Concrete and Hypertufa Molds - With Silicone Caulking Compound

Before we start this project let me warn you that it is a messy business. You should have some rubber gloves, a couple of tubes of clear silicone caulking compound, (don't get the odorless kind) some Xylene, (this is for cleanup so get a pint or so) a can of paste wax, a small bottle of glycerin, and some acrylic crafters paint.

You should be able to get glycerin at a pharmacy; you only need a little so get the smallest bottle you can.

Crafters acrylic paint is in any craft store; again you need to get the smallest bottle. Any color you like is good. The rest of the stuff should be at your local building supply.

If you have tried to use silicone for molds before you probably noticed that there are a couple of problems.

1 - It is a little thick and therefore difficult to spread evenly.

2 - It does not cure evenly

3 - It sticks to the Master like glue! I guess that is why it is sometimes used for glue?

I will show you how to overcome these problems in this little essay.

The first thing you do is get the Master ready. He would like a nice coat of that paste wax. Put it all over him and smooth and buff him until the surface is nice and shiny. I told you this was a lot of work!

Take as much silicone as you think you will need to cover your Master and put it in a plastic bowl. The bowl should be big enough to allow you to stir the silicone.

A tube of silicone is about 10 ounces so you can get a rough idea of how much you have in the bowl by estimating how much you have taken from the tube. For each ounce of silicone add 5 drops of glycerin and a drop of paint. Mix these together and add them to the silicone. Go easy with this and only use minimal amounts. The more you use the weaker the silicone gets. Stir this until you have a uniform color. That is why you added the paint, without it it's is hard to tell if you have the glycerin completely mixed. You are using clear silicone so you can see if you have any air bubbles trapped in your first coat. You don't want any, so try to get it mixed as smooth and even as you can. Don't stir any more than you have to, stirring can create air bubbles.

You now have between 15 and 45 minutes to spread this over your Master. I use a soft plastic spatula about 1 inch wide. This seems a bit small bit it makes it easy to keep the silicone coating even. Make the first coat thin, about 1/8". It is the most important coat. This is the one that holds the details. The working time depends on temperature and humidity. If it is hot and warm you have 15 minutes! In a cool, dry place you will have 45 minutes or more. You may want to try spreading this on some throw away masters before you try to do your first "real" mold. You have to get a good, even coat on the first time. I can't stress this enough. If the first coat is no good you may as well start over.

It should be cured in about 3 hours. I wait a couple of hours before I start with my 2nd, 3rd, etc coats. These can be thicker and you don't need to worry about any air pockets. I don't mean that you can have huge air holes in the silicone, but small ones are not a major concern. You will want to build up to at least ¾ or more inches of thickness. Be sure to fill any undercuts on the outside of your rubber mold.

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Swimming Pool Caulking Protects Your Investment

Caulking the perimeter of your swimming pool (where the coping meets the decking) is the single most important step you can take in protecting your tile and coping from water damage. Typically, pool companies will not get involved with doing this work because it relieves them of the liability of having to repair damaged tile and coping, which can be extremely costly.

In checking your warranty information in your pool contract, you will probably notice that you are responsible for caulking this joint and in failing to do so, your warranty is void. New pools with concrete decking should be caulked between 30 and 60 days after the concrete was poured. This allows the concrete time to cure.

Be careful when selecting a company to do this work, as most companies associated with caulking pools employ mechanics that are trained in repairing tile, coping and plaster. Russell Caulking Company does not repair tile, coping or plaster. We are strictly caulking contractors with over 20 years of experience in the trade.

Preparing the perimeter joint for caulk is very labor intensive. Generally, 80% of the time spent caulking this joint will be spent on preparing the joint for the caulk. The only way to properly prepare the joint is to mechanically grind both sides of the joint.

Dirt, cement and laitance will accumulate on the joint surface during the construction process and must be completely removed in order for the caulk to securely bond to the surface of the masonry.

In older pools, 100% of the existing caulk must also be removed. Closed cell backer rod must be installed at the proper depth. A bonding agent primer must be applied to both sides of the joint. Only after all this work has been completed is the joint ready to be caulked.

Caulk is then applied and tooled to a nice flat finish. A great deal of skill is involved in tooling the caulk to a perfect finish. Some contractors will use one part material or self leveling material because it is easier for their mechanics to use. Self leveling material should be avoided because it will leave tiny air bubbles below the caulk surface which result in an inferior, weak caulk joint.

Tooling the caulk removes these air bubbles resulting in a strong, sound caulk joint. Only use state-of-the-art materials that will withstand the harsh elements associated with swimming pools. All of our materials should be mixed on-site with custom colors to match your existing coping and/or decking.

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