Silicone is one of the most critical parts of your tiling renovation/maintenance. It is vital in keeping water out of your walls and floors, particularly in wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens and laundries.
Like grout, silicone wears out over time and is susceptible to mould. Unfortunately, the discolouration and degrading, meaning the silicone will need to be removed and replaced more regularly.
To remove and replace your silicone/sealant, you’ll need silicone such as Mapesil AC Silicone or Mapesil LM Silicone, a cartridge gun, sealant smoothing tool, knife and scraper. You’ll also need a mould remover, methylated spirits, gloves and a clean cloth
Don’t be tempted to add the new sealant on top of the existing sealant, as this won’t fix the issue. You will first need to remove the old sealant to fix the problem.
First, apply your sealant remover to the existing sealant, carefully following the instructions on the packaging. Next, scrape the old sealant using a remover tool or knife. Your sealant remover tool will have a pointed tip to get between your tiles and pierce the existing sealant.
If using a knife, you’ll want to be extra careful to ensure you don’t press too hard and damage the surface beneath, especially when it comes to your shower, as you could potentially cause damage to the waterproof membrane.
Wearing gloves, remove any mould that may affect the remaining sealant and the area between your tiles using a mould remover.
Once you’ve rinsed away the mould remover, leave the area to dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.
Once the tiles have completely dried, you can then move on to applying the new sealant. Before doing this, however, it is advisable to degrease the surface first with methylated spirit and a cloth. This ensures no issues with the adhesion of the replacement silicone sealant.
Once clean, apply your new sealant with a cartridge gun (your silicone sealant may already come with an applicator tip). Insert your silicone sealant into the cartridge gun and then slowly work your way from one end of the tile to the other, being careful to keep a slow and steady pace.
You’ll want to ensure that you keep a consistent pressure to insert the sealant into the affected area and that you don’t leave any gaps along the way. Don’t worry if it looks a little messy, as this can be cleaned later. At Wall Boulevard, we can provide you with the right materials and tools to complete any tiling job https://wallboulevard.com.au/trade/.
Once you have applied the new sealant to your tiles, they’ll start to look nice and clean again. The final step from here is to finish it by taking your sealant smoother tool and gently putting pressure on the new sealant.
If you don’t have a sealant smoother tool to hand, it is possible to use your fingers; however, we would recommend a smoother tool to get a professional finished look and to avoid messy hands.
Once you have smoothed down the sealant, leave it to dry, and your tiles will be as good as new. Before allowing the sealant to come into contact with water, ensure it’s completely dry – we recommend waiting 24 hours for safety to protect the adhesion of the tile, however we recommend checking the product directions for how long the silicone should cure before rinsing away.
Again, always check the product guidelines and instructions on your chosen sealant products before use.
Want to know more? Wall Boulevard has a long history in the tiling industry and can help you with your tile, grout and sealant needs. Our founder, Luke Wall, comes from three generations of tilers and, over the past few years, has turned his humble corner store into a bustling hub that caters for the backyard D.I.Y’er, to tilers and builders alike.
Ready to get started? Call us now on 03 8683 6514 or visit us at https://wallboulevard.com.au/
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Rooted in three generations of tiling expertise, Luke Wall transformed a corner store into Wall Boulevard a bustling hub delivering 24/7 service excellence to DIYers, tilers, and builders.
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