Some DIY projects require an invisible bond or seal to finish them off perfectly. Whether it’s fixing a skirting board or rail, sealing doorframes and windows or finishing your kitchen or bathroom, clear silicone as a sealant is the ideal solution.
Clear silicone caulks and sealants can take on multiple tasks around the home, forming strong bonds and sealing gaps, both indoors and outdoors. For example, UniBond’s Easy Smooth Sealant is perfect for creating waterproof seals in kitchens and bathroom DIY projects, with the added bonus of containing a fungicide to protect against mould growth.
If you’re looking to weatherproof your home’s exterior, then UniBond Window & Door Frame Sealant provides a permanently flexible perimeter seal to keep water and cold air out.
Using clear silicone is simple and easy with the right know-how. Just follow these steps, and you have the perfect adhesive and sealant for your home DIY projects.
- Clean. For an optimal bond or seal, ensure the area and surfaces you are working with are clean and clear of any foreign objects, such as dust or debris.
- Prepare. For the best, safest results, ensure the area you are working in as well-ventilated (if it is indoors) as possible, and use gloves while applying the clear silicone.
- Prime. Almost all clear silicone products come with an applicator nozzle. Remove the cap and inner seal and attach the nozzle to the main tube.
You’re made all the preparations and are ready to move ahead with your project. Here’s how to apply clear silicone as an adhesive.
- Sand. Use fine sandpaper to roughen polished/smooth wood, plastic and rubber surfaces and achieve the strongest bond possible. Clean and brush away any dust that this produces.
- Apply. Load your clear silicone product into a caulk gun and squeeze the trigger gently to apply a consistent bead to one of the surfaces you are bonding.
- Dry. Press that surface against the other and hold until an initial bond is formed. If the products instructions indict a longer cure time, uses a clamp or tape to secure the two surfaces together while you wait for it to dry.
Using clear silicone as a sealant in your kitchen and bathroom or around a door or window frame? After making the preparations described above, here’s how to proceed.
- Apply. Load your clear silicone product into a caulk gun and squeeze the trigger gently to apply a consistent bead into to joint or gap you are working with.
- Profile. Before the bead has dried, use a tool like the UniBond Sealant Finishing Tool to smooth it over and force it into the joint or gap for the best seal possible. This will also remove any excess clear silicone, which can be scraped off in stages while smoothing the bead over.
- Dry. Once the bead is smooth and in place, leave to dry as per the instructions on your clear silicone product.
