Straight or Curved (Concave) Sealanr Joints?

Jan 23, 2011 5 Replies

I'm going to put some sealant between the kitchen worktop and wall-tiles.



I've got a 'smoothing tool' (no wisecracks please) which has both straight and curved profiles. You can get a straight-edged (45 degrees) profile or a curved (concave) one (like you'd get with a lolly-stick).



Has anyone any views on which profile shape is is best - straight or concave? Or doesn't it matter?



Cheers


Personally I like the nice neat 45=B0 fillet. It looks smart and has a=20 more definite edge so there's less chance of a feathered edge lifting.

--=20 Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

Personally I like the nice neat 45° fillet. It looks smart and has a more definite edge so there's less chance of a feathered edge lifting.

Personally I like the nice neat 45° fillet. It looks smart and has a more definite edge so there's less chance of a feathered edge lifting.

I've done a few kitchens Steve, and I've found that the best technique which produces the neatest joint is as follows. Use wide masking tape say approx 2 ins wide, stick it on the worktop leaving quite a small gap approx 1/8 ins between it and the tiles. Do the same using tape on the tiles. Make sure the gap is even right along and the tape is well stuck on. Run a bead of silicone, I use white, cos I use white tiles and white worktop. Wet your finger and run it along the bead pressing quite hard so producing a concave fillet. Remove tapes before the silicone sets.(important) It works for me Steve but have a practice first on a non critical area. Good Luck Don

What you want to avoid is leaving a very fine friable edge that can lift of or get wiped loose. So 45 degree beads will be fine, and so will a concave one so long as you don't use too small a radius that would cause the join to meet the wall/worktop at a very fine angle.

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