Removing silicone caulk

[nano]

In your experience, what works the best for removing silicone caulk?

[SH]

Dave H M wrote:
I am with you. Quality silicone seems permanent to me. Course i do not put on the rubber roof.

Permanent until you have to reseal perhaps. Generally Silicone does not have as good adhesion properties as a comparable polyurethane. Silicone is also a very powerful contaminant. Once you have silicone residue on your fiberglass, it is extremely difficult to get anything else to stick to it including new silicone.

Many swear by silicone but I personally would not use it on a RV. In fact, I don't use it at all preferring the many other options.

[Dave_H_M]

Traveler II wrote:
Just wondering why you are removing the silicone? Ours has clear silicone on all the exterior seams and it’s holding up great.

I am with you. Quality silicone seems permanent to me. Course i do not put on the rubber roof.

[QFamCA]

Thanks for the info kmblet and SH. With the dry weather out here probably till winter time I think I'm going to remove it all like suggest and replace.

[nano]

Thanks for the info. The couple of spots I picked at seemed to start coming off easy, but I'm sure there will be some tough spots. I'm hoping this caulk has been on here long enough that it has lost some of its grip.

[Wet_Coast]

The silicone is on a 1972 travel trailer (painted aluminum) we bought. We want to recaulk everything.

Nano, My unit is same vintage or so, 1987; painted aluminum siding and silicone or some kind of petrified sealer. I go back to the "Contractors Solvent" or equivalent and a couple of good plastic scrapers. I like the windshield scraper idea. You might want to invest in a heat gun for the troublesome stuff.

Get ready with some PL400 construction adhesive for sticking bits back together as well.

Rick

[SH]

Dicor is a fine product but any good quality Polyurethane or Polyether sealant should do a good job. A few good ones include:

M1

Trempro 635

Trempro 626 Good for applications requiring continued immersion in water.

Sikaflex 221 - 505

[FlatBroke]

Sharpen up an acrylic ice scraper with a file. Don't forget to sharpen the ends to get a nice point to get the corners. Won't scratch the siding.

[nano]

SoundGuy wrote:

nano wrote:
In your experience, what works the best for removing silicone caulk?

A 2013 rig shouldn't have silicone caulking on it anywhere unless it's been added after the fact by yourself or someone else. Removing it successfully is one of several reasons silicone caulking shouldn't be used on the exterior of any recreational vehicle, the stuff is darned near impossible to get rid of and tougher still to get proper caulk to stick the surface that previously had silicone applied to it. :M

The silicone is on a 1972 travel trailer (painted aluminum) we bought. We want to recaulk everything.

[kmbelt]

My rv is a 2010 and it has silicone on the exterior vertical corners. I also have a leak I've been chasing. All of the joints have broken their seal with huge cracks. When rain runs down the rear, it runs down the corners. I have redone a couple so far by removing with a silicone removal tool and a razor blade. Once cleaned up, i am resealing with Dicor Non-Sag lap sealant.

GET RID OF YOUR SILICONE if at all possible and replace with the Dicor. It averages about $10/tube. Use the Non-Sag on any vertical surface and the Self-Leveling on flat surfaces.

Dicor Self Leveling

Dicor Non-Sag

I would not buy from Camping world, it is typically cheaper elsewhere. Just used their site as it was easy to find there.

[QFamCA]

My TT is brand new and silicone caulking on exterior seams as well. I'm pretty sure its silicone caulk as divot is used on roof and I assume lap sealant around storage doors etc. However silicone used on exterior seams around lights etc.

However the exterior seems and door trim already have the silicone shrinking where there is gaps. Should I remove this since gaps have already formed and caulk again with silicone or should I use another sealant. Sorry don't mean to hijack the thread but it goes with the OPs question.

[Traveler_II]

Just wondering why you are removing the silicone? Ours has clear silicone on all the exterior seams and it’s holding up great.

[benb21601]

mineral spirits. available at walmart. will dissolve it and not hurt the fiberglass. can take a little elbow grease tho.

[SoundGuy]

TakingThe5th wrote:
I just installed a new Maxxfan and the instructions specifically called for unpaintable silicone caulk. My previous fan recommended Dicor-like caulk. Hmmmmm

Curious. :h I wouldn't ever let silicone caulk near my camper, particularly when products like Dicor lap sealant designed specifically for the purpose are so readily available and have a proven track record.

[TakingThe5th]

I just installed a new Maxxfan and the instructions specifically called for unpaintable silicone caulk. My previous fan recommended Dicor-like caulk. Hmmmmm