We’ve had a handy-man job we were dreading to be honest, yet still dog-determined not to get a tradesman in to fix. We needed to waterproof the join where the kitchen counter top meets the splash-back with silicone sealant.
The good news is that we discovered a nifty little gadget called a Caulk-Rite tool. Once you’ve used your sealant gun to lay down a thin bead of silicone, run the tool over it and it will spread evenly with perfect results. Found at Mitre 10 (although not on their website).
This wasn’t our first attempt however!
We started out by following a helpful video on the Mitre 10 Australia website which suggested running two lines of blue painters masking tape about 3-5mm from where the bench meets the wall. The idea was then to run an generous bead of silicone along the gap, run the tool and remove the tape before the silicone sealant had dried.
We did try this but found the sealant while still wet, didn‘t naturally settle down to form a smooth joint (leaving a small lip where the tape was removed) and ‘generous’ application certainly wasn’t recommended!
Therefore, we’d suggest after trial and error, that you ditch the tape (save yourself some money), grab the Caulk-Rite tool and run it along the silicone bead at a 45 degree angle. The result was instantaneous and amazing.
Note though:
- As you drag the tool along the bead it will quickly gather up excess sealant and, after about 50cms, you’ll end up with a very large splodge which will spread itself on the wall and bench. It can quickly get very messy!
- Don’t panic, even though you know the silicone is quickly curing and in a short space of time and isn’t so workable. Have handy a couple of old rags or tea towels, mop up the excess as you go (it will get very sticky) and wipe the excess off the tool as often as needed.
- For most smooth work surfaces and wall tiles, a new paint scraper is ideal for collecting up any excess sealant that may remain. Once it’s reduced to a minimum it can be wiped with a kitchen towel.
- Make sure you leave your fresh, beautifully finished seal for 24 hours before touching it to enable it to set properly.
Really can’t emphasis how we’ve attempted to apply silicone sealant several times over the years with no success, until now. We are converted. The Caulk-Rite tool really is the answer. How about that for an endorsement!
October 21, 2024
I know this is an old article, but just wanted to agree how useful a profile tool is.
A quick tip: you don’t need to apply all the silicon all at once. The tool is going to make sure everything is even so you can do it in sections. Do the first small section and profile it. Then do the next small section, overlapping with the first and go over the tail end of the old part and smooth into the new to keep everything even. As an example, I was doing a shower screen and I even broke every vertical into three (or was it four?!) parts. It helps keep the blob to a manageable size, and not worrying about the silicon starting to go off before you can shape it.
November 2, 2024
Thanks for your tip! Cheers >>Julie
September 1, 2020
hey thank for sharing
very nice article keep up the good work
September 1, 2020
Cheers!