I'm Chaulk Depreived....
 

I'm fairly proficient in home repair. I'm not the smartest person in the world, but the Internet and availability of home repair guides and the Do It Yourself Warehouses ( Go Jimmy Johnson) make it a lot easier.

UNTIL I come to caulking.. I suck...

Inevitably, I do the NO NO thing and start using my fingers, which makes a decent repair look like ****.

I've tried almost everything. From tools to ice cubes.

Any tricks from the masters out there ?

Try using a small wet / damp sponge. Biggest thing is to smooth it right away.
Going back over it often leads to ripples / bumps.

One good thing - if you are not happy with result - not too hard or expensive to remove and try again.

Takes a few tries but learning curve is sharp. Sorta like finishing drywall - only way to learn is to do it a few times.

Your finger really is the best tool for the job. Keep it wet and make long strokes to keep it smooth.

A trick I like to do for really neat caulk lines is to tape both sides of the joint to be caulked using blue painters' tape. You can force the caulk into the joint a lot better and the excess simply spills over onto the tape. Pull the tape up ASAP though; you don't want the caulk to dry with the tape down still :eek:

Use a decent silicone latex caulk. Straight latex caulks aren't as workable and are rarely as flexible after they cure.

Make sure you buy a paintable caulk if you plan to paint over it.

100% silicone caulks are NOT easy to use and are rarely paintable.

Keep in mind these suggestions are for architectural projects; I have no clue about marine caulking.

Spot, I kinda like the idea about the tape... I'm gonna try that.

Skip thanks for the heads up. Maybe I'll use a sponge and the tape idea...

Why in the world isn't silicone paintable ??.. Just seems strange to me...

Anyhouts thank you very much for the ideas.

100% silicone is SMOOOOOTH and paint won't adhere to it...it'll bubble up and "alligator" right in front of your eyes.

Siliconized acrylics are a nice blend of the two that won't cause any problems.

I've seen some silicone in Key West that was covered quite nicely in "body paint":D.
5th (Marty)