Over the weekend, I replaced the silicone in our master bath shower surround. This is about the 6th time in 15 years I have done this job, mostly because I can't lay down a really nice consistent bead of silicone to save my life. I have looked at videos, tried a couple of tools for the job and still - the song remains the same.
I think a huge part of the issue is the space I am working with as it is hard to get comfortable, on the floor, dealing with the shower tray etc. I am to the point where I wonder if I should just pay someone to do this; however, I then think, this time I fix it will be different.
Does anyone else have a home maintenance issue that vexes them?
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The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Northendzone For This Useful Post:
I find with caulking, if it isn’t Clear I’m gonna #### it up. So I always use clear. It’s easier to apply than white, the consistency is a bit different. Also don’t cheap out on the gun, spend $40 and save yourself future headaches.
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Scroopy Noopers For This Useful Post:
My single handle shower. Had a leak, which I fixed but now to turn it off, you have to go in the middle between Hot and Cold for it to shut off (used to be all the way to the right). Too confusing to fix so that's how I live now.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to 8sPOT For This Useful Post:
Toilets. I keep thinking I have figured out the cause, replace the flapper or whatever I need to do, then something else seems to go wrong.
They go on sale sometimes for only like ~$150 for a decent unit. In my experience, it's worth it just to replace the damn thing if it's giving you issues.
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Caulking is always a bit of a pain, but I am slowly getting the hang of it.
Bifold closet doors are my nemesis. If I have to take one off, getting it back square so it closes easily and matches up with the other side is always a massive pain.
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to InglewoodFan For This Useful Post:
Drywall for me. Usually the process I end up undertaking is, apply, sand, apply sand, apply, sand, apply.......sand to much that I hit the paper and make the whole thing worse and then have to re-do the whole thing or live with an awful job.
Caulking is up there for sure. I have found what helps is a light mist with a non ammonia glass cleaner before to run your finger or tool thingy across it. Makes it a bit less sticky and easier to clean. The thing I have found with caulking is that after watching Youtube videos, everyone is trying for that perfect consistent bead, but no matter how pretty it looks if theres too much there its going to smoosh everywhere when you run your finger across. I find its better to under do it and then add if needed. Also to despite the catchy ad from the 90s I find Mono to be garbage.
Last edited by sa226; 04-26-2021 at 09:22 AM.
The Following User Says Thank You to sa226 For This Useful Post:
I find with caulking, if it isn’t Clear I’m gonna #### it up. So I always use clear. It’s easier to apply than white, the consistency is a bit different. Also don’t cheap out on the gun, spend $40 and save yourself future headaches.
And just tape it off. I used to try and pretend like I didn't need tape and then I noticed our shower glass installers, who by all accounts are pretty good at what they do, used a bunch of tape when caulking shower glass.
Someone is going to come in here and tell you not to do it that way but it's just easier and cleaner. I've also noticed that the slightly "thicker" edge from where the tape was removed seems to hold up better than the thin edge when you don't use tape.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to kevman For This Useful Post:
Over the weekend, I replaced the silicone in our master bath shower surround. This is about the 6th time in 15 years I have done this job, mostly because I can't lay down a really nice consistent bead of silicone to save my life. I have looked at videos, tried a couple of tools for the job and still - the song remains the same.
I think a huge part of the issue is the space I am working with as it is hard to get comfortable, on the floor, dealing with the shower tray etc. I am to the point where I wonder if I should just pay someone to do this; however, I then think, this time I fix it will be different.
Does anyone else have a home maintenance issue that vexes them?
This was the bane of my existence about 2 months ago. I had about 8 feet in my kitchen that needed silicone between the counter and the backsplash. I messed it up twice before I finally just used painters tape.
I placed one strip on the counter and one strip on the backsplash with just about a quarter of an inch gap. Applied the silicone, ran my finger along to smooth out, then pull off the tape.
Took about 5 minutes and turned out absolutely perfect.
Edit: beat by Kevman by about 1 minute!
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I bought some laminate from a company that produced (imported?) in the northeast of Calgary. I was happy to support local.
All installed, which was time consuming but fine, and later discovered that it was prone to separation. Two years later I still have repairs on my 'to do' list. I saw the same laminate inside of a business about a year ago, and the same separation issue.
Never cheap out on flooring. It's like buying a computer system, start with the highest level CPU you can afford, and work backwards. I think that the company that I used went under.
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I can’t get the levered drain stop in the bathroom sink to ever really work right. No matter how many adjustments, it will go up properly only one time and after that it barely pops up.
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I can’t get the levered drain stop in the bathroom sink to ever really work right. No matter how many adjustments, it will go up properly only one time and after that it barely pops up.
Oh hey I had to clean out our bathroom drain this weekend and remove some nasty ####...This is what I followed quickly if your setup is similar.
The Following User Says Thank You to Looch City For This Useful Post:
Faucet cartridges in my tub/shower. This weekend I replaced the hot water cartridge for the fourth time and I've been at this house for nine years.
Slowly it gets to the point where you have to tighten it so much so it won't drip that you just can't tighten it anymore. It will work just fine for a few months and then I have to tighten it hard.
Maybe I need to completely replace the entire faucet. However, $10 every two years and I'm still not even half way to the cost of the least expensive faucet...
I was going to Rona before because it is a 44 second drive from my house. This weekend I drove a little farther and bought a cartridge from Home Depot, so hopefully Rona just had a crappy brand.
I can’t get the levered drain stop in the bathroom sink to ever really work right. No matter how many adjustments, it will go up properly only one time and after that it barely pops up.
The American Standard design with the cable actuator is infinitely better. No fussing, it just works. Bonus is I did mine seven years ago, and never had a clog. The old style I was unclogging every 6 months.
The Following User Says Thank You to Fuzz For This Useful Post:
Oh hey I had to clean out our bathroom drain this weekend and remove some nasty ####...This is what I followed quickly if your setup is similar.
Thats pretty similar. No problems with clogs, but the arm that sits along the drain that pivots to lifts the plug up and down doesn’t only go up/down, over a short period of time it starts shifting left/right when pushed down. Maybe I should get s better quality replacement parts than the HD stuff.
Home Repairs You Can Never Get Right
