Siliconing your bath does not have to be an expensive task that requires the services of a professional. Instead, take a leaf out of the Habitat for Humanity beneficiaries’ book and learn how to do it yourself.

Place a strip of masking tape along the edge of the bath and along the wall.

Call-out Crew, in partnership with Property24, presented a DIY workshop on Saturday, 24th November, to assist these beneficiaries in maintaining their homes for years to come. Assembling at Zodwa’s home, last year’s Clicks for Bricks beneficiary (visit www.clicksforbricks.co.za to help change another life) the workshop participants were able to see first-hand how to protect their bathroom walls from water damage, using silicone.

Stephen White, from Call-out Crew, shared some of his personal tips on how to make sure this household task is done neatly and effectively.

Here is what you need to know about doing this in your own home:

  • A member of Call-out Crew, in partnership with Property24, demonstrates how you should squeeze out enough silicone to fill the gap, then smooth it with your finger.

    Before you start, make sure your bath is dry, and bear in mind that you will not be able to use your bath for a few hours while the silicone dries.
  • The first trick to a professional and neat finish is using masking tape.  Place a strip of masking tape along the edge of the bath and along the wall, leaving a neat gap between them.
  • Using a silicone cylinder in a silicone gun or a hand-held silicone tube, squeeze enough silicone into this gap to fill it.
  • Smooth the silicone strip using your finger. This will fill the corner where the bath and wall meet and give a smooth line.
  • Remove the masking tape, leaving clean, straight edges to the silicone strip.  Stephen’s words of wisdom are to do this immediately, as silicone dries quickly, and removing the tape once it is dry may result in pulling the silicone out at the same time.
  • Allow this to dry for 2 hours before using the bath.

Tip: To make using the same tube of silicone easier, prevent silicone solidifying in the nozzle by inserting a nail into the tip of the silicone bottle nozzle.

Watch the video from the day’s workshop on how to silicone your bath.