Well my top tip for beginners who are sealing around kitchen tops and baths is to use an acrylic based silicone. It is far far easier to achieve a neat and tidy finish with these (a child could do it!). The main reason for this is because unlike Silicone sealants the more time you spend applying/finishing the sealant and the better it will look.
**Please note that acrylic based sealants are not usually as good as silicone sealants for flexibility and are not to be used for sealing around showers where flexibility is crucial for water tight integrity unless the manufacturer states otherwise. Where there is lots of movement opt for a silicone sealant!**
6 easy steps to that perfect finish you have always wanted...
1. Firstly check that the type of acrylic sealant is suitable for sealing around baths and kitchens (it will say so on the label)
2. Ensure the surface is clean and dry
3. Have a small sponge and bucket of warm water ready
4. Apply the acrylic based sealant (doesn't have to be applied perfectly)
5. Now run your finger across the sealant to smooth it down (don't worry about the excess sealant making a mess)
6. Now using the small sponge wipe along the sealant line gently taking off the excess sealant. Then clean the sponge and repeat until your acrylic sealant lines are looking great
Sealant Gun Guide
This page will list some popular sealant guns with a small review for each one. We will be adding to this page all the time so check back regularily for more information.
CLICK 'N' SEAL GUN
Click ‘n’ Seal has a patented way of holding the cartridge at only the base so that the user has more room to maneuver around difficult and hard to reach areas like behind taps, conventional design sealant applicators have a metal frame around the base and the end making it wider than the click n' seal they are also heavier.Click n' seal also allows for easy rotation of the cartridge as the end nozzle is normally cut on a 45 degree angle so keeping the angle parallel with the surface to be sealed really helps with applying a neat finish, and when you have finished with the cartridge its simple light weight design means quick cartridge change.
