Grout won't stay in..... Caulk?

Question

This shower was renovated one year ago, and now I can't track down the contractor. The grout between the floor and wall keeps coming out only on one wall in the shower. I have regrouted it twice.

I suspect that this joint should have been caulked to allow expansion/contraction. Is this correct? If so, any special caulk? I couldn't find anything that matches the color at my local HD or Lowes. The contractor used caulk where the shower walls meet.

Any other tips appreciated!

Two pictures:

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Art Begun · Accepted Answer

Yes it should be caulk to allow movement. You could use clear stuff. Also, where they sell shower units and doors they sell those preformed plastic strips. Maybe those would work and look good.

Lowes. The

Michael Baugh · Answer

Long hot showers heat the material, expansions happen.Damn, I think that grout should have been replaced withcolored silicone long ago.

Lou W · Answer

Your correct. it should have been caulked. The big box stores carry somecolored caulk in the tile section. Any decent tile supply house will have afull line of colors to match your grout.Lou

Art Begun · Answer

Some caulk can take paint.  My father in law used to paint grout andit held up better than unpainted grout.  I imagine painted caulk woulddo fine too.caulk?  I

Paul Furman · Answer

That's a really wide joint to try & caulk. Normally you use a round foam filler below & the top is curved down also to make an hourglass section through the caulking. That's how I learned for big concrete paving expansion joints. I don't know if it would help to silicone in some kind of strip to narrow the gap first. Or maybe it's just that the grout was pushed up against the wall making it look wider. Try to dig out the old stuff & get it down flush (after caulking) at least.Jeff McAhren wrote:

William W. Plummer · Answer

Use masking tape if you want a neat job.

Grout won't stay in..... Caulk?

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