How to delete old sealant and put on a new one
Removing the old layer of sealant
For good waterproofing of the space between plumbing equipment and tiled wall use . It is extremely difficult to regularly update the sealant layer with a new one, as it adheres tightly to the surface, but a special solvent can help you. However, try to choose an initially high-quality sealant for wet rooms and carefully apply it to the desired joint.
Most affordable way, which can be used to remove the sealant without leaving home to purchase special equipment -mechanical impact, i.e., simply put, try by scraping, using a knife, scraper or spatula, carefully cut off the old sealant. The main thing here is not to be zealous, so as not to damage work surface.
Special knife - scraper for removing sealant
If the sealant is completely wiped off mechanically fails then applyspecial means to remove traces of old sealant (chemical exposure), they can also be used to soften rather thick or well-adhering sealants that need to be washed off.
You can recommend such well-knownsilicone sealant removerlike: Silicon-Entferner, Sili-Kill and Soudal Sealant Remove, they allow you to soften and remove old silicone applied to ceramic, enamel or plastic. But acrylic and polyurethane sealants can only be removed mechanically.
In case you need to remove old layer sealant and apply a new one, follow these tips.
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1. Use a knife to remove the old sealant. Trim one side first. |
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2. Then cut the sealant on the other side and remove the sealant thread. |
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3. As a rule, it is not possible to cleanly cut the sealant. Moisten with solvent to remove sealant residue. |
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4. Leave the solvent on for about 30 minutes. |
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5. After that, scrape off the remnants of the already softened sealant. |
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6. Rinse the joint thoroughly with water and dry with a dry cloth. |
Applying a new layer of sealant
On a degreased (it is enough to wipe the surface with alcohol) and a dried surface (a hairdryer will help you here), the compounds can be applied new layer sealant. Use a special sealant for plumbing, preferably fungicidal, to avoid mold.
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1. Carefully cut off the tip of the new sealant bottle. |
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2. Insert the sealant bottle into the special mounting gun. |
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3. Carefully, in an even layer, apply a thin layer of sealant to the joint. |
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4. Depressurize the gun by depressing the lever on the back of the gun, this will stop the pressure of the piston on the bottom of the can and cut off the flow of sealant. |
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5. Wet your finger with dishwashing liquid. |
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6. Apply this liquid to the sealant with your finger. |
As a rule, the sealant is applied using a balloon and mounting gun, but special small syringe tubes are much easier to use.
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1. Sealant can be easily applied using a special device in the form of a syringe. |
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2. Insert the plunger into the syringe tube. |
| 3. Gently apply and smear the sealant at the same time. | |
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4. Another version of the sealant applicator consists of a reservoir in which the sealant is pressurized and a nozzle that allows you to control the flow of sealant. |
In the bathroom, all surfaces are exposed to damp environments and frequent drops temperatures. Therefore, it is very important to seal not only the seams between the tiles, but also the joints on the border of the wall and the bathtub, washbasin or other surfaces. Silicone sealant is perfect for this.
Main advantages
In order to make pipe jointsbetween the wall and the bathroom, or be sure to use a sealant. The range of building materials offers several options based on different polymers. Suitable for use in bathrooms:
- Silicone.
- Acrylic.
- Silicone-acrylic.
- Polyurethane.
Silicone based sealant suitable option, which will help to firmly hold the surface together. It differs:
- Resistant to temperature changes. Manufacturers indicate the boundaries in which the substance fully retains its properties, this is from -50 to + 200 degrees Celsius.
- Excellent adhesion. Perfectly fastens with all materials used for arranging the bathroom (tile, metal, acrylic, wood, glass).
- Duration of operation.
Silicone-based sealant has excellent adhesion and resistance to temperature differences
But you need to remember that such a sealant is more expensive than the rest. Although for arranging a safe bathroom you should not save.
How to choose the right option
- Moment.
- Penosil.
- Titan.
- Ceresit.
These manufacturers offer packages of different volumes. In addition, a dye is also added to the main composition, which makes it possible to select a sealing material that is invisible on any surface.
Advice! For homework, it is better to buy 2-3 small tubes of sealant than 1 large one. In a large open container, the substance quickly becomes unusable.
Some options have additional components that help the silicone sealant resist the effects of various kinds of microorganisms and fungi. Such compounds are called sanitary sealants. They are best used in rooms with high humidity.
When choosing, you must also remember that the composition can be:
- Acidic - acetic acid is added to the composition, because the substance has a pungent and unpleasant odor. This sealant should not be used for metal surfaces as they are exposed to acid and rust quickly. The putty is suitable for working with wooden, ceramic surfaces.
- Neutral. This option is universal, and does not harm any known substances.
Attention! Additional components in the composition should be less than 10%. Greater value degrades the properties of the sealant.
Currently on the market wide range of various sealants
Rules for working with sealant
Buying a quality product is only half the battle. It is important to use it correctly to get the desired result. Therefore, when working with silicone compounds, the following subtleties must be considered:
- The composition is covered only on a dry and clean surface. This means that you need to carefully prepare the place where the substance will be applied. The base is washed, dried and degreased with alcohol or acetone.
- After drying, silicone sealant is poorly removed from surfaces, therefore the borders must be pasted over with masking tape. The more accurately the strips are glued, the more inconspicuously the putty will be applied.
- Squeeze out the substance from the tube evenly, without making gaps.
- Before the composition hardens, it is necessary to level the applied layer. To do this, use a soft spatula or cloth soaked in water and wound around the finger in one layer.
Attention! It is necessary to carry out the tool only in the direction in which the sealant was applied. Otherwise, irregularities will form.
- Masking tape is removed before the sealant hardens. When the substance hardens, it will be difficult to tear it from total mass. Then you have to cut, and this can lead to a violation of tightness.
- The time of hardening and complete drying are completely different indicators. The hardening time is about 30 minutes, after which the substance dries and stops sticking to the fingers, complete hardening takes from 6 to 24 hours (depending on the layer thickness, temperature and humidity), the period of time after which the sealant acquires all its properties.
Using sealant is not particularly difficult even for a non-professional
Re-sealing
It often happens that the applied layer has become unusable due to different reasons(covered with a fungus, exfoliated due to improper application). On the Internet you can find many photos showing such a problem. Then the procedure must be repeated again.
But now you need to not only carefully prepare the base, but also remove the old layer. This will not be so easy, because, as mentioned above, silicone sealant adheres strongly to materials.
The putty can be cut off. To do this, choose a knife with a thin and sharp blade or a special construction one. The rest is cut carefully and very carefully. Please note that you cannot leave even a small piece, otherwise the new layer simply will not be able to perform its functions.
To remove absolutely all the sealant, you need to use a special softener, which is applied 2 times thicker than the rest of the sealant. After the procedure, everything is removed with a cloth. Next, you need to apply silicone sealant after degreasing the surface.
In order to understand in more detail the instructions for applying the sealant, you can watch the video.
Video: Silicone sealant
One of milestones when carrying out repairs or assembling structures - the design of joints. It is on how well they are sealed that the duration of the operation of the premises, individual nodes and the preservation of their attractiveness depends. Modern market building materials allows you to choose the ideal sealant. Most often it is a silicone-based solution. But to get a really high-quality result, you need not only to buy right stuff but also know how to properly use the sealant. You will learn about this from this article.
To understand why silicone sealant is most often used, it is enough just to get acquainted with its main advantages - these are:
Where can silicone sealant be used?
Another significant advantage of silicone is that the range of applications for such a sealant is really almost unlimited. It is used in various industries - from the assembly of equipment to mechanical engineering.
In construction, with the help of such material, a number of the following works can be carried out:
How to choose the right silicone sealant?
In order to appreciate all the advantages of your choice and complete all the planned work quickly and efficiently, when buying a silicone sealant, be sure to keep in mind that it differs in:
How to use silicone sealant?
The whole process of work consists of 3 simple steps:
Materials and tools for sealing joints
Silicone consumption
At the time of buying consumable, take into account the amount that you will need to complete the work of sealing the joints for 1 time. According to the standards, the consumption of silicone is about 300 ml per 17 running meters with a thickness of the applied layer of 3-4 mm.
Application of sealant
Proper application of silicone will give a high-quality joint sealing result. Therefore, adhere to the following sequence of actions in the course of work:
Conclusion
As you have already seen, sealing the joints with a special silicone sealant is very simple. The main condition is to buy the right one, quality material and follow the sequence of work. In this case, you do not have to spend a lot of time and effort at this stage of repairing your home.
Everyone who has encountered repair work, know that the seams need to be covered with a special agent. Sealants are different types and for different premises. Before starting work, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances.
This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age.
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How to properly apply sealant?
In fact, sealing wall seams is not that difficult. You just need to familiarize yourself with the application technique first. Today we will tell you how evenly and how accurately you can apply the product without a gun. Professional tilers already have a trained eye, with a slight movement of the hand they apply the substance to clean seams, level it, and then everything turns out clearly, evenly, beautifully. But inexperienced people in this matter may encounter some problems: the sealant may spread, protrude beyond the seam, as a result, not only hands and clothes will be stained, but also the walls.
Many advise applying the silicone material yourself, without using a gun. To do this, be sure to wear rubber gloves (since the substance is difficult to wash off by hand), squeeze the sealant out of the piston onto your finger, evenly cover the seams. Let a dry cloth be at hand, with which you can remove excess material from the surface. The result is a normal, beautiful seam, no worse than after using a special gun.
Also, many people are interested in whether sealant can be applied to the foam. Mounting foam- a thing, of course, is good and practical, but often it spoils overall design premises, so people are interested in ways to hide, make invisible this construction material. Remember that if the foam is not treated with anything, in the near future it will lose its thermal insulation properties, will crack. Therefore, it is highly recommended to cover the foam with paint, polyurethane or putty.
If you are interested in whether it is possible to apply the material of your choice in two layers, then this is done only in exceptional cases.
Can sealant be applied to sealant?
You should refrain from such a technique. Try to make everything nice and smooth the first time, but remember that there are times when you need several layers of insulation material (especially for sealing pipes).
How to apply sealant in the bathroom?
The bathroom always has its own microclimate, so not all sealants are suitable for this room. It's almost always here high humidity air, there are various plumbing fixtures from different materials. It is best to apply sanitary silicone material to the seams in the bathroom. This tool will reliably protect the bathroom from the formation of mold and various fungi.
How to properly apply everything in the bathroom? You have to be very careful not to damage appearance premises.
For instructions on how to apply a sealant to a bathtub, see the following instructions:
- prepare the seams, they must be absolutely dry. If they are deep, dry them with a hair dryer;
- evenly and carefully apply the protective tape on the sides of the seam. This is very important so that the silicone does not then come out on the surface of the tile or bathroom;
- attach the tube with the substance to the syringe and apply it evenly over the entire surface. Silicone try to apply as deep as possible;
- with a rag wound around your finger, carefully remove excess silicone;
- do not wait until it hardens, but immediately remove the protective tape. Be careful not to snag or smear the wet substance.
Now you know how to smoothly and beautifully seal the seams when installing a bathtub. You need to be especially careful when you seal the seams on the bathtub under the corner. Do not leave the slightest crack, because this place is especially high humidity.
How to apply silicone sealant?
Among all types of sealants, silicone is the most popular and easiest to use. It is most often used in the bathroom, because there sharp drops temperatures, high humidity and a good environment for the spread of mold. Many do not know how to properly apply this type of sealant. But here everything is more than simple. Silicone products are sold in very convenient tubes. They can be easily installed in a special syringe, or can be applied directly from the tube.
How to apply acrylic sealant?
Acrylic sealants are very popular because they can be used in almost all areas, they are non-toxic, have a relatively small price. Acrylic is well tolerated negative impact external environment. If you are unsure which sealer to choose, please refer to next rule: Sanitary silicone sealant is best used for bathrooms, acrylic sealant for all other rooms. Anaerobic acrylic sealant is a rather liquid mass that can be stored in polyethylene containers for 12 months and not lose its useful properties. Regardless of which type of sealant you choose (acrylic, polyurethane, silicone), you must clearly and in detail know how to properly apply it to the surface. Before use acrylic sealant, make sure that the surface is absolutely dry, clean, free of dust and various crumbs. If you are new to this business, then use masking tape as a protection for a wall or other surfaces.
Install the spray can in the gun and bring it to the seam at a comfortable angle. Draw a straight line towards you, try not to break away. When finished, close the tube with a lid. The seam is not ready yet, moisten it with soapy water and correct with a spatula. Only now you can remove the adhesive tape, after which be sure to wipe the finished seam with something dry.
How to apply sealant to seams?
Seam sealer is often used in repair and finishing works when it comes to sealing various seams in log walls. We have already described how acrylic and silicone agent in residential premises. As for how to apply sealant to the seams of a log house, here is a slightly different technology, which consists of several stages. Remember that the durability of the material depends on this.
- Carefully prepare the surface. Make sure that the log cabins are clean, dry, without a hitch. It is best to vacuum the surface.
- We grind the log house if it is not attractive enough in appearance.
- A special machine will quickly and reliably put the tree in order.
- We prime the work surface. First we apply protection, and then the primer itself in several layers. Do not use a brush, but rather a coarse brush, which will allow the primer to penetrate even into the interventional joints.
- Caulker felling. This process is important, but it cannot be done immediately, you need to wait about a year for the tree to be ready.
- Only now it is possible to apply a seam sealant for log cabins.
How to apply sealant to a log house?
Select a sealant sewer pipe will not amount to great work. But using it, you must be as careful as possible and pay attention to the condition of the pipe. It should be perfectly clean, fat-free, dry! Apply sealant in several layers, do not rub and do not forget that the pipe must remain dry until the material has completely cured.
It is better to apply sanitary silicone sealant to the window. In addition to the gun, you will also need a set of special spatulas. Apply a little more material (with a slide) to make it easier to form a seam later. Moisten the seam with soapy water before shaping it.
Can sealant be applied over old sealant?
If there is already old sealant on the surface that you want to renew, carefully scrape it off the seams (use a knife, spatula, special removers), dry the surface and only then proceed to apply new material. Of course, you will save time and effort if you put fresh material on top of the old layer. But only the result and protection will already be inferior. Therefore, do not be lazy, and do everything as it should. Special attention pay attention to grouting.
Applying new sealant to an old one is not the most best idea. It is also not recommended to apply interventional sealant with a brush. Use a brush to penetrate the material deeper into all parts of the seam. And never apply the product on a damp surface.
The key to a well-sealed seam is hidden in proper preparation and mastery of simple skills. Learning the technique of applying sealant will save you a lot of trouble: a stained joint, leaking construction and soiled clothes.
Finishers consider a spatula made of rubber or plastic to be the main tool when working with sealing compounds. Its shape is different - in the form of a spoon, a rectangle, or another one that is most suitable for the seam being processed. For starters, two or three spatulas are enough, and later you can get a set with blades of various radii. You will also need:- Sealant gun;
- Spray gun for soap solution;
- Masking tape, rags;
- Acetone or alcohol.
- At an angle of 45 °, the tip of the nozzle is cut off, the resulting hole should correspond to 2/3 of the seam size;
- The nozzle is screwed onto the tube, the protective foil is pierced several times with a wire;
- By pressing the trigger, the piston extends to the end, the sealant cartridge is placed in the gun body;
- The spout of the tube is filled by working with a lever.
