Depends on the gasket. Valve covers, High Tack to glue the gasket to the cover, thin coat of silicone on the head side. Intakes get a bead of hylomar around the intake ports, thin coat of silicone around the water jackets (Both sides). Water outlet gets a Victor tuff-cork gasket with a thin coat of silicone on both sides. Header gaskets...Victor Nitro-seal gaskets wiht a bead of ultra copper around both sides of the port.

just my .02