Seam between wall tile and bathtub

[ivk]

What kind of material should I put into the seam between wall tile and bathtub ? My contractor used just wall tile grout, but it is getting very wet, and darkens.

[Cliff Hartle]

Silicone bathroom chalk.

And if this the way your contractor thinks it should be finished, I would be worried that there are other things on the this job right not right.

[ivk]

So should I replace the grout with the silicon bathroom chalk, or put it on the top ?

[DerbyDad03]

You should have replaced the contractor.

[Jim]

Grout should have not been placed between the tub and tile at all. Yes best way would probably be to remove the grout, allow to completely dry...could be as much as 3 days or more as the wall behind may have wicked up the water.... then what you do is fill the tub with water, then with the tub full you caulk around it, then leave the tub full till the silicone cures and drain the tub... Jim

[DerbyDad03]

But seriously folks...

Ideally you should remove the grout. The grout will eventually crack because the tub will move due to the weight of the water and person or persons.

How big of a gap did the "contractor" leave between the tub and the tile? If it's too big, you might have to use backer rod to fill the gap before caulking. If it's *really* big, you might have a really hard time making it look good.

Many folks suggest filling the tub with water and then getting in the tub before you caulk. This will open the gap as much as it will usually open. An extra person in the tub every now and then won't make much difference.

Give the caulk time to cure a bit before draining the tub.

Of course, this is something the contractor should be doing, but based on his use of grout, I don't think I'd call him back. If he's part of a "company" you might call them and ask that they send over a different worker to make it right.

[norminn]

Wipe the tub and tile with full-strength bleach and let dry just prior to caulking. That will help prevent mildew growing under/behind the caulk. Corners where tile meets tile or tile meets floor should also be caulked.

[Stormin Mormon]

Bathtub chalk? That makes some interesting mental pictures. I'd guess you wrote "caulk" but your spell checker switched the word without your knowledge. Anyhow, most big box hardware stores do have bathtub caulk. Important to apply to a clean and dry surface, wait the reccomended time for the vinegar smell to clear, and the caulk to harden.

I've also heard advised to keep the tub full of cold water while the caulk dries. Otherwise, when you fill the tub, the tub settles down a little and tends to pull the caulk away from the wall.