We use silicone caulks for sealing and filling the plumbing fixtures such as toilets, bathtubs, showers, kitchen sink, sealing windows to the frames, and making our homes weather-resistant.
It’s the weatherproof property of silicone caulks that makes them quite useful in our daily lives.
If you’re getting your job done by using plain silicone caulks, then what’s the purpose of adding a tint to it?
That’s the reason we’re here! Let’s explore some benefits of using silicone caulks and the best way to add color to get the best results.
Benefits of Silicone Caulks
Temperature Resistance
Silicone caulks can withstand extremely high or low temperatures than rubber sealants can actually do.
The secret behind this lies in its optimal resistance against thermal contraction, expansion, and wind oscillation.
From their use in daily household, silicone caulks today are one of the most preferred building materials that can stick virtually anything together.
Color Stability
No matter which tint you’re going to add to a plain silicone sealant, they remain absolutely stable. The silicone proves itself to be a good absorber because it seamlessly blends the color.
It can help you blend the caulk with your house’s interior or exterior -they don’t fight with your décor.
Unrivaled Durability
Either you’re filling the space between doors or windows, fixing the sink in the bathroom, or binding anything else, silicone caulks the tightest of the seals -that’s what we call durability!
It becomes impossible to force apart the things that have been fastened through a silicone sealant, giving an everlasting impact.
UV Resistance
The silicone sealants have excessively been used outdoors, including the home exteriors and doors and windows facing the sun.
It is very important that they should remain stable upon receiving the harmful UV rays and don’t result in VOCs or any other chemical.
There’s nothing to worry about because silicone caulks have won this round too! They are absolutely resistant to UV rays –let no chemicals evade the environment.
Why It’s Important to Color the Silicone Caulks?
Caulks can seal anything from wood to metal -they shouldn’t be at least boring then. A little tint and an extra few minutes of effort can make them look as bright as the backdrop it’s sealing.
If you have a choice to use a matching colored silicone caulk with your washroom tiles or room’s window, why would you go for a white one that doesn’t even give a good finish?
That’s the only important reason you need to get a colored caulk or tint the one you already have.
Ideally, the caulk should match the grout’s color to maintain the integrity of the tiles’ design. A light-colored caulk goes well for lighter tiles than it goes for a darker one.
Moreover, if we precisely match the colors by adding tints to the silicone caulk, there’s a dramatic change in the appearance.
You’ll hardly be able to locate the sealants around the toilets or windows if the blending is done well.
On the other hand, if you don’t care about coloring the caulk, you’d instead end up having a mismatched bathroom look.
Or sealants on the windows and doors frame becomes much more prominent that compromises the integrity of your home.
Dying the Silicone Caulk -Step By Step Guide
Let’s get right into the business!
Materials You Need!
Before you get into the process, it’s always worth collecting all the materials you need.
- A pair of gloves to avoid the direct contact of silicone and pigment with your skin; silicone sticks to your skin and may cause irritation or acne. You must wear gloves to prevent the silicone caulk from building up on your skin.
- Silicone pigments to color the caulk; choose the pigments that you need to match the caulk to any surface. Ensure that you’re using high-quality pigments that mix well in caulk to form a consistent mixture.
- Stir stick to mix the ingredients well.
- Liquid silicone into which you want to add a pigment for sealing purposes.
- A paintbrush to color the solid silicone -it’s as simple as you’re painting a wall.
- A container to mix the silicone and color to get a consistent mixture.
- You may also need acetone or a sponge for coloring the silicone caulk.
Coloring Liquid Silicone
Step 1
Start the entire process by putting your protective gloves on because that’s the most important step. Pour the liquid silicone into the container by squeezing it through the packet.
The size of your container depends on the amount of silicone you want to dye. Make sure it’s not too large nor too small to accommodate the caulk.
Step 2
It’s time to add a small amount of pigment to the container. The more you add, the darker the silicone gets.
So here it’s your choice, if you want a lighter tint to get a good matchup with your bathroom tiles, then be conscious while adding the pigment.
Moreover, the amount of pigment you add also depends on the quality you purchase. If the pigment is too intense, then start by adding a lesser amount than it’s advised on the container.
Step 3
Mix the pigment and silicone well by using a stirring stick until you see consistency in the mixture.
If you didn’t get the color you want, add a little more pigment and mix it well until you get the color you want.
Be conscious while adding the color because if it gets too dark to match your purpose, you can’t remove that dye once you’ve added it.
Coloring Solid Silicone
It’s not always necessary that you dye the silicone caulk only when it’s liquid.
Sometimes you may need to color the silicone when it’s dried onto the seals. For that, you just have to follow the following steps!
Step 1
Put your gloves on just like you did before to mix the pigment and silicone. Now you’re going to deal with a solid silicone; it’s essential to clean the surface first.
For cleaning, acetone is the most appropriate solvent that dissolves stains, glue, and paints to make them easy to remove from silicone surfaces.
Cleaning is important before coloring because coloring may lock any stain that may become more prominent after painting. Allow the surface to air dry ultimately before you start the dyeing process.
Step 2
Now, you have to pour the silicone paint medium into the container -the amount of which is dependant on the surface you’re going to color.
It’s always worth starting from a smaller amount than what you’re going to use because there’s no halt in mixing more paint medium when needed later.
Step 3
It’s time to add an appropriate amount of silicone pigment to the silicone paint medium. Ensure the tint you chose matches well with your targeted area -the bathroom tiles, windows seals, or door locks.
Never forget to read the instructions given at the back of the package and the desired amount of pigment for a particular amount of silicone.
But it’s even better if you start adding a little less than it’s advised.
Step 4
Once you’re done adding the desired amount of pigment, mix them well using a stir stick.
Check the color if it’s appropriately matched, or add a little more tint if the color is light to match your focused area.
After selecting the color of your silicone paint medium, make sure that the end mixture is consistent and evenly toned.
Step 5
Now your color is ready to apply on the solid silicone surface! You can either use a paintbrush or a sponge to apply the dye onto the surface.
If you’re using a paintbrush, use up and down strokes to evenly spread the dye over the surface.
However, if you’re using a sponge, you have to use small circular strokes to create patches of dye on the surface. And finally, you have to connect all the patches to make a smooth dyed area.
Unlike other materials, silicone usually needs a single coat of dye, so you don’t have to apply more coatings.
Conclusion
Coloring the silicone caulks is as important as using the silicone caulk to seal nearly everything from metal to wood.
It maintains the integrity of home décor, so the unmatched sealants don’t become too prominent to catch everyone’s eye.
You don’t need to acquire professional’s services if you want to color the silicone caulks. All you need is a little bit of time and high-quality pigment to get the job done.
You have to follow this complete step-by-step guide on how to color silicone caulk and get your caulks colored within minutes!
