# Wrong silicone on trim, paint won't stick



## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

Removing it is the ideal fix, but often you can get away with caulking over it. The thing is, a paintable caulk isn't going to bond to the silicone either. If you run a larger bead that can bond to the wood on either side of the existing bead, it can work ok.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Didn't know there was such a thing as the correct silly cone. Even if you remove it it can still cause adhesion problems unless you sand the area really well.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

This has an outside chance of working but there's no guarantees. Prime the silicone with an oil-based bonding type primer such as Zinsser's Cover Stain. If you don't feel comfortable with the oil, try the Zinsser's latex 123. These type of primers stick to almost anything, even glass. Silicone is a fickle master, so this has a 50 - 50 chance of working. I've done it several times with success.


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## repairsandpaint (Feb 25, 2016)

*Quick or Easy Fix*

The best way to remove the issue is to remove the silicone caulk. Use a caulk removing tool to make this job a lot easier. The tool usually has two ends, one that removed old caulk, and one that helps you to apply a new bead of caulk. 

The quickest way to fix the issue is to caulk over top of the silicone with a paintable latex product. You will keep the silicone beneath. Keeping the silicone caulk below will ensure that you don't have water leaks. Let the latex caulk dry, and paint over top of it. 

You can find out exactly how to do this here, repairsandpaints.com


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

repairsandpaint said:


> The best way to remove the issue is to remove the silicone caulk. Use a caulk removing tool to make this job a lot easier. The tool usually has two ends, one that removed old caulk, and one that helps you to apply a new bead of caulk.
> 
> The quickest way to fix the issue is to caulk over top of the silicone with a paintable latex product. You will keep the silicone beneath. Keeping the silicone caulk below will ensure that you don't have water leaks. Let the latex caulk dry, and paint over top of it.
> 
> You can find out exactly how to do this here, repairsandpaints.com


except the new caulk will not stick to the silicon


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## Wildbill7145 (Sep 26, 2014)

Nothing. Not even silicone will stick to cured silicone. Period.


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

"GE Silicone I White All Purpose Sealant, 299 ml Weatherproof"
Why the he11 would Wal-Mart advertise this as "All Purpose"? Yes, you can use it for just about everything. But, would you want to? NO!!!


I'm a great believer in doing things right; not cheap, not fast, not even easy; right.

I'd say your best bet is to remove that old silicone caulk completely. It was a mistake to apply that silicone caulk all over the place, and the correct thing to do is man up and invest the time to take it all off.

Remove as much of the silicone as you can mechanically, such as by using a sharp tungsten carbide blade paint scraper or a A. Richard lever scraper like the one shown here:











Then buy some Dap "Silicone-Be-Gone" silicone caulk remover and apply it liberally on what's left. The Silicone-Be-Gone product is just gelled mineral spirits. It doesn't dissolve the silicone. It just makes it swell up and get soft so that it can be more easily removed by mechanical means, like scraping or scouring. You'll find it in the caulking aisle of any hardware store or home center.

Use a WHITE Scotchbrite scouring pads, like the ones sold in supermarkets for scouring delicate surfaces like stained and varnished (or painted) wood, to scrub the remaining silicone off your wood moldings.

Finally, once you think you have it all off, paint some abrasive powder (like portland cement) onto the wood with an artist's paint brush and rub it with your finger. The cement powder will get embedded into any remaining soft and swollen silicone, thereby revealing it's location. Then, just remove the silicone from those locations. The portland cement powder will wipe cleanly off of the wood with a damp sponge unless it's embedded in silicone.


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## slinger58 (Feb 8, 2016)

Gymschu said:


> This has an outside chance of working but there's no guarantees. Prime the silicone with an oil-based bonding type primer such as Zinsser's Cover Stain. If you don't feel comfortable with the oil, try the Zinsser's latex 123. These type of primers stick to almost anything, even glass. Silicone is a fickle master, so this has a 50 - 50 chance of working. I've done it several times with success.


I've had limited success using XIM over silicone. But as was posted, removing the silicone is the real solution.


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## cdaniels (Dec 27, 2012)

I have caulked over it like JM said and had it work.....but it needs to be removed. A utility knife and sand it really good after.


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

Just ran into that again yesterday, with someone having used silicone caulk around everything. I used BIN, which i always have in my truck just in case. Works well for me!


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## Nestor_Kelebay (Jun 17, 2008)

78Vette said:


> Just ran into that again yesterday, with someone having used silicone caulk around everything. I used BIN, which i always have in my truck just in case. Works well for me!


So you're saying that BIN shellac based primer will stick to silicone caulk?


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## 78Vette (Nov 25, 2009)

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> So you're saying that BIN shellac based primer will stick to silicone caulk?


Yes, it did.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

78Vette said:


> Yes, it did.


It does work, although sometimes it doesn't. I have used it when contractors caulk around new kitchen or bathroom countertops with clear or white silicone that looks hideous and the homeowner wants it to match the wall color.......gotta think outside the box sometimes as you did 78Vette!:thumbsup:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Nestor_Kelebay said:


> So you're saying that BIN shellac based primer will stick to silicone caulk?


It will sort of, sometimes, but not very well.


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