bath sealant and fairy liquid
Discussion
12" roller
paint "bucket"
Proper fabric (not thin crap plastic) dustsheets
Make sure everything is covered in dustsheet (make sure sheet is wrinkled so if it moves, it wont instantly pull away from wall.)
As poster above said, always work to a wet edge, so cut in one wall and say six feet of both the adjacent walls, dip roller in paint and work on sides of bucket until uniform, roll gently and not too fast (will fling paint off) making sure you go over each bit in a number of directions, finish going lengthways.
Clean up!.. Using a wallpaper scraper, prop roller over side of paint tin and start scraping from top to bottom all the excess paint (you will be shocked!) back into the tin, go round the roller a couple of times and you're ready to rinse! run a basin of water and roll the bottom a few times to work the water in to the roller, now under running water just w
k the roller sleeve removed from the frame under the water for 30 seconds or so and it'll be clean (unless you forgot to scrape, then you'll be there rinsing until it needs painting again!)
paint "bucket"
Proper fabric (not thin crap plastic) dustsheets
Make sure everything is covered in dustsheet (make sure sheet is wrinkled so if it moves, it wont instantly pull away from wall.)
As poster above said, always work to a wet edge, so cut in one wall and say six feet of both the adjacent walls, dip roller in paint and work on sides of bucket until uniform, roll gently and not too fast (will fling paint off) making sure you go over each bit in a number of directions, finish going lengthways.
Clean up!.. Using a wallpaper scraper, prop roller over side of paint tin and start scraping from top to bottom all the excess paint (you will be shocked!) back into the tin, go round the roller a couple of times and you're ready to rinse! run a basin of water and roll the bottom a few times to work the water in to the roller, now under running water just w
k the roller sleeve removed from the frame under the water for 30 seconds or so and it'll be clean (unless you forgot to scrape, then you'll be there rinsing until it needs painting again!) 
Infact, it looks pretty good for my 1st attempt!Brother D said:
The single best diy tip I know is this.
Using masking tape, Mask the upper and lower limits of where you want the silicone, then apply silicone, and press into the gap using your finger firmy against the two lines of tape.
Remove tape and you now have perfectly parallell professional finish. No smudges, no varying thickness.
Job done.
Oh and fill the bath with water before you apply the silicone.
Peace out
This ^Using masking tape, Mask the upper and lower limits of where you want the silicone, then apply silicone, and press into the gap using your finger firmy against the two lines of tape.
Remove tape and you now have perfectly parallell professional finish. No smudges, no varying thickness.
Job done.
Oh and fill the bath with water before you apply the silicone.
Peace out
My dad (and me now) does the same. He licks his finger before running along the tape, I use water and I don't want to eat silicone!
Brother D said:
The single best diy tip I know is this.
Using masking tape, Mask the upper and lower limits of where you want the silicone, then apply silicone, and press into the gap using your finger firmy against the two lines of tape.
Remove tape and you now have perfectly parallell professional finish. No smudges, no varying thickness.
Job done.
Oh and fill the bath with water before you apply the silicone.
Peace out
This.. + 1000Using masking tape, Mask the upper and lower limits of where you want the silicone, then apply silicone, and press into the gap using your finger firmy against the two lines of tape.
Remove tape and you now have perfectly parallell professional finish. No smudges, no varying thickness.
Job done.
Oh and fill the bath with water before you apply the silicone.
Peace out
I used to try and smooth it in but it always looked bloody awful. Then a few years ago I started using masking tape as detailed above whenever I use silicon or mastic to fill an angle or gap in bathrooms, or kitchens or round window frames. Takes a few extra minutes to get the tape in place but gives a perfect finish everytime and if you're sealing round the edge of kitchen worktops for example you can get a pencil thin strip of sealant right into the joints that looks really neat, infact, it look almost invisible.
Applying silicone is an art. Make sure the surface is clean and dry. Apply a thin bead in one smooth motion across one side of the bath.
Have plenty of toilet paper handy, lick finger and without exerting any force, drag your finger extremely gently across the bead.
Any overspill can be handled with toilet paper. The corners are tricky, but you can play with it before it starts curing.
Have plenty of toilet paper handy, lick finger and without exerting any force, drag your finger extremely gently across the bead.
Any overspill can be handled with toilet paper. The corners are tricky, but you can play with it before it starts curing.
dave0010 said:
just watch out for the DIY bug, its a nasty little fr that can give you many many ideas as what to do next.
Just don't even think about using self leveller to do your floors it your a thick tr that can give you many many ideas as what to do next.t 
Tip don't start licking it or dipping your finger in it and then try to claim compo
I think I'll consider masking tape if I do my shower next, it's quite tricky because of the shower door so it would really help under there. Now I've looked at it I definitely think my new sealant is better that what is already in the shower so might have to do it now. Just not looking forward to doing the removal again though.
RichB said:
On the subject of replacing sealant, what do chaps recomend for cleaning the surface to achieve the best adhesion for the new stuff? Meths, petrol, white spirit, thinners?
I use meths because it evaporates quickly and completely. The others leave a smell if not a residue as well.RichB said:
On the subject of replacing sealant, what do chaps recomend for cleaning the surface to achieve the best adhesion for the new stuff? Meths, petrol, white spirit, thinners?
Cant recomend these enough http://www.decorating-supplies.co.uk/epages/BT2701...Even cleans excess silicone.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
And use Dulux Once paint or similar, not own brand rubbish white paint (genuinely false economy). You want to spend as little time up on that ladder as possible, applying as few coats as possible.Wear a cap to avoid getting paint in your hair, as well as goggles.
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