Silicone’s definitely not the most user-friendly stuff, and I’ve seen plenty of DIY jobs where it’s smeared everywhere except the seam. That said, I still think it’s the best long-term solution for keeping water and grime out—if you can get it right. Plumber’s putty is great for certain things, especially under a faucet base or drain, but it doesn’t hold up as well over time in spots that get wet constantly. It can dry out or even wash away after a while.
Foam gaskets are a decent option for quick installs, and I’ve used them on newer faucets that come with them in the box. They’re definitely cleaner to work with, but I’ve had a few start to leak after a year or two, especially if the surface wasn’t perfectly flat or if there was any movement. Silicone, on the other hand, bonds tight and stays flexible, so it handles a bit of shifting or vibration better.
One trick I picked up: use painter’s tape on both sides of where you want the bead of silicone. Lay the bead, smooth it with a wet finger or a caulk tool, then pull the tape off before it skins over. Makes for a much cleaner line and way less mess. Still, you’ve gotta be careful—once that stuff gets on your hands or clothes, good luck getting it off.
I get the frustration, though. If you’re just looking for a quick fix or you know you’ll need to take things apart again soon, putty or a gasket makes sense. But if you want to set it and forget it, I’d still go with silicone... just maybe wear gloves and keep some mineral spirits handy for cleanup.
Can’t argue with silicone for the long haul. I’ve seen tenants try to “fix” leaks with putty or those foam gaskets, and it’s always me back in there a year later scraping out mold or chasing drips. That said, I get why folks avoid silicone—like you said, it’s a pain to work with and it’s not forgiving if you mess up.
“One trick I picked up: use painter’s tape on both sides of where you want the bead of silicone. Lay the bead, smooth it with a wet finger or a caulk tool, then pull the tape off before it skins over.”
That tape trick saves a ton of cleanup. I’ve also found that if you let the silicone cure a bit before pulling the tape, it sometimes peels up the edge and leaves a weird ridge, so timing matters. Gloves are a must—learned that the hard way.
Honestly, if you want it done once and done right, silicone’s the way. Just gotta accept it’ll take a little more effort upfront. Nice work sticking with it. Most people just slap something on and hope for the best.