Painting Silicon Caulk

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

On 7/10/2008 4:33 PM snipped-for-privacy@columbus.rr.com spake thus:

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

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

It's for repairing computer chips

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

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

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.

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