The caulking on the iron tub where the tub meets the plastic panel is growing mold, cracking and leaking ad under a year old. Water has already penetrated the panels. I'd like to fix this problem myself but annually the manager sends the plumber in to strip the old and put in white caulking. The plumber hasn't come and I have a GE 100% silicone that I will use. Is this the right caulk and what's a practical step to fix this?
Thanks
Clean out the gap. Make sure all dirt and loose material is removed. Wash and rinse it well, let it dry. If there is any mold, use some bleach mixed in with the cleaning solution. Fill the tub half full with water. Then use any of the kitchen/bath type caulks, of an appropriate color. The GE silicone will work fine. Spread a bead, then use your finger to smooth it out.
Very good advice and let me double up on the Kitchen/bath stuff, and don't be afraid to pay an an extra dollar or Euro for the best. It will be worth it. The good stuff does not mold nearly as quickly.
Hi, Yes. GE Silicon II is the one I use. Tony
I totally agree the II is as good as the original and doesn't have the acidic acid smell. Richard
If I use grout instead of caulk to seal the gap between the wall tile and the rim of the tub, am I asking for trouble. I noticed in the above reply to fill the tub half full of water. Is that to ensure the gap is at it's widest?
Yes, the tub moves a bit as it's filled & emptied. Caulk will remain flexible, grout won't
The typical way of caulking - laying down a bead and smoothing it with your finger - looks nice but will not last as long as it should. Basically you're placing the caulk in a way that guarantees that it will open up at an edge.
Read my recent reply to Chuck B's post regarding a similar situation. Then look at the diagrams on this page:
If you use a GE silicone, make sure it is meant for bathrooms - there are mold inhibitors in that caulk. Make sure the surface are CLEAN. I mean clean. Bone dry, shiny like new, and wiped down with alcohol prior to taping and caulking. Place the backer rod and/or bond breaker tape, tape off the surfaces to be protected with blue painter's tape, and then start caulking.
Run a bead in the joint slightly overfilling it, smooth the caulk with your finger pressing it into the joint. When you've finished a section, pull the tape. Llightly cut the corners at a 45 degree angle if necessary, so you won't pull up tape in an area that hasnt' been caulked yet.
Lightly spritz the smoothed caulk and surrounding with a spray bottle of water that has a few drops of liquid soap in it. This will prevent the caulk from sticking to the area that had been under the tape. Wet your finger in a cup of water with a couple of drops of soap, then smooth the caulk once again - this will flatten the edges that were raised when the tape was removed. Wipe your finger dry and wet it in the cup of water every stroke or two so that no caulk sticks to your finger.
It usually takes me a full day to caulk a new bathroom installation. Most people might spend an hour, but as the number one complaint in a bathroom is leaks in showers and tubs, and the most expensive repair (often problems don't show up right away and they've already become a much bigger problem to repair), it's silly to skimp on the first line of defense in waterproofing.
R
All good suggestions. Keep in mind that the old caulk should be competely removed down to the tile/porcelian and then the area should be cleaned with alcohol and allowed to dry.
Note well that if the old caulk was silicon caulk, new silicon caulk will not stick to it, so the old stuff MUST come off completely.
There's a plastic strip that I've been seeing at the HD, etc. for bath tub edges. It has a fold along the length, and one side of the fold goes olong the tub, the other along the walls. The inside has adhesive to stick to the tub and walls. Unlike caulk, this would not be affected then the tub is cleaned with an abrasive cleaner and brush. Any experiences with this?
Is it OK to strip off caulking part way along the height of the wall, and caulk upto it? I mean will it stick where the new caulking (silicone) meets the old one? I'd hate to strip out the old good caulking just because it's so time consuming.
Also, is it better to finish and smooth one side at a time, or finish the entire tub, then smooth?
Thanks, Vijay
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