole new way of working with silicone
Hi Charlie, very interesting, particularly the swivelling nozzle. I think I would have done the ends separately after the main bead had cured.
I use my air compressor to shoot old solidified silicone off those nozzles, when applied in reverse.
Nice, I like that!
I was about to make the same comment, I was quite surprised the 1st time I tried it and the jelly finger shot out haha
I will give that a try!
Well done Charlie the best lve seen yet
Sealing my bath in the morning. Dreading it... Watched some of your videos , I'm not much good with silicon..... Love your double sink by the way.
Very good tutorial, love all the outtakes.
Thanks Steve 👍
Fantastically helpful as always, thank you.
Really helpful caulking videos! :)
Regarding fitting the cramer tool behind the tap: maybe next time you can cut the tool shorter / in half :) the concave corner won't be used probably ;)
Great video - lots of helpful tips - I wonder if you may have used the wrong silicone though - I believe that mapesil LM rather than mapesil AC is recommended for natural stone like your marble - I could be wrong though. Thanks again for the video.
Agree - neutral cure silicone on natural stone. Acetic cure (smells like vinger) is fine on porcelain.
Just put in a new tile backsplash in our kitchen. Is it better to grout first before the silicone or the reverse?
Typically you do the siliconing last.
As always a fascinating watch.
Thanks David. The silicone still looks as good as when it was done, by the way (as it should do, of course).
Question: in previous videos you’ve emphasized the need to use some de-greasing solvent - methylated spirit or acetone, with preference to the former. I believe the multi-solve product you’ve used is oil-based: is there no problem using it to clean the rubber forming tool, and immediately use it again for forming the silicone bead? Or should the forming tool be cleaned from any multi-solve residue first?
Excellent job your videos are always very informative thanks
After laying down a bead we spray with 100 denatured alcohol before tooling. It will keep silicone from sticking where you don’t want it to, and it evaporates residue free
Thanks for your vids in siliconing...I have ordered a cramer kit and going to have a go siliconing windows and doors 👍
I feel like this is caulking university - Thank you for this video
When cleaning the nozzle on unused sealant, I stick a small piece of clingfilm over the cut end of the tube before securing it with the new/cleaned nozzle. Keeps it for longer.
Excellent tutorial
Thanks
Great video, finally an honest video.do you ever use something like a wonder wipe to clean down the tool rather than paper?
Yes, decorators wipes are very effective but I tend to mostly use paper and then clean the tool down with a wipe to get the stubborn stuff off, at the end of the job. That Multisolve spray is also fabulously effective at cleaning the tool.
Great video, and love the Multisolve - looks like it works a treat! My only concern is that all the mould behind the silicone you removed still remains. It’s so important to use a product to kill that before you reapply silicone…otherwise the mould just festers away behind the new silicone, waiting to wreak its vengeance on us DIYers!
I agree you need to remove a much as possible and something like HG mould spray would help with that. Reality is though mould can't form where there's no moisture so if you've siliconed properly you haven't got too much to worry about.
Charlie, good overview and interesting tips. But I would of went with a 90° corner or a very small radius. Over time the edges of silicone work lose where dirt can form.
Each crafts person has thier methods and results but for this one min sealant in joint, dry finger radius, one or two passes down wet all the way.
Ps. If using paper towel to wipe tool. Start wipe at each corner and fold it over at 45° repeat at each corner. Once around you can keep repeating till use up. Cant stand when fold wipe from center of towel and the thtow away 90° of the towel. If you have a lot cut the towel into quarters (full sheet paper towel) then you have 16 corners to wipe with and toss.
Steven Columbus Michigan
I have a tip that was shared by a pro decorator; I've used it on internal and external gaps ever since and it works a treat. the silicone/adhesive/caulking is applied with a flush-cut nozzle (in line with Charlie's advice) and while a silicon tool can be used to shape/remove the excess - the top tip tool is the old 'magic digit' wrapped in a general-purpose cleanup wipe (tubs found at Screwfix/Toolstation etc) and then run your finger along the line. by applying a little pressure, it pushes the silicone deeper into the gap, making a fuller bead in the gap but one with a thinner/minimal bead on the actual surface joint (sightline) making for an extremely secure and clean looking joint. what's the worst that could happen - give it a try!
What another great and useful vid Charlie. Super explanation and thank you for posting as I have some black silicon to replace on my granite worktop....
Behind the kitchen sink taps.
Perfect 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Hi Charlie, could you advise the depth the silicon smoothing tools?, my taps are quite close to the rear tiles. Thanks James.
hi which way did you pull tool ie flat side or bevel side thanks
Thanks charlie, that was very informative, take care and be safe as always
I find its better to let the silicone cure in the nozzles , which you'll find you can be removed with a slim screwdriver or implement. It will pull out whole, rendering the adjustable nozzles reusable time after time... Saves on tissue paper and wipes too.
Another great video Charlie - well done.
Thanks Ian, I appreciate that 👍
Thats is the best way to remove silcone thanks great video
Hey Charlie, what is your thoughts on using silicone instead of grout ?