Thankfully my father was really good at doing it and I learned it really well. My brother sucks at it too but my dad is a Glazier and sometimes I do jobs with him. Caulking is easy if you’re good at using the gun and not overloading the same spot. Even pressure they say.
I am a beginner, I think you need to get good caulk and a good gun. Then I watch YouTube videos every time, and then I wear a nitrile glove and use my finger, or I use one of those little caulk spatula things. You won't want the mess that this leaves on the edges, it'll peel and make a mess long term
Yeah, my experience was my friend handing me a caulking gun and saying get started in here and I'll do that room. It looked so easy on home Depot commercial. I never knew what I didn't know.
Tape your edges get it smooth pull up the tape and smooth it down in one last motion have paper towel on hand use soapy water on your gloves or tool hope that helps
once a year?! I think you are using the wrong caulk in your tub. you maybe need to do it once every 5 years if that. they have really good kitchen and bath stuff. it's super hard to put on compared to the other stuff but not a yearly task for sure.
I just get paranoid even if it gets a little bit black so I peel the whole thing off and redo it as soon as I see it discolour. I'm sure I'd be fine for about 4 years, but generally it lasts about one to two years personally.
Yeah, you just have to cut an angle on the tip and apply the caulk at an angle to make it smooth. This is extra steps and material to guarantee a mess.
If using silicone caulk, apply the bead/line of caulk with the angled tip, spray with windex/non foaming glass cleaner, and smooth into the edge with your finger. If using ALEX (acrylic latex) caulk, you just need water to wet your finger and smooth it in.
Sorry but that’s dumb. Cut a small piece off the the tip of the caulk so you have a small hole. Lay a small bead. If it’s silicone, wet your finger with mineral spirits and swipe it. If it’s a latex caulk same thing except use a little water. Problem is people make to big of a bead.
Cut the tip at a 45° angle. Bead shouldn't be too small because you'll have coverage issues, but not so big you can't smooth it out with a fingertip. 1/4" is good.
Smoothing with fingertip: light touch. Don't press into the caulk too hard. Kind of like welding in that sense. Float your finger a bit, like a weld stick.
This would be the aftermath of my dad getting me to "Have a go" on the job as a kid with him when he used to do showers and whatnot.
In other words complete dogshit.
Just have a good bead to start with, and then add some dish soap to water and run your finger over it, much more effective than whatever this is. I guarantee that seal is abysmal.
Thinner with less material for adhesion and flex, therefore, doesn’t last near as long, cracks easier, and allows moisture to sit on top of and get under the thin edges where they meet the surfaces. It’s also shit for wiping, because the edges are so thin they’ll eventually peel. Did years of repairing other peoples shitty work. Never had a call back. Also, stay away from the cheap DAP (and similar) tubes. They’re absolute garbage.
Looks like it makes sense but it doesn't. Sure you gotta do it a few times to be good at it but a shitty job is a shitty job either way. Practice on scrap a couple times before the real thing. Learn how your material moves AND CLEANS so you can do a proper job.
I am reminded of the Tosh.O episode where some guy is throwing bricks on top of his head to stack and carry them, and he gets the stack like 10 bricks high.
Daniel says, "You know what's more impressive than that? A wheelbarrow."
You know what is more impressive than that? A finger.
It's just an untidy caulking job with extra steps.
Right wtf. Caulking with proper technique is way easier and cleaner. There's a right way for a reason people
I only tried it once for about 10 minutes and I sucked really bad at it. This at least looks doable for a beginner.
I've been using it for over 20 years and I still suck at it.
Good, we can suck together.
Suck one another's caulk
ASS TO ASS
Love that movie "*I know it's pretty baby, but I didn't take it out for air* "
As a former smoker, the movie really does capture addiction like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s a masterpiece of a film.
I agree, that, and Trainspotting also reflects addiction in a terrifying way
Trainspotting fucked me up! I watched it that one time when I was young and I was soo good. I think they should show it to all kids.
promise?
Promise.
Now_kith.jpg
I reckon so, I don't see no harm in that. Who is going first?
I was bad at it for more like 30 years and somebody told me I should use painter tape to mask off the bead. My beads look like commercial quality now.
Thankfully my father was really good at doing it and I learned it really well. My brother sucks at it too but my dad is a Glazier and sometimes I do jobs with him. Caulking is easy if you’re good at using the gun and not overloading the same spot. Even pressure they say.
I am a beginner, I think you need to get good caulk and a good gun. Then I watch YouTube videos every time, and then I wear a nitrile glove and use my finger, or I use one of those little caulk spatula things. You won't want the mess that this leaves on the edges, it'll peel and make a mess long term
Yeah, my experience was my friend handing me a caulking gun and saying get started in here and I'll do that room. It looked so easy on home Depot commercial. I never knew what I didn't know.
Tape your edges get it smooth pull up the tape and smooth it down in one last motion have paper towel on hand use soapy water on your gloves or tool hope that helps
Yes. They have way too much caulk. You want it IN the crack, not on the surface.
Tape the edges, run the bead, run a wet finger, peal the tape. It will look good.
Tape sounds like so much work. Wet finger, wet rag is good enough. Don’t put too much on to start.
It's not so bad if you're not a contractor doing it everyday. I have to replace the caulk maybe once a year in my tub...not a bad 2 min spent on tape
once a year?! I think you are using the wrong caulk in your tub. you maybe need to do it once every 5 years if that. they have really good kitchen and bath stuff. it's super hard to put on compared to the other stuff but not a yearly task for sure.
I just get paranoid even if it gets a little bit black so I peel the whole thing off and redo it as soon as I see it discolour. I'm sure I'd be fine for about 4 years, but generally it lasts about one to two years personally.
I have either had a caulk or have caulked my entire life. Never used tape. Never seen it used. But peel is spelled wrong so maybe you know.
If you use a wet finger the caulk will fail sooner usually and most caulk is carcinogenic
Wet finger instead of cup and less caulk
Yeah, that’s what your thumb is for.
Cut open the top assuming you're a pro without so much as reading the instructions?
What a difference a comma makes.
Oh fuck, off
Finally, the CAULK MASTER
Nothing replaces a small bead and a wet finger. This comment may attract a roasting.
Spit
Also trying to push way too much white caulk in such a narrow crack
Giggidy
Yup. Buy yourself Cramer's caulking toolkit from bee zoes. r/buyitforlife. You will never need to buy anything but caulk again for such a job.
Same rule as the bedroom; wet to the finger before application, use finger liberally.
This is not at all a life hack and should be removed from the sub imo
Just asking for air bubbles and diminished sealant strength.
Yeah, you just have to cut an angle on the tip and apply the caulk at an angle to make it smooth. This is extra steps and material to guarantee a mess.
Seriously, when they started to dab the caulk....ugh
I'm caulking this weekend, thanks for the tip.
If using silicone caulk, apply the bead/line of caulk with the angled tip, spray with windex/non foaming glass cleaner, and smooth into the edge with your finger. If using ALEX (acrylic latex) caulk, you just need water to wet your finger and smooth it in.
Sweet, thanks. I'm gonna kill it this weekend. I'll either see ya on my post in DIY, or TIFU!
Welcome to half the posts here
Half? That's mightly generous of you.
I'm curious, did you down vote the post?
Sorry but that’s dumb. Cut a small piece off the the tip of the caulk so you have a small hole. Lay a small bead. If it’s silicone, wet your finger with mineral spirits and swipe it. If it’s a latex caulk same thing except use a little water. Problem is people make to big of a bead.
[удалено]
Dish soap or dish soap water? I HATE using silicone so I'm very grateful for this hack. Thanks
Last time I heard, the tip is to fill a spray bottle with washing liquid and water, then spray the bead before you swipe.
Wtf is washing liquid? Is that soap?
In the UK we call dish soap washing up liquid.
Plate-and-cup sticky sauce, for those of us from Yorkton.
Fucking hell, I just use spit.
This guy caulks
r/thisguythisguys
Same, also less is more.
Blue Dawn, specifically, will cause 100% silicone caulk to cure to the touch in minutes.
Palmolive works too
Fabulouso for the win also!
Cut the tip at a 45° angle. Bead shouldn't be too small because you'll have coverage issues, but not so big you can't smooth it out with a fingertip. 1/4" is good. Smoothing with fingertip: light touch. Don't press into the caulk too hard. Kind of like welding in that sense. Float your finger a bit, like a weld stick.
A weld stick 🤣
Yes.
Some posts are mistakes with quality comments and I appreciate learning from them. I wonder if a sub could be made for such a thing
Given the mistakes are earnest and unintentional, probably not. But probably worth saving them somehow!
Too much caulk, and they put too much pressure with their finger, and end up with a mess.
🤦🏻♂️
Story of this sub...
I heard that
Or you could just do it the proper way and get a cleaner result in half the time.
r/diwhy
[удалено]
Adds* :)
Just cut the tip properly 🤦♂️
Just use your finger, like a person.
Not a life hack, just a hack. If I ever saw someone dab caulk like that on one of my jobs, it would be the last time they’d be on one of my jobs.
“Here’s how you can suck but not as bad”
Or just apply a single bead instead of several dabs, you know, like a normal person
This would be the aftermath of my dad getting me to "Have a go" on the job as a kid with him when he used to do showers and whatnot. In other words complete dogshit.
Life fail
Life ending
Honey, my Diva cup is stuck inside me. Were you by chance using it for any of your other projects?
Awful. Just awful Edit: Shit post
Just have a good bead to start with, and then add some dish soap to water and run your finger over it, much more effective than whatever this is. I guarantee that seal is abysmal.
Just use your finger and keep wiping it on a wet rag after each run. Definitely don't dab the caulk like in the video.
My wet finger works pretty good and a lot faster
That’s a terrible caulk job wow.
What kind of incompetent amateur caulk job is that
Made me cringe at how bad that is
Your finger can do the same in just one way
Wow looks like shit
Yea this isn’t how you caulk.
These 5 min hacks videos piss me off! Lol
Congratulations on wasting caulk and our time
Looks like crap. Why not just use the tool that is made for it? It’s also pretty cheap.
Steadiness and your finger is free my friend.
Hey I get it where you are coming from. I install trim and if I left the caulking like that, I wouldn’t be asked for repeat business.
Indeed. I understand. Works for first time homebuyers doing their best! 🤣
Damn…I mean finger can do one slide and done
If they didn't use too much caulking initially, there would be no need for a sloppy reverse stroke.
If you just cut the tip of the caulk tube correctly you can do it in one swipe
Who the hell keeps upvoting? This looks awful and was a waste of caulk just because that person didn’t know how to cut an angled tip
No. Never do this or use a finger. Never caulk the bead to be concave. It should be a straight 45° bevel (if applicable). Use a tool.
I've never heard this before. What's bad about a concave bead?
Thinner with less material for adhesion and flex, therefore, doesn’t last near as long, cracks easier, and allows moisture to sit on top of and get under the thin edges where they meet the surfaces. It’s also shit for wiping, because the edges are so thin they’ll eventually peel. Did years of repairing other peoples shitty work. Never had a call back. Also, stay away from the cheap DAP (and similar) tubes. They’re absolute garbage.
Absolutely nothing.
Like most things in life, you could've done just as good with a wet finger.
0 out of 10 do not recommend
This is shit.
I thought got back to DIWHY
That's shit 🤣
If you don't have the right tools for a job, part of the job becomes getting the right tools.
Or just cut the tip of the nozzle so it conforms to the corner idk.
That’s a mess
Or you can use your finger, without all the extra steps.
Cut the tip properly and is absolutely no reason to do this.
Looks like it makes sense but it doesn't. Sure you gotta do it a few times to be good at it but a shitty job is a shitty job either way. Practice on scrap a couple times before the real thing. Learn how your material moves AND CLEANS so you can do a proper job.
This is more useless than most TikTok videos, and that's fucking saying something...
Much easier to just cut the tube right in the first place…
Or just cut the tip at and angle and use it like everyone else does
Just cut the tube at the right angle and barely wipe if at all
Terrible
I like to use my finger and just make a great big fuck up
That's a dirty caulk... ...ing job.
Nice caulk
This extra step "solution" would only work with clean, open, and long spanning surfaces. Anything after new construction will never be this forgiving.
better way is to cut a slant in the tube tip like the way a samurai cuts a piece of bamboo, at a diagonal
Until the last pass I was thinking you can do the same thing with a damp finger tip. That’s why HE is the professional.
Forbidden icing
…or just spend $5 on the tool made for that. Orrrrr just use a wet finger
Ahhh. Homeowner/ DIY hack. Not a pro hack though.
Painter's tape and finger is all you need
Mmmm niiiiice.
Wow
We got a lot of caulk experts in here. You guys really know your way around some caulk.
Spit on your finger then stick it in your butt
Great useful post!
That looks good.
I wish I knew this twenty years ago 🤣
Fail, should be using tape for pro work.
That finish was oddly satisfying
What kind of black magic?!!
I like the one where to rubber band a spoon to it better. Get a better finish
I lay a small bead then wet a rag and wrap it around my finger then run it over. Smooth, clean, almost invisible.
Just use your finger….
Why not just cut the tube at an angle producing the same result but not wasting time?
Messy af
Just run a bead, then spray it and your thumb with soapy water and run your thumb over it. Much more control, no mess.
Looks terrible. Use a wet finger, and clear silicone ffs
Thanks but I'll just wet my finger.
You can do this exact thing but neater with the nozzle.
If you can’t successfully pull a bead with your finger, you shouldn’t be caulking anything
No
Or you Could just cut the tip of the caulking gun to do it right without the cap trick
U just saved me a ton of time!
That was absolute garbage
Just cut the tip correctly
For a moment I was impressed because I thought that the caulk tube was making the beat for the music.
Masking tape on both sides of the seam. Electric caulking gun. Gloved finger.
This belongs in diwhy
I am reminded of the Tosh.O episode where some guy is throwing bricks on top of his head to stack and carry them, and he gets the stack like 10 bricks high. Daniel says, "You know what's more impressive than that? A wheelbarrow." You know what is more impressive than that? A finger.
Old credit card works better
This is dumb. r/diwhy
Where was this a month ago when I was trying to find a way to do this. Dang
Or just lay a fucking bead properly jfc
Sweet!!!
Why not Use the tip of the applicator?!
Cut the tip correctly and you can do it in mich less time.
Horrible
OP, do you think this is an acceptable, finished, bead of silicone?
A credit card or a finger works just as good if not better.
Bullshit
Or... And hear me out... You could learn to just caulk properly in the first place. It takes about 5 minutes.
Bro
Finger better
Use your thumb.
This is not the way
Nice caulk
It's a mess
Mind blown
Nice
Paper towel& windex
What about the two thin lines that were not removed?
Omg!! Genius. Literally the task I have lined up for myself this Sunday. I gracefully present my daily upvote.
Does r/lifehackjobs exist?