Removing silicone caulk!?!?

gfroch

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Jun 5, 2004
73
Catalina 30 Rochester, NY
I'm in the process of replacing the coaming tread on my '87 30 trbs. I'm replacing the teak with starboard. Both teak originals came up easily (one unintentionally, lost overboard. the other intentionally). They were only held down by silicone caulk. I have scraped off most of the caulk but can't get it all off. My questions are...
1- Is there a solvent that will remove the caulk but is safe for the underlying gel coat?
2- Does it matter if I get it all off? I will not be caulking the new boards (except where I screw them down) as it is my understanding the caulk will not adhere to the starboard anyhow.

Thank you!
 
May 20, 2016
3,014
Catalina 36 MK1 94 Everett, WA
I use razor blades as a scraper -gets most of it. Read Maine Sails article on bedding fixtures over on marine how to.com
 

HMT2

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Mar 20, 2014
899
Hunter 31 828 Shoreacres, TX
I had some luck with a silicone remover from Home Depot. Can’t recall what it was called. It’s been a few years.
 
Dec 28, 2015
1,837
Laser, Hunter H30 Cherubini Tacoma
Probably anything that will cut though cured silicone will cut through the base it is on much easier. Razor blade then clean up the residue. When planning on painting or covering the area, I've used a wire wheel on a drill
 
Sep 25, 2015
60
Catalina 30 Middle River
I found out they make plastic razor blade scrapers and also WD 40 helps. Finger nails are very good scrappers and they also sell a good plastic scrapper on amazon. Just saying.
 
Jun 25, 2004
1,108
Corsair F24 Mk1 003 San Francisco Bay, CA
Re-mov and DSR5 work really well. Remov is the retail version of DSR5 industrial removers. They remove silicone well enough that if you subsequently use an adhesive to bond cleaned gelcoated panels, the bond is 100% as strong as you can get with panel that had never been siliconed.

I've used Re-mov to clean up after previous owners used silicone on smooth gelcoat and on non-skid. I rebedded a lot of hardware with Bed-It butyl tape and a bunch of plastic ports with Dow 795. So far, no leaks

Re-move does not dissolve silicone. It breaks the bond between the substrate and the cured silicone. So be sure to follow directions!
 
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