Decorators Caulk

After putting up new skirting and architrave, there were small gaps in several parts of our house where the walls dipped in. We bought decorators caulk to fill these gaps but it was a complete mess. I couldn't master it at all...it is very difficult to get a neat finish and you cant sand it down or anything. Does anyone know of a similar product or how to get a better result with the caulk?

thanks,

I found with caulk the best way to get a good finish is to put it in as evenly as you can, and then run over it with a wet cloth. This will smooth it all out. Still very messy material to work with.

or use a wet finger....

There is a knack to using caulk, but it's a lot nicer to use and more forgiving than silicone! Cut the tip of the nozzle at an angle and size to suit the nature of the job- big hole for big gaps/ smaller hole for narrow gaps. Have a damp J cloth and a basin of water at the ready. Run the gun along the joint in a smooth continuous motion, applying gentle pressure on the trigger. If you need to stop, release the trigger and pull back the plunger just BEFORE you intend to stop. This will allow caulk build-up to exit where you want it and cuts down on mess and waste. In other words stop releasing the caulk BEFORE you actaully need to stop. I generally use a wet finger (my own!) to smooth the caulk, wiping off the excess with the wet J cloth as I progress along the joint. Don't overdo it on the wiping, the caulk will shrink slightly on drying. If you make a mess it's best to take it off with damp cloths and start again, but once mastered it's very easy to use and gives a superb finish to all paintwork and trim.

Spot on Carpenter.

Just one other thing, I use water with a bit of washing up liquid in it to wet my finger. It helps to create a smooth finish and stops the stuff sticking to your fingers.

Thanks for the info, especially the detailed input from Carpenter. I will try it over the weekend. For the bits that I've already made a mess of, is a stanley blade the best option to pare it down flat?