Totally agree about the smoothing tool—my first caulking attempt was finger-only, and let's just say my jeans weren't the only casualty... my pride took a hit too, lol.
"Taping can sometimes leave a ridge if you're not careful removing it at just the right time."
Exactly this. I learned the hard way that timing is everything with tape removal. Too soon and it's messy, too late and you're stuck with ridges.
Been there with the tape timing struggle... I remember working on a client's kitchen backsplash and thinking I'd nailed it—only to peel the tape off too late and see those dreaded ridges staring back at me. Had to spend extra time carefully smoothing them out, lesson learned. But hey, every DIY mishap is just another notch in your skill belt, right? Sounds like you're already getting the hang of it.
"every DIY mishap is just another notch in your skill belt, right?"
Ha, true enough. I remember insulating an attic once—thought I had the whole timing thing down until the foam expanded way more than expected. Spent hours trimming it back... messy lesson learned, but worth it in the end.
"Spent hours trimming it back... messy lesson learned, but worth it in the end."
Haha, been there myself—except mine was with weather sealing windows. Thought I'd nailed it until the first rainstorm proved otherwise. Ever had a DIY moment where nature quickly humbled your confidence?
Had a similar humbling experience when I decided to install a rain barrel system myself. Thought I'd accounted for everything—water flow, overflow, sealing connections—but missed one tiny detail: mosquito-proofing the openings. After a week, it turned into a breeding ground. Ended up draining the whole thing and retrofitting screens and finer mesh. Lesson learned: nature always finds the smallest oversight. If you're weather-sealing again, I'd recommend double-checking the flashing around the frames. Even tiny gaps there can cause sneaky leaks later on.
