how d i caulk around the sink it seems that im mentally challenged at caulking. i do all of the house repairs with ease just not this. its a circular sink and the old stuff failed after 10 years. i bought GE 3 hour silicone shower caulking to do it with the caulking gun. when i start applying it it looks good and every thing then i go to wipe it then it spreads onto the counter top and sides of the sink. then when im trying to clean it up with a rag it picks the caulking up fine but then takes out allot of the stuff i just put around the sink and looks un even. then by the time i clean one part it has started to dry then i go wipe the other part and it goes into balls. honestly i dont know how to do it. any help would be great.

Hello M,

I have been in the home improvement business for 30 years and I seldom use silicone for anything.  It is a pain to work with and a poor solution for most applications.  If it is going between two surfaces like a gasket then it is OK.  The silicone itself lasts for a very long time but it will loose it’s adhesion especially at the edges in a short time.   This allows and traps moisture under the edge followed shortly by mildew.  I would opt for a latex tub and tile caulk with mildew inhibitors.  If it has some silicone in it that is fine as long as it is latex based.  No matter what you use, here are some tips that may help you.

Cut the tip on a clean angle of about 45 to 60 degrees. If the angle is not smooth and clean it is much harder to run a good bead. The tip should be cut so that it produces a bead of caulking about 3/16 ” to 1/4″ in diameter.

Rotate the tube in the caulking gun until the angled tip is roughly parallel with the surface to be caulked

Practice on a piece of scrap cardboard or wood to perfect your technique.

Start caulking on the opposite side of the sink. Firmly and slowly squeeze the trigger on the caulking gun while drawing the tip towards you.

The trick is to produce a consistent sized bead with a minimum of starts and stops. Move the tip continuously without jerky movements. If done correctly the tip should direct the caulk into the crack being filled with just enough pressure to fill the void while adhering at both edges. Use care to not apply too much caulk. Just enough to bridge the crack is the proper amount.

Continue with above method until the entire area is caulked.

Finishing the caulk joint:

Wet a cloth or paper towel until it is thoroughly saturated but not quiet dripping. Use this to keep your finger wet and to clean the caulking off your finger as you finish the caulking joint.

Start on the opposite side of the sink. lightly place your dampened finger on the caulking joint and pull it toward you smoothing down the caulking as you go. Your finger should simultaneously ~ 1. uniformly smooth the caulk 2. remove excess caulk 3. clean excess caulk from the edges of the bead. If too much caulk starts to build up on your finger wipe it off with the damp cloth and repeat until all areas are smoothed down. Excess pressure will remove too much caulking

Good luck,

Tony

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