What Tools Should Be On Hand?

After selecting the appropriate GE sealant for the job, the following tools and other items will help you do the job right, with minimum wasted time and effort:

• Caulking gun
• Knife or single-edged razor blade
• Putty knife, screwdriver or scraper
• Scrub brush and cleaning solution
• Masking tape
• Clean, dry rags or paper towels
• Stick or plastic spoon (for tooling)
• Ladder

How Do I Prepare The Surface?

Surfaces should be prepared on the same day that you seal, and it’s very important that they be prepared properly.    Remove all loose grout or old caulk.    Make sure surfaces are sound, clean, dry and free of soap, grease, dirt and dust.

Concrete, Masonry, & Stone
Use a wire brush to remove all old caulk, dirt, dust and loose particles.    All contaminants and impurities must be cleaned off, such as concrete form release agents, water repellants, and other surface treatments and protective coatings.

Porous Surfaces
Use sandpaper or a wire brush where necessary to provide a sound, clean surface.

Metal, Glass, & Plastic
These surfaces should be cleaned with solvent.    Isopropyl alcohol, available in many paint and hardware stores, has been found to be an adequate cleaning agent for most household surfaces.

Note: Cleaning with detergent or soap and water is not recommended.

Smart Tips

• When using solvent, always wipe the surface dry with a clean cloth or lintless paper towels; never allow the solvent to “air dry” (evaporate) without wiping.    CAUTION: Many solvents are flammable and all must be considered toxic, so follow all safety directions provided by the manufacturers of these products.
• We recommend that you test for adhesion on a small area before proceeding with the entire job; some materials such as concrete, soft woods, stone, specially treated metals, plastics and other manmade materials with variable formulations may have unpredictable surface characteristics.

How Do I Apply GE Sealants For Best Results?

Care, patience, and the following guidelines will help you get professional results.    Complete instructions are provided on all GE sealant cartridges.

1. Make sure the surface has been properly prepared.
2. For a straight edge, use masking tape on either side of the joint and remove immediately after applying sealant.
3. Remove re-seal cap.    Cut nozzle to desired bead size.    For silicone products, you will need to pierce the inner seal with a stiff wire or other similar object.  Insert cartridge into caulking gun.
4. Push sealant ahead of nozzle opening.
5. Smooth the sealant with a wet stick or plastic spoon within tooling time limits:
   Silicone II: 2-5 minutes
   Silicone Rubber: 2-5 minutes
   Acrylics: 5-10 minutes
6. To store, squeeze the sealant until it is barely coming out of the tube.    Replace reseal cap or use a nail in the tube opening.
7. Paint acrylic sealants after 2 hours drying time.    For silicones, paint project before applying sealant.
8. Wipe hands and tool with dry cloth before washing with soap and water.