It’s that time. Springtime. The windows get opened up more, things around the house get tended to that perhaps have been let go for a few months.
This includes the bathrooms. The showers. Those magical junctures of walltile and bathtub. By god, there’s nothing like pulling on a fresh pair of latex gloves, getting a small dish of warm water ready and loading up a gun with a new tube of GE White Silicone Caulking.
The smooth bead. The lack of smoodge and smoosh. The sleek concave arc created JUST after the bead is run, by wetting down a gloved finger in the water and thumbing my way across the bead, making sure there is a good thin skin seam against the actual tub or tile surface.
Then, the wait. One cannot rush curing time, it is it’s own thing. Perhaps a small fan to remove the acetic acid scent from the surrounding rooms.
Lastly, The Payoff. The next day you step into what now looks like a brilliantly finished off bathroom.
That’s this afternoon’s pleasure. I simply cannot wait.
I will second that emotion and add silicone sealant. Yesterday, (must of been something in the air), Mr. Lyllyan and I used clear silicone sealer to seal all aound the sink in the kitchen and around the stove. From there we moved on to changing out all the cabinet liners. And the highlight of the day? We rearranged all the canned goods! Happy happy joy joy!
Yes, few things more satisfying than scraping away old layers of old, grotesque caulk and putting a fresh bead on. Hint: don’t caulk over the top of mildew.
During yesterday’s rainstorm, we developed a leak in our roof. The roofer came out today, and we were prepared to pay big bucks to redo a portion of our roof. The roofer said, “Let’s just try a bit of caulk here. I think your roof can survive a bit longer.”
I was so thrilled.
BTW, as for DIY, I don’t really dig caulking with the big gun, but I love both putting on and taking off the clay-like goopy weatherstripping stuff you put around windows that comes in cords. (What is that stuff called?) It’s like Playdoh for adults.
Start with FCM for caulking and pizza, then on to Homebrew for beverages (of course) and wrap things up here at the SthrnAccent homestead in our master bath and shower. I offer homemade pecan pie and homemade vanilla ice cream. (Actually I’d rather make peach ice cream, but it’s not so good with the pecan pie.)
Gad! If I’m familiar with the tub enclosure and it’s a virginal tube of sealant, no gloves for me! Why separate yourself from the art of a fine caulk job? Immerse yourself in the essense of silicone!
It’s not like a first date, after all.
The foregoing post is not meant to reflect poorly upon those persons who have enhanced parts of their physiology with silicone.
Unfortunately, one has to walk the path to caulk catastrophy before they can climb the ladder to silicone nirvana.
Personally, I like the snap of a chalk line better than 'most anything on the home improvement planet. (God, I’m getting sweaty just thinking about it!)
Virgin caulker here… Mr. Amanita and I are in our first year of home ownership. I need to recaulk in the master bath, and am now concerned b/c I don’t understand this:
Because if you caulk the tub and THEN fill it with water, it’ll be heaver, and thus break the seal of the dried caulk. You want to caulk when the tub is at it’s heaviest so the seal is intact regardless.
Coincidentally, I had to replace some caulking in the kitchen the other day; my first caulking experience. Went surprisingly smoothly, and now I want to recaulk everything.
