we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks

Ken

On Nov 21, 8:56*am, ken wrote:
we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

I am in the same boat as you are. I have silicon caulk along the
bathtub and would like to remove it. I haven't started this task yet,
but some things that I saw that would help are a caulk removal tool
and 3M makes some caulk remover.

The caulk removal tool looks kind of like a small plastic scraper, but
the scraping part is in the shape of a 'v'. The caulk remover from 3M
can be bought at Menards. Here's a link for it...

http://www.3m.com/product/informatio...k-Remover.html

I haven't done anything yet, but it would be interesting to hear other
people's thoughts.

On Nov 21, 10:22*am, " wrote:
On Nov 21, 8:56*am, ken wrote:

we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

I am in the same boat as you are. *I have silicon caulk along the
bathtub and would like to remove it. *I haven't started this task yet,
but some things that I saw that would help are a caulk removal tool
and 3M makes some caulk remover.

The caulk removal tool looks kind of like a small plastic scraper, but
the scraping part is in the shape of a 'v'. *The caulk remover from 3M
can be bought at Menards. *Here's a link for it...

http://www.3m.com/product/informatio...k-Remover.html

I haven't done anything yet, but it would be interesting to hear other
people's thoughts.

People who caulk a lot for a living use a razor blade scraper it has a
handle about 1 foot long and holds 3 or 4 inch blades. It kind of
looks like a wallpaper scraper. Electric caulk removers can be bought
but they are high priced and not really right for a bathroom job. Be
careful with any chemicals.

On Nov 21, 8:56*am, ken wrote:
we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks

Ken

You may be able to take advantage of the ability of methylene chloride
(StripEez or whatever) paint removers to swell and soften cured
silicones. If your substrate is plastic, however, that may not be
possible. Recaulking silicones with silicones works well because the
chemical bond is very good. In those cases, mechanical removal is the
best. HTH

Joe

"Joe" wrote in message
...
On Nov 21, 8:56 am, ken wrote:
we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks

Ken

You may be able to take advantage of the ability of methylene chloride
(StripEez or whatever) paint removers to swell and soften cured
silicones. If your substrate is plastic, however, that may not be
possible. Recaulking silicones with silicones works well because the
chemical bond is very good. In those cases, mechanical removal is the
best. HTH

Joe

--

new silicone won't stick to old silicone. it's all a physical bond.

ken wrote:
we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks


First look here at how a Fein Multimaster can be used to remove caulk:
http://www.fein.de/fein-multimaster/...ing_tiles.html

While you're there, you might prowl around the site for other useful things
the tool can do.

Now flip over to the Harbor Freight site and have a whiff of their
competitive tool:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=65700

Finally, visit the Black Friday scan of Harbor Freight's one-day special of
$39.95
http://www.blackfriday.info/sales/ha...friday-ad.html

On Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:56:52 -0800 (PST), ken
wrote:

we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks

Ken


There is a caulk saw made specifically for this (the toothed edge is
curved). You could use a Dremmel tool, but there will be a lot more
clean-up dust.

ken wrote in
:

we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks

Ken

Assuming it is caulk hopefully it's only be around the perimeter of the floor
at most. Typically everything is grout but caulk at wall/floor junctions
is good since that's a prime candidate for leaks. If there is caulk in
the "field" of the floor I'd say this was a quick hack patch job.

When I have redone the perimeter recaulk, razor blades, knives, scrapers
and what ever else seems to do the job is what I use. Get it all out.
Before recaulking it HAS to be clean and dry for the new caulk to adhere
and last. For that, a rotory tool such as a Dremel or a Harbor Freight
cheapo. If you're seeing dust then that's a good thing in my opinion.
Means the caulk is gone and you're hitting tile. Vacuum it out. Clean it
as caulk tube recommends (ie may say isopropyl alcohol).

Recently redid one and tried LATICRETE® Premium Acrylic Caulk I got at
Blue Borg. Tried it because it came in a color I wanted. And like grout,
it actually comes in a sanded versions. Not something you find in the
generic silicones.

http://www.laticrete.com/Homeowners/...0/Default.aspx

Like six bucks for a tube but silicone isn't much less than that. Seems
to adhere and dry extremely well. Water cleanup is what surprised me.
Test of time will tell.

On Nov 21, 9:56*am, ken wrote:
we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

thanks

Ken

What do you mean by "shower floor"?

If it's tile, a razor knife, single edge razor blades, and then a
final clean up with rubbing alcohol.

On Nov 21, 10:49*am, " wrote:
On Nov 21, 10:22*am, " wrote:



On Nov 21, 8:56*am, ken wrote:

we need to add new caulk to our shower floor, but the old caulk must
be removed first

What is the best way to do this?

I am in the same boat as you are. *I have silicon caulk along the
bathtub and would like to remove it. *I haven't started this task yet,
but some things that I saw that would help are a caulk removal tool
and 3M makes some caulk remover.

The caulk removal tool looks kind of like a small plastic scraper, but
the scraping part is in the shape of a 'v'. *The caulk remover from 3M
can be bought at Menards. *Here's a link for it...

http://www.3m.com/product/informatio...k-Remover.html

I haven't done anything yet, but it would be interesting to hear other
people's thoughts.

People who caulk a lot for a living use a razor blade scraper it has a
handle about 1 foot long and holds 3 or 4 inch blades. *It kind of
looks like a wallpaper scraper. *Electric caulk removers can be bought
but they are high priced and not really right for a bathroom job. *Be
careful with any chemicals.

Are you talking about these?

If so, they are for cutting out the bottom of windshields on certian
cars.

http://pipeknife.com/pipeknife/longknives.asp

On Nov 21, 11:56*am, "charlie"
wrote:

snip

new silicone won't stick to old silicone. it's all a physical bond.

Not so. Silicones will have no trouble bonding to clean old
silicones,and the new to old bond of clean material is indeed chemical
and equal to virgin material. I suggest that you actually do this
yourself. Try it inexpensively by using small tubes of sealant
commonly used for automotive gaskets.
There has been some grumbling about the performance of Silicone II, so
perhaps this is related to problems you may have experienced.
People using expensive silicone mold making compounds usually save $$
by recycling chunks of material removed from the molds into fresh
mixed batches for new molds. A slice of the cured resultant compound
shows no delineation at all between old and new. HTH

Joe