Siliconing finger or tool

[tomsim]

What do people find best to Finnish silicone a wet finger or a tool?

 

[pcaouolte]

Both. Tool first and a wet finger just to finish off.

This tool: https://www.toolstation.com/vitrex-silicone-sealant-smoother/p39643

 

[Jurassicspark]

I've been doing it with the soapy water trick.

 

[tomsim]

Finger and soapy water?

 

[RandomGrinch]

...and as I'm not the best with silicone, I like to apply it between two strips of masking tape, to help achieve nice sharp and straight edges.

 

[cdbe]

Cramer fugi - if you want a perfect 45° "bevel".

Soapy finger if you want the shape of a finger.

 

[Tetrarch]

Tool, tool, tool

I suggest you watch this video

Regards

Tet

 

[foxhole]

Interesting video but doesn’t cover silicon against uneven surfaces. I have a natural slate surface to silicon can’t see how I can do it without using tape.?
Using just the tool would smear it over the surface.

 

[aveatry]

What do people find best to Finnish silicone a wet finger or a tool?

Ok as no one else has done - I will.
I use my finger as I find my tool too big. -------Thank you I will be here all week end

 

[aveatry]

I always use masking tape and depending of the gap I use my finger for which I find I have more control but if its a bigger gap then I use a credit car or some other tool.
The key to it is knowing your silicone as some will tool up very nice straight away and others you might have to leave to go off a little. I finde that generally the neutral cure tools better than the acotexy which always seems thinner in consistency.

 

[Mottie]

...and as I'm not the best with silicone, I like to apply it between two strips of masking tape, to help achieve nice sharp and straight edges.

I do the same. I end up with a right mess if I try to freestyle it with a wet finger.

 

[tomsim]

Ok as no one else has done - I will.
I use my finger as I find my tool too big. -------Thank you I will be here all week end

Yes and avoids, well hopefully. Losing it

 

[opps]

Tool, tool, tool

I suggest you watch this video

Regards

Tet

Wow, that man should not be allowed anywhere a tube of silicone.

I do use the same silicone profiling tools as him (as well as other brands) but it is absolutely not true that any of them remove all residue.

If you were to run a dirty finger over the silicone that he applied, you would see how much is left on the surface, and that silicone, in time will rip and leave a rough edge that is constantly dirty.

And seriously, who cuts the edge of a silicone tube square?

 

[opps]

Interesting video but doesn’t cover silicon against uneven surfaces. I have a natural slate surface to silicon can’t see how I can do it without using tape.?
Using just the tool would smear it over the surface.

A few years ago I had to tile a bathroom. All of the walls, bar one, had flat porcelain tiles. The showerhead wall of the walk in shower had zig-zag ribbed tiles.

I used a silicone tool to begin with. On the zig-zag tiles, I then wrapped decorator's wipes around the edge of a square edged filing knife to gently nibble away at the excess under the peaks. I used a lot of wipes...

When finished, I dipped my finger in some washing up liquid to soften the overall finish. I took me the best part of an hour.

2019, a tiler was using the same tiles, again, against flat tiles, where I was working. It took him 10 minutes and, it looked awful.

 

[Elsa TLC]

...and as I'm not the best with silicone, I like to apply it between two strips of masking tape, to help achieve nice sharp and straight edges.

Just to add, that if you do this, you must pull the tape of when the silicon is still wet.