Once you’ve got your equipment and tools, it’s time to start sealing your skirting boards.

 

Preparing the Silicone

Firstly you are going to want to find the correct silicone sealant from a shop. There are many good brands out there to choose from, Dow Sil is a high quality brand you can use to find the correct mastic for your skirting boards. 

use your Stanley knife to cut the silicone sealant tube open. Before attaching the head or nozzle of the silicone, cut the tip as close to a 45-degree angle as possible, this will make applying it much easier and neater. Then place the silicone into the caulking gun and pull the trigger slowly until you feel a bit of resistant so that the tube is securely in the gun and will not fall out.

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Clean the surface

You need to make sure that before applying the silicone that the surface has no dust, residue, water or old silicone if reapplying. You can wipe the surface down where silicone will be applied but you need to make sure it is then dried afterwards because silicone will not bond to a wet surface.

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Apply the sealant

Get as close as possible to the edge of the area you want to seal, and then apply the silicone by pressing the caulking gun trigger. In a smooth movement, begin from one end and work you way to the other end. Do not touch the sealant once you have have applied until you have sealed the whole area. When finished Applying click the leaver on the back of the sealant gun to loosen the tube and stop sealant from oozing out the nozzle. Cover the end of the nozzle so no excess sealant spills on the floor.

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Smoothing the sealant

Now spray the sealant you have applied with water (Water helps remover the excess sealant and stops it from sticking), then grab your sealant tool and attach the correct head onto it with the rounded radius you desire. Start from one end by putting the flat edge onto the floor and then gently pushing the tool up against the corner, then slowly glide along the sealant bead keeping one edge flat. As you pulling the tool along it will be taking up excess sealant so have a paper towel ready so when the sealant builds up you can bring the tool away from the area and wipe off the excess sealant and start back where you left off until the perimeter of sealant is complete. Your skirting boards should now be sealed properly. you may want to have a look over and run the tool over any bits and are a bit wider or need slight touching up. If there are gaps this is no problem you can re apply and start the process again in that small area. 

Give the sealant 24 hours to cure do not run any water or disturb the sealant during this time.