Some say finishing touches are the most important element in any building or renovation project. This is never truer than neatly finished lines of caulk or silicone. You will want to avoid an application that ends in an uneven line of silicone or broken caulk areas.
Whether you are a professional or applying caulk or silicone for the first time, following these simple tips on how to apply caulk or silicone will give you a perfect finish every time.
How to Apply Caulk and Silicone
Tools
- Silicone gun fitted with a tube of silicone or caulk
- Utility knife
- Used spray bottle
Instructions
Prepare a solution of water and washing detergent in the used spray bottle. A ratio of a few drops of washing detergent to a full bottle of water should be sufficient.
Step 1: Check the Quality of the Silicone or Caulk Nozzle
Inspect the nozzle that came with the tube of silicone or caulk. Note that the tip of the nozzle will never be a clean hole. There is always a little plastic protruding from the hole or blocking it, causing the hole to be uneven.
Top Tip: For the silicone or caulk to flow smoothly and evenly out of the nozzle, the hole on the end must be symmetric with clean-cut sides.
There are two tried-and-tested methods of cutting the end of a silicone or caulk nozzle to get a symmetrical hole at the tip: Cut the end off to make a flat hole or cut the end off at a forty-five-degree angle to make an oval hole.
A straight-cut hole or a forty-five-degree angle hole will eliminate the jagged edge, produce a steady stream of silicone or caulk, and leave even beading on a surface. Whether you choose straight cut or a forty-five-degree angle is a matter of preference. If you have more than one nozzle available, cut one of each style and test the two to see which works better for you. Follow Steps 2-8 to do this.
Step 2: Cut the End of the Silicone or Caulk Nozzle to a Flat Edge
Holding the utility knife in your dominant hand so that you have full control of the blade's direction, place the blade's edge just below the tip of the nozzle. Notch the plastic and then push the blade through the nozzle tip with your thumb, removing the entire tip.
Top Tip: Always cut away from yourself and your fingers, pushing the blade away from your body and fingers so that if a piece of plastic shoots off or the blade slips, it will travel safely away from you and your fingers.
Step 3: Inspect the New Round Hole at the Nozzle Tip
Inspect the newly cut hole. Note that it will be a much cleaner hole without any flaps or pieces of plastic to obstruct the flow of silicone or caulk out of the nozzle hole.
If the hole did not cut perfectly, repeat Step 2 to get a clean cut with a round hole.
Step 4: Cut the End of Another Nozzle at a Forty-Five-Degree Angle
Cut a second nozzle at a forty-five-degree angle at the tip. This will create an oval hole at the end of the nozzle. A round hole and an oval hole at the end of a nozzle will produce a neat beading of silicone or caulk.
To cut a forty-five-degree angle hole in the nozzle, hold the utility knife in your dominant hand, place the blade's edge just below the tip of the nozzle, and angle the blade at a forty-five-degree angle away from you. Notch the plastic and then push the blade through the nozzle tip with your thumb, slicing through the plastic.
Step 5: Inspect the Oval Hole at the Nozzle Tip
Check that the utility knife cut through the plastic and made a clean cut. The oval hole may appear larger than a round hole, but both hole types push out the same amount of caulk or silicone if cut at the same place on the nozzle.
Cutting the tip off the nozzle will mean there will not be any uneven plastic on the nozzle tip to obstruct the flow of silicone or caulk.
If there is still an uneven part or you did not make a clean cut, repeat Step 4 until you have the desired result.
Step 6: Note the Differences Between the Two Cuts
In this case, whether the nozzle has a straight cut or a forty-five-degree angle cut will not matter. Even though professionals will debate which is better, the steps below from 12-13 will describe how to treat the silicone or caulk after application.
Step 7: Test each Nozzle for Consistency
First, test a nozzle that was not cut. Squeeze out a line of silicone or caulk to check the consistency of the beading.
Next, test the nozzle with the round hole. Also, squeeze out a silicone or caulk line to check the consistency.
Lastly, squeeze out a line of silicone or caulk using the nozzle with the oval hole, giving each line of silicone or caulk enough length to see how evenly the beading comes out of the nozzle.
Step 8: Note Which Nozzle Cut Worked Best for You
Note the difference in each line of silicone or caulk. In most cases, the uncut nozzle will produce a jagged and messy line. This may not be the best nozzle to use unless you are filling in a hole. The nozzle with the round cut and the oval cut will usually produce a smooth line with a steady and even flow of silicone or caulk from the nozzle.
Decide which nozzle cut works best for you.
Top Tip: Some professionals prefer to use a forty-five-degree cut so that when the silicone gun is held at an angle to the work surface, and the nozzle is placed in a corner, the opening points downwards into the gap. Test to see if this method works for you. Suppose you prefer to use the straight-cut, round-hole nozzle. In that case, the silicone gun will need to be placed snugly in the corner so that silicone or caulk adheres to the surface immediately.
Step 9: Apply a Straight Line of Silicone or Caulk
Place the nozzle of your choice in the corner that needs the silicone or caulk and dispense a straight, even line of it in the corner. For best results, hold the silicone gun with two hands, grip the nozzle side of the silicone gun with your non-dominant hand to guide the nozzle, and the trigger end with your dominant hand to pump the lever as you go.
Step 10: Spray Solution on the Silicone or Caulk
Using the spray bottle with the solution of water and washing detergent, spray the line of newly laid caulk or silicone with the solution making sure to cover the whole area of silicone or caulk.
Step 11: Spray Some Solution Onto Your Fingertips
Also, spray some of the solutions onto your fingertips, particularly your pointer or middle finger. Ensure the fingertip is completely wet. If there is a dry patch on it, the next step may not work correctly.
Step 12: Smooth the Bead of Silicone or Caulk With a Finger
Place your wet fingertip in the corner where the silicone or caulk has been laid. Place your finger over the bead of silicone or caulk so that the space between your finger and the two surfaces creates a 'v' shape. Run your finger along the bead of silicone or caulk length, smoothing it out in one stroke.
Top Tip: If you stop at any point along the beading, it may leave an uneven patch or create a dimple in the silicone or caulk. Try to avoid this.
Any excess silicone or caulk should come away on your finger when you lift it away from the corner. Wipe this excess off your finger with a cloth. As your finger is wet with the solution, it should wipe off without any problems.
Step 13: Check the Smoothness of the Silicone or Caulk
Ensure that the entire line of caulk or silicone is flat, even, and neat. If there are uneven dimples or areas of the smoothed bead, wet your finger again and run it along the length of the entire line of silicone or caulk to finish it off.
Top Tip: Leave the water solution on the tiles and silicone or caulk to air dry. Please do not attempt to dry it with a cloth or towel, as this will likely disturb the wet caulk or silicone.
Step 14: Seal the Nozzle Tip With a Screw
Do not remove the nozzle or discard the remainder of the silicone tube or caulk. Rather seal the nozzle with a screw. This blocks the hole so that the silicone or caulk in the nozzle does not dry out, meaning you can use the tube of silicone or caulk again in the future.
Step 15: Remove the Screw Before Using the Nozzle Again
When it comes time to use the silicone or caulk again, pull the screw out of the nozzle and use the silicone gun lever to push out a fresh bead of silicone or caulk. If any of the silicone or caulk has dried, it will stick to the thread of the screw and pull out with the screw when it is removed.
Notes
Steps 1-8 in the instructions explain the steps used to test different nozzle endings to find the best one for your application. If you already know which nozzle ending you prefer, skip to Steps 10-15 for instructions on how to apply caulk or silicone with a perfect finish.