making caulk look good on window frame

[hbrown]

i need to recaulk the upper areas of my exterior windows on my 2000 tradewinds. the butyle tape still good, this is just the upper part to help shed off water around window frame.

the factory stuff thats peeling off easy looks like and feels like black silicon but i hear this is a no-no to use, so what is it?

also it looks so pretty, uniform and smooth. is it applied by a machine at factory? when i caulk and really take my time , it still looks like poo

what the secret? i would tape it off, but then it leaves a hard line. i have tryed the water and good ol spit with no luck.

i tried those new plastic bead caulking tools with differnt angle today in my caulking job in the shower in my house and after many hours, it still looks like poo

i guess i am to anal on attention to detail with this stuff and dont want to just slop it on, so any tips is appreciated. i am just trying to get all sealing done, before i do the red max pro wax job.


this is such a great site to learn from, maybe one day i can repay with some ideas.

howard

[450Donn]

You can try a clear butyl caulk. Apply a very thin bead of caulk and then do not touch it.

[ottffss]

I was a caulk slob. One of those caulk tools like you described was my secret. With it I can lay a positively picture perfect bead,a s long or short as I need, with no residual thin film (a tricky problem with silicone caulks) on either surface beyond the actual bead.

Review the directions again, angle, firm pressure, and reasonably constant speed are important. Keep practicing. Some rags - paper towel isn't tough enough - to wipe any accumulated thin film beyond the bead is handy. Don't apply too much caulk and don't let it pile up on the tool either. One smooth swipe works best. It is surprising - at least for me - how little caulk is actually needed. If you overloaded the caulk the first time wipe it ALL off the entire bead and try again with less caulk.

[kennersonf]

I also have trouble laying a clean caulk line. For many years I would pull the caulk gun as I applied caulk. I read some directions somewhere that said to push the caulk gun. Pushing works much better. Also, as mentioned above, don't use too much. I've always applied too much in the past.

[EngineerMike]

My secret is taping. Takes maybe 15 min. to tape a window, taking my time. Then slop on the caulk, who cares. Then wipe w/a finger to a nice radius, wiping excess off finger w/paper towel. Zip off the tape.

Before taping, first scrape all excess butyl, silicone, etc. from the joint using a hard plastic edge. I've found the HF #95832 4-scraper set is a fabulous thing for cleaning goop off fine finishes. I just finished cleaning Dicor 551 LSW caulk off two window openings and the corresponding window frames using one of these and it was the perfect tool on a full paint motorcoach. Then clean any remaining caulk film w/a blue paper shop towel and liberal application of 91% rubbing alcohol from any drugstore or well stocked grocery. There is 70% and 91% and the difference is maybe a buck, so get the good stuff which is maybe $2. This cleans remarkably well and is readily available w/out being toxic.

Then take your time to get a perfectly even gap w/the taping job. As soon as you've smoothed the whole caulking job, remove the tape. Should have a perfect caulk line every time. Children will be amazed, pretty women will swoon.

[Midniteoyl]

Do not lay such a LARGE bead.. cut the tip smaller, wet your finger, and LIGHTLY smooth the caulk.. Your not trying to squeeze, force, or really even shape it, your just trying to make not look like a weld bead.. barely smooth it, ONE stroke.. then LEAVE IT ALONE!

[bldr11]

Keep the cut on the tip as small as possible,and push instead of pull, keep it slow with minimal pressure on the trigger of the gun. If using silicon, have alcohol in a spray bottle ready in case you have to smooth it with your finger.

spray the bead of silicon and surrounding area and smooth with your finger and clean surronding area with rag. Silicon won't stick to the alcohol and it makes for easy cleanup.