- Silicone's solid, agreed—foam tape was a bust for me too.
- Found that using painter's tape along edges helped get a cleaner bead, less mess overall.
- Curious though, did you guys use any special smoothing tools or just fingers? I've seen some mixed opinions on those silicone finishing tools—worth giving them a shot?
I've tried those silicone finishing tools before and honestly wasn't too impressed. They're okay for straight runs, but corners and tight spots were a pain. Ended up going back to my finger dipped in soapy water—old school, but reliable. Anyone had better luck with a specific brand?
I've had mixed results too, but found the Cramer Fugi kit pretty decent. Still tricky in tight corners, but definitely easier than the generic silicone tools. Finger method still wins sometimes though... guess old habits die hard, huh?
"Finger method still wins sometimes though... guess old habits die hard, huh?"
Haha, totally relate to this. I remember when I tackled my first DIY window sealing project—thought I'd be all precise and professional with a fancy silicone tool kit. It worked alright at first, but those tight corners were a nightmare. Ended up ditching the tool halfway through and going back to the trusty finger method. Messier, sure, but somehow more intuitive.
One thing I learned since then is to prep the area meticulously beforehand. Masking tape around the edges helps a ton—keeps things tidy even when you're improvising with your finger. Also, dipping your finger in soapy water before smoothing out the silicone makes cleanup way easier.
Still, every now and then I get tempted by new gadgets like the Cramer Fugi kit you mentioned... maybe next time I'll give it a shot again and see if my skills have improved enough to finally retire my old-school methods.
I get the appeal of the finger method, but honestly, once I got comfortable with a proper silicone profiling tool, I never looked back. Less cleanup, smoother finish... though admittedly, it took some practice to master those tricky corners.
Definitely agree about the silicone profiling tool—it's a game changer once you get the hang of it. I found that lightly spraying a bit of soapy water on the silicone bead before smoothing really helps get a cleaner finish, especially in those tight corners. Took me a few tries (and a couple of messy afternoons...) to figure that out, but now it's my go-to method. Worth the learning curve for sure.
- Interesting tip about the soapy water, hadn't heard that one before.
- Tried the silicone profiling tool myself, but honestly found it a bit overrated—maybe I'm just impatient.
- Curious though, did you find any difference between brands of silicone? Wondering if premium stuff actually makes smoothing easier or if it's mostly marketing hype...