We installed a fiberglass tub and then caulked its perimeters with silicone, planning never to return. Three weeks later, when the plans changed, we had to remove the tub. The silicone had cured nicely and had no intention of going anywhere. Our problem was how to scrape away the caulk without scratching the fiberglass gel coat or the nearby tile.
We solved the dilemma by making some custom scrapers out of an old piece of acrylic glazing. We scored the material and then snapped it into the size pieces that we needed. Then we filed sharp edges on the acrylic, as shown in the drawing. With these quickie tools, we scraped away the caulk without a scratch.
—Robert Tomsich, Painesville, OH
Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller
From Fine Homebuilding #121
