Question:
I’ve recently had some repairs done to the exterior of my house. The carpenter caulked the repairs with silicone caulk and now I can’t paint it. Whenever I apply paint to the area it just slides off. What can I do?
Answer:
This is a common problem as carpenters are not always knowledgeable about finishing techniques.
If you need to paint over silicone caulk, you have two options. First, you can carelfully cut or scrape out all of the offending caulk and then recaulk with a paintable caulk. If the the silicone caulk is freshly cured this can be a major problem as this stuff is very strong and hard to remove.
The second, and better option, is to simply cover the silicone caulk with a paintable caulk. The paintable caulk will adhere to the silicone and then you can paint freely over the top.
Comments
10 responses to “How do I paint over not-paintable caulk?”
Is applying a product like Glidden Gripper an option ?
Glidden Gripper is also very good at binding to hard to grip surfaces, but I’ve never tried it with silicone caulk. You’ll have to try it and let me know.
Ues hair dryer on the paint as you paint it works my wife did it..
Your wife is a genius. I was skeptical but it worked like a charm. That was a life saver. Thanks for posting.
Richard, I’ve never met your wife but I think I love her. I’ve got no – paintable silicone throughout my main bathroom and was dreading peeling it out when I tried your wife’s trick. Worked like a charm.
Worked like a charm!
Sorry for the questions, but want to make it work on my project. Doesn’t the “breeze” from the hairdryer blow the paint off the already slippery surface (my paint was bubbling and sliding off the silicone – on a flat surface…? Does the heat help bind the silicone or paint?
Roger – My theory is the heat from the hair dryer partially melts (or at least softens) the silicone so that both elements (paint + silicone) bond as they dry together. Just a theory.
Richard BEST ADVICE EVER and kudos to your wife!!
Excited to give this tip a try – as the alternative works well but is much more time consuming and detail oriented:
– sand the non-paintable caulk
– cover sanded cauling with joint compound (allow to fully dry)
– paint as per usual