Using Silicone Sealants, No mess, Best Tip Ever

Are you one of the many who gets silicone sealants all over your job, are your hands stuck together with the stuff after you have used it? then try these tips below.

Preparation

Make sure where you are going to put the silicone is completely dry, for example, the joints at the bottom of your shower where the tile meets the tray or around the base of a toilet etc.

Unscrew the nozzle and cut off the end of the tube and then replace the nozzle, cut the nozzle tip at a 45-degree angle.

Application
Squeeze the end of the trigger in your sealant gun until the silicone comes out running a smooth weld like joint of silicone along where you want the silicone to go, once you come to the end and want to stop, press the flat thumb trigger on the gun, this will stop the pressure in the spring and stop any excess silicone pumping out. Make sure there are no gaps where you have made the welded silicone joint if you have just put a little bit more silicon in there to fill it up.

Heres the trick

Most people just run their finger across the joint now resulting in the silicone getting everywhere. What you need to do is get a plant water spray bottle and add a small amount of washing up liquid to some water to make a soapy solution.

Spray the soapy solution where you have put the silicone to make it wet, make sure the spray is fine and at a wide-angle, once you have done this use a profile tool also sprayed wet with the soapy solution and pull the profile tool back across the weld silicone joint, you can use a soapy finger for this also.

You will find this leaves a perfect joint with nothing anywhere but the sealed joint, your profile tool or finger will clean up no problem as the silicone will not stick to it.

Happy siliconing, more tips from UK Pro Tiling training coming soon, fast track pro tiling courses