Painting Silicon Caulk

[jmeehan]

Any suggestions on painting silicon caulk? Is there a primer than might help?

[Kevin Ricks]

Make sure the label says paintable. If you have the unpaintable type already on -BTDT- then try cutting and scraping as much as you can out and then go over with the paintable type. Kevin

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/10/2008 4:33 PM [e-mail] spake thus:

I've never seen silicon caulk; seems like it would be rock-hard. Sure you don't mean silicone caulk?

[Boden]

Yes, there is a primer. I used to buy it from GE and Dow Corning. BTW, it's silicone. Silicon is something else.

[ythread]

It's for repairing computer chips

[ythread]

Get some paintable caulk and cover the silicone caulk and then paint it if practical. If not take the silicone out and start over.

[topservicepros]

Yes - as others have said you can't paint non-paintable silicone caulk. You can only paint on the paintable caulk.

I found this out the hard way not realizing there was such a difference and my solution was to cover the "non-paintable" with a thin layer of "paintable" and then it took the paint just fine. Wasn't a big deal in my case since both were clear and I was repainting with same underlying color

- so it was tough to see any problems anyway.

But this all brings up the question. Why is there paintable and non-paintable caulk?? Now I always check and always by paintable just in case I'm going to use it in a paintable situation later.

Is this a trick just to frustrate us? Try to sell more caulk? Is one better than the other??

Inquiring minds...

-- Richard Thoms Founder - Top Service Pros, Inc. Connecting Homeowners and Local Service Professionals

[Art]

I think when Consumer Reports tested calk many, many years ago, the paintible silicone was inferior. But technology has changed and it could very well be superior by now.

[jmeehan]

Thanks everyone, even those who corrected my spelling :-)