Yeah, those smoothing tools can be handy, but tight corners are always a bit of a pain. One trick I've found helpful is to cut the tip of the caulk tube at a sharper angle and smaller opening—gives you way more control in tight spots. Also, wetting your finger with a bit of dish soap and water helps smooth out those tricky corners without making a huge mess. Still, no matter what, there's always that one corner that just won't cooperate...
Yeah, I get what you're saying about cutting the tip smaller and sharper—but honestly, I've found that can sometimes backfire. If the opening's too small, you end up squeezing the caulk tube super hard, and then suddenly it spurts out in a blob right where you don't want it...been there, done that. Personally, I prefer cutting it at a moderate angle and using painter's tape on each side of the joint. Sure, it's an extra step and kinda tedious, but peeling away that tape and seeing a perfectly clean line is pretty satisfying. Also, never underestimate the value of a good silicone smoothing tool—your finger works fine most of the time, but in those really tight corners, sometimes the tool just gets in there better. Still, you're right, there's always that one annoying corner no matter what trick you use...
Totally relate to that feeling of peeling off painter's tape—it's like the DIY version of ASMR, haha. And you're right about the silicone smoothing tool; I used to swear by just using my finger until I finally grabbed one of those little tools on a whim. Now it's always in my toolbox because it just reaches those tricky spots way better. But yeah, caulking is definitely one of those things where practice helps, but never totally solves the frustration. I've done countless kitchens and bathrooms, and there's always at least one corner or joint that ends up being a pain. It's like some unwritten rule of DIY projects—there has to be at least one stubborn spot, right? Anyway, sounds like you nailed it overall. Bet your sink looks great now!
"caulking is definitely one of those things where practice helps, but never totally solves the frustration."
Gotta mildly disagree here—I think the frustration mostly comes down to prep work. I've found that if you spend extra time thoroughly cleaning and drying the surfaces beforehand, caulking becomes way less of a headache. Sure, there's always that one tricky corner, but good prep cuts down on those stubborn spots significantly. Still, totally get the painter's tape ASMR thing... weirdly satisfying.
Totally agree with the prep work thing—makes a big difference—but curious if you've tried different caulk guns? I struggled with messy lines for years until I switched to one of those dripless models (the ones that release pressure automatically). It was like night and day. Also, what kind of caulk are you using? Silicone can be a pain to smooth out neatly compared to acrylic or hybrid sealants. I used silicone around my kitchen sink once, and let's just say it wasn't my proudest DIY moment... ended up peeling it off and redoing it with a hybrid formula. Way easier to work with and still holds up great against water.
