Caulking Removal...
I've slowly been removing and recaulking the camper one section at a time (right side, then left side). Sometimes a bit slow going yet making steady progress with removal by using mineral spirits and ...
Forum Discussion
3 tons wrote:dryfly wrote:
The real killer is the Proflex caulk that most manufactures use on the exterior. It gets very rigid, unlike silicone.
Will any of the above methods soften or remove it??
Well as the OP, I'm now convinced that I had encountered Proflex and not silicone...Proflex, some very ridged stuff. got most of it off with mineral spirits, a plastic putty scraper, time and elbow grease. I will say that once renewed, it does result in a superior looking appearance...
3 tons
Yep that's Proflex and mineral spirits is about the best you can use I think. It needs a little time to soak and it results in the caulk getting very "STICKY and GOOEY" I have found instead of the plastic putty scrapers, I make my own by cutting some acrylic into 1" strips and then into like 3 to 4" lengths and file the end into a chisel point. You can then take an old broom handle or other large round dowel and cut a slit in one end to put the strip of plastic in to hold it and allow you something comfortable to scrape with. This also allows you to chisel both ends of each strip of plastic. The narrow plastic is better for scraping off caulk. Another hand made caulk removal tool is to take a bamboo chopstick (yes it has to be bamboo to last) and do the same chisel point treatment and this allows you to get into narrow areas and corners where the plastic strip is too big.
Time and patience is the key to caulk removal along with allowing whatever solvent to work on the caulk for a few minutes and then using LOTS OF PAPER TOWELS to take care of the mess you will create.
Removing old hardened Proflex is almost on par with removing Silicon caulking and this is one reason I do not recommend or will use Proflex on my trailer.
Larry
