Pete C wrote:
On Wed, 06 Oct 2004 20:30:18 +0100, Richard Savage
wrote:

I've just fitted my new bathroom and it's time for the silicon sealant,
around the edges of the new vinyl flooring as well as the 3-piece suite. In
the past I have used my finger to smooth it, and made a really crap job of
it - sealant oozing out on either side of finger and difficult to get a nice
neat bead. Any tips anyone for applying silicon sealant neatly?

Asked exactly the same question a few weeks back. Lots of very erudite
answers from experts. It's well worth Googling through the archives.

It's in the FAQ.

The gist(s) involved laying masking tape guides and a bowl of water and
washing up liquid to freqently wet your finger. None of the answers
resolved the problem of laying enough silicone down to ensure complete
gap coverage without building up a huge 'snowplow' of excess silicone as
you smooth it with your finger.

It's doable, but not with a finger!

Smoothing it is certainly doable with a well-soaped finger - see the
FAQ.

Laying a smooth, even, perfect bead of silicone sealant is one of those
jobs that can only be done by someone who's doing it every day. But the
rest of us need all the help we can get, or else we end up with an
unsightly mess.

Masking tape makes sure that the finished edges will be straight and
clean, and there is no risk of smearing. When you're using masking tape,
any excess silicone is no big deal - just lift it off, dump it and carry
on smoothing.

The instructions that I wrote for the FAQ were given me by a
professional bath-fitter. Every time that I've followed them correctly,
the results have been perfect. Not just good - perfect.


--
Ian White
Abingdon, England