One of the most asked questions by do-it-yourselfer’s is whether they should use caulk or grout in the corners. Industry standards state that a flexible material be used at all changes of plane. But! – if you ask a hundred different professionals you will more than likely receive fifty of each answer. While there are pros and cons of each, I am in the camp that uses caulk. That being the case, I will discuss using grout first. I’m backwards like that.
Using Grout at Changes of Plane
While the phrase “changes of plane” may sound a bit uppity or technical – it’s not. It simply describes the corner or edge of any surface that changes direction such as a corner, a wall to a floor, or a wall to the tub edge. Many professionals simply grout that corner as they do any other space between the tiles. There are a couple of things that must be taken into consideration before choosing this method.
- Your walls and the framing of your shower must be absolutely rock solid. I do mean absolutely. Grout is a cement-based product and as such is not meant to flex. If your wall moves your grout will eventually crack – it’s that simple.
- The space between the tiles at the change of plane must be large enough (for sanded grout) or small enough (for non-sanded grout) to be able to support the grout. That simply means that if you are using sanded grout you cannot butt the tiles against each other at the corner and expect to be able to force grout into it. It will not stay if the grout has no grout line to hold onto – if it is simply attempting to grab onto the face of the tiles at a 90 degree angle. There must be a grout line at the changes of plane.
- You must decide you are going to use grout at the changes of plane before you install the tile. You can then make sure to leave a line for the grout as well as adding additional support for any spots that may move even the tiniest bit (which it should not do anyway).
If you have taken the above points into consideration and still decide to use grout in the corners – go ahead. The big advantages of using grout here is that it will match all the grout lines and it will never have to be replaced. So although extra care must be taken to properly use grout at your plane changes, the advantages for some people are worth the extra time.
Using Caulk at Changes of Plane
There are several advantages to using caulk in corners and any other area where there may be a plane change or where tile meets another material such as your bathtub or sink.
- Unlike grout you are able to use caulk in a corner where tiles are butted against each other. It will stick to the face of the tile rather than needing a space between the tiles to grab.
- Caulk is flexible. If there is any movement the caulk is flexible enough to move with it and remain in place. It will not crack out or fall off.
- Caulk is waterproof – grout is not. Water will collect in corners such as where your tile meets the tub more than it will on the face of the tile.
- If your caulk does crack out or need to be replaced it is easily done.
The only two disadvantages to using caulk instead of grout are that you need to periodically remove and replace the caulk and, depending on your choice of grout, you may not be able to find a caulk that matches exactly. The first reason I consider to simply be regular maintenance and the latter is less of a problem since most major grout manufacturers sell matching caulk.
When to Use Grout
The only time I will use grout for a plane change is when I am using epoxy grout. Epoxy grout is bulletproof! OK, maybe it’s not bulletproof but you can hit it with a hammer a couple of times before it chips. (Don’t do that.) If you are using epoxy go ahead and grout the corners and changes of plane as well. Although it is not flexible it will grab the tile well enough to prevent it from splitting or cracking out. Precautions must still be taken but the Epoxy is strong enough to withstand normal structural movement.
How to Decide
Given the above parameters I believe caulk to always be the best choice. What you must understand about tile installation is no matter where you are installing the tile, it is always a structure that moves, no matter how minutely. Concrete moves, (the ground beneath it) that’s why it has expansion joints – to control where the movement goes. Most shower installations are over a wood structure of some sort. Whether you have drywall, backerboard, or a membrane, if you go far enough behind the tile, you’ll find wood. Wood moves, it’s just a fact of life. Humidity, weather, even the structure’s foundation all affect how much it moves. By taking proper precautions you can minimize the movement, but it’s still gonna move. Taking structural movement into consideration caulk is, for me, the logical choice.
Roger,
I’m about to start installing bullnose tile along the baseboard perimeter of my bathroom that I’m redoing. I’ve read your webpages and some books and am still a bit confused about best practice. I have 2 questions: 1) I’m planning to use spectralock on the floor but am still unsure whether or not to use it at the change of plane between wall and floor, or to use caulk instead. My wife hates the idea of caulk at that joint (for cleaning) – I hate idea of fixing or replacing tile. What is your recommendation? 2) Should I caulk along the top edge of the bullnose or use the spectralock? I’ve found recommendations for both as the ‘right’ way.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Steve
Hi Steve,
You should use silicone at both spots. It will compensate for any movement (and there will be a lot of movement there), epoxy grout will not. You will end up replacing and repairing things if you use the epoxy. Tell your wife I’m sorry.
Hi Roger.
I have finished tiling my shower after creating the mud shower pan with a friend. Unfortunately, friend did not get the mud perfectly level on the back wall. Therefore there is a dip in the area between floor tile and wall tile. So the caulk line is going to be bigger than it should Not a happy situation. Is it a bad idea to try to match the tile color and not the grout color to perhaps give them illusion of the gap being smaller than it is? It might be close to 1/4? in the middle 2 feet of the shower. Big bummer. Or do you have another idea? (I could chisel the tiles out on the floor there and raise them up. UG)
Thanks Roger!
Hi Janice,
It’s not a bad idea at all. There’s no rule stating that the silicone has to match the grout, you can use turquoise silicone if you want.
Tearing it out to try to fix it may lead to more problems than you began with. You should get some ‘backer rod’, which is cylindrical foam, to fill most of the area in the gap before siliconing. That way you don’t have a tube of caulk stuffed in one area.
good. all i see on these tile sites is matchy-matchy
If I am going to do that maybe I should do the corners that way too? Does that make any sense?
i have used the backer rod and it definitely saves on caulk. Thanks again, Roger!
I would probably do the entire base with that, then one that matches the grout up the walls in the corner and the rest of the areas. At least the entire base rather than just one wall.
Excellent. I will try this. Hope i can match!
Hi Roger,
this is going to sound wacky, but i want to run it by you. My white grout turned out to be really too white. Instead of buying some expensive product, i thought why not take a VERY diluted cup of tea and stain the grout. I just want to knock the brightness off, i don’t really need a big color change. Of course I would test it and also know that the sealer will darken it some. What do you think? After all tea stains are the kind of stains that we fight in the kitchen when we use a sealer.
HI Janice,
I suppose you can, but getting a consistent stain on it will be a problem. More dense areas of your grout will not soak in as much of the tea as less dense areas and may end up splotchy. (Yes, I just typed splotchy…) A better option would be to get an off-white grout stain, not colorant – stain, and use it to darken the grout.
thanks Roger. I will look into the diff between colorant and stain. Did not know they were 2 different things.
Dear Roger, I am in desperate need of your help. We have a damaged sink and build in vanity which has already allowed water to infiltrate the subfloor/area beneath the floor tiles, which eventually allowed so much flex in the floor tiles that the grout comes out in strips and chunks. Until we can do a complete replacement I have to manage a repair to halt further damage. Waiting until we can do it “right” has already cost us here in a big way with further damage. I can use the filler rods and silicone to keep the water from going to the floor from the sink. Now my questions involve a damaged floor. ONe note: I would love to lay down something like those continuous strips of soft, synthetic material over top of the whole mess, once it is reasonably dry as part of my workaround fix, if possible. But first, I am at the point of dealing with wet, rocking floor tile, some of which is cracked itself but none are gone entirely. Also of note: we live in a very dry climate for most of the year with one short, intensive rainy season, now. I don’t think we have any insulation below that floor but we might, but by now it must be wet. So…. can I dry it out as best I can after sealing up the sink area properly then use those foam rods and silicone on the floor tiles? Then, if the floor seems somewhat stable can I lay something over top of thew whole mess like that soft, synthetic flooring (linoleum)? I’m sorry to be asking you about this because I Know that people who do good work steer clear from such ugly repairs at all cost and always opt for doing it right by tearing everything out and starting fresh in a situation like this. The problem us we can’t do that now and the longer I wait the worse it all becomes. HELP!!!!! Thank you!
May I add that the damaged area is only a small portion of the whole floor, the area in front of the sink and affecting a slider door to one side at a change of plane ( in all a strip about 3′ x 5 ‘). The rest of the floor seems “ok”, so far. Recently a cat upset a large container of water right over the top of the damaged area of floor tiles which saturated the entire damaged area although a scrambled right away to soak it up with a big towel, right after it happened. I see my other alternative as being to remove anuy grout around tiles that are rocking but not cracked (yet) to help allow that area to dry, I can bring in a good dehumidifier and only once that floor is truly dry, might I reaffix any removed, whole tile with some rigid construction adhesive and top that off with grout or silicone, if there will still be any movement. Thanks
Hi Lauren,
There isn’t much you can do that’s going to last a significant amount of time until you can properly repair it. Your first order of business is to get the leak stopped and prevent any more water in there. To dry out the floor in that area you’ll need to remove the tiles, not just the grout. Once dry you can reinstall them with thinset (NOT construction adhesive). That is going to get you as stable as it can without properly replacing it. The wood in the subfloor itself is compromised, once it gets wet and swells then there is no longer a solid density throughout the wood, it’s gonna move. When it moves it’s gonna move your tile. Short of replacing it you will not be able to prevent that.
Roger – we had our bathroom renovated not even six months ago – we have subway tiles that are on the side of the bathtub down to the floor where we have marble tiles. The tiler used grout at the connection between the bath tub and the subway tiles and also the floor tiles to the subway tiles. It is now cracking – significantly. Would you recommend removing grout and caulking the connections? Is this easy enough to do as a first time DIYer or would you recommend bringin in a contractor?
Hi Serena,
It’s very, very common for that to crack when grout is used. The grout should be removed and replaced with caulk or silicone. Silicone is the better option. It’s a fairly straight-forward process, you should be able to take care of it yourself.
Thank goodness for your site! I’m in the process of renovating a 20 year old bathroom in a 60 year old house. I made what I think is a big mistake by using 12×24 inch tiles for the stall shower walls and the bathroom floor – we are using river rock on the floor of the shower. We are in the midst of installing the shower wall tile with a 3/16″ gap for grout which I read somewhere was more desirable for large tiles. I would rather have had 1/8″ but that’s not relevant.
My question is what to do with the change of plane areas which seem to have quite a large gap since the tiles are so big and thick. The space between each tile on the corner isn’t what I’m worried about. We managed to keep a fairly straight 3/16″ seam going from the floor to the ceiling, but there seems to be a lot of space between the back of the tiles and the corner of the wall. Will just smooshing in a lot of caulk do the trick, or should I put more thin set back there, or some grout? I’m afraid that we’ve messed up the whole water tight seal thing. Yikes!
Hi Robin,
Your shower wall substrate should be completely waterproof, no? Whether there is a 1/16″ gap there or a 1 inch gap there makes no difference in regards to a water tight seal, that is dependent on your waterproofing on the substrate. You can get what is called backer rod, which is round foam, to fill that gap before siliconing it.
Hi, Roger.
I’ve grouted my shower, but have not yet applied the matching caulk at the changes of planes. I’ve got a product here from DuPont: “Quick-Seal Arerosol – Grout Premium Sealer”. The label says it’s a Teflon product that provides protection against water and oil-based stains.
Ever heard of this stuff? Do you know if it is safe to spray on caulk (i.e., if I use it, should I spray it on before or after caulking?)
Thanks!
Hey Scott,
Never heard of it. It’s always best to apply any sealer before silicone or caulk. Some sealers will leave a milky film on some silicone and caulk.
Roger,
I am ready to grout and tile my shower. Everything is looking good, but I cannot find color matched 100% silicone caulk for the change of planes (wall to wall and wall to floor). The caulk that I found at the big box store says it is “Siliconized Acrylic”. Where can I find the correct caulk? What brand do you use and recommend?
Thanks for a great site, it has answered many of my questions.
Jeff
Hey Jeff,
Siliconized acrylic is not what you want. But you already knew that…
I prefer laticrete brand silicone and grout, but most of them can be cross-referenced. Tell me what brand and color grout you’re using and I’ll tell you where to get the silicone.
Roger,
The grout used was Mapei Keracolor U in Straw #94 color. I did find a local tile store that carries Laticrete Latasil and was planning to see if there was a close color match.
Thanks for all the help,
Jeff
You’re match is Laticrete #23 Antique White.
Roger,
I have a shower floor pan that has grout behind the caulk at the transition to the tile with mould of course. Can I dig all the grout out and just silicone the seam?
Thanks,
Hi Dave,
Yup.
Shortest. Answer. Ever.
Hi,
I just had my showers re-tiled. Can I caulk over the grout in the corners of my shower so it does not crack while shifting & over the grout at the wall/tub line, as it is cracking?
Laura
Hi Laura,
The grout needs to be removed and replaced with caulk. If you caulk over it the grout will still crack, but it will break the seal of the caulk as well.
Can I grout over a waterproofing membrane? Will the grout stick to the membrane? Am I then able to glue tiles to the grout without the whole lot falling away from the wall? I’ve used a waterproofing agent on bare bricks. I would then grout over to act like a render and adhere the tiles to the grout. Will this work?
Hi Alex,
Grout? Absolutely not. Regular thinset can be used as a render, though, as well as wet mud (1 part portland, 1 part lime, 4-5 parts sand). Grout will fall right off, as will anything you attempt to bond to it.
Hi Roger,
I wonder what type of silicone I can buy for my shower ( to cover joints between wall and the shower floor) with mildew resistant
properties. It looks like the best types of bathroom silicone are available in Europe but not in the US. Mapei, Unibond and cet. There are siliconized acryli caulk available but this is not what I am looking for.
Do not know what to do since anything good that I found are in the UK or Australia and those folks refused to ship to the US.
Thanks.
Val
Hi Val,
Silicone is silicone. All of the brands have negligible differences. Mildew and mold resistance are a matter of the shower construction, proper drainage and sanitary conditions of the shower.
Hi again Roger,
Why did I think that I read somewhere – that grout sealer was a 72 hr. “to
fully cure” – type of event? Hmmmm…. I don’t know… All this to say that
I’ll get that M S 511 Impregnator product… AND IT ONLY REQUIRES 2 HRS.
TO DRY ? REALLY? That is going to make my daughter even happier!!! (that
they won’t have to wait any more to reoccupy the bath I’ve remodeled!) So
believe the 2 hr. instruction and enjoy the new bathroom. This sounds correct to you? I know you’ve got “lots of irons in the fire” but if you ever found a desire to produce short “How to…” videos and sell the access on your website,
I will be a constant customer. Thanks again Roger! You da man!
Yup, two hours to light use, six to full use.
Hi Roger,
Well the bathroom is nearly done and Thanks to you, it looks GREAT!
I think this is the last question and it is : your preferred grout sealer
(for those who have use a cement based grout), if it matters the grout
is MAPEI Keracolor S, mocha is the color. I have a tub/shower tile surround and the floor to seal. Thank You Roger.
Hey Stephen,
It’s thanks to you. I didn’t do anything but drink beer and pound on a keyboard.
I prefer miracle sealant’s 511 impregnator. Great stuff.
I have this feeling they are going to say they grouted and caulked on top to seal it even ever so much better but then how did the grout ever have a chance to dry (if dry is the right term). And just to be clear I am not talking about at the change of plane. I am talking about between the tiles…although now I am quite afraid of what happened at change of plane. It is covered with caulking, that is what I see. sorry to bother you yet again. I know have 100s of comments and it would be best to reply to your answer to my previous but this is seperate issue altogether. Hope that is okay? Anne
Same answer as below. It is simply laziness in my opinion.
Hello
Many months ago, I emailed and sent pictures re my poor tiling – specifically grout size, width and the inconsistent evenness of the grout lines. Well along with that my bathroom shower leaked soon as they said it was usable. As it turns out, it apparently has nothing to do with the plumbing so they think its the tiles at the doorway. They have come in and redone the corian threshold where they think the problem is. They also took off the tiles underneath the corian (facing inside the shower). This is at the moment what I am writing to you about I guess later I will see if this remedied the leak to the downstairs ceiling.
The tiler asked me if I had any of the grout left. I think they took it but either way I do not ( I have been waiting months for them to address this- and yes no showering in that shower stall for that time) . He said he probably had some in the truck. (Mmmmm). Anyways, he did the job, told me it should not leak (we’ll see). He told me to leave it set for awhile…so now I have done that and gone to look at it. I just noticed when I was looking at it the tile that the grout lines seemed so shiny and smoother than the wall grout. I touched it and it is most certainly caulking. He has put caulking in…I guess there was no grout in the truck. Anyways, I am angry not to be told this and have to wonder if he thought I would not notice as it is far down and under the threshold. I hate the sneakiness of it and I will make a call tomorrow I would like to know if this is acceptable or common practice. Do people caulk between tiles instead of grout. I understand caulking at change of plane but this is between my tiles. I could cry. I have had nothing but trouble and now I have a leak and a company that wants to just rush through a solution.. Can you please speak to the pro and con of caulking instead of grouting tiles. I have never seen that before (except at change of planes). I need to have some knowledge before I speak to them. Thanks. (again). Anne
Hi Anne,
You should absolutely not use caulking in the grout lines. If you’ve ever seen a caulk bead around a tub that’s been there for a while you’ll see it is beginning to debond around the edges. It loses it’s elasticity and begins to shrink. At that point it needs to be replaced. It’s normal – it’s a regular part of shower maintenance. Caulk is not intended to be permanent, it is intended to be replaced. It will do the same thing – faster – in the grout lines.
The fact that they caulked it, as well as the fact that you had a leak to begin with, tells me that your shower is not properly constructed – it is not waterproof. They are attempting to put a band-aid on it to solve the problem for a while, until either their warranty expires or you simply give up and go away. I would call a different professional and have them take a look at it. It sounds like the lower half of the shower (at least) needs to be rebuilt, if not the entire thing. Tell them to do that or you’ll have someone who knows what they’re doing take care of it and they’ll get the bill.
It sounds to me as if they are simply trying to appease you with the least amount of effort possible. Don’t accept that.
Roger,
I am nearly finished grouting my new shower walls–8X10″ tiles, 3/16″ gap w/white sanded grout. I would have picked smaller tiles and gaps, but that decision was out of my hands.
My question is about the corners, which also have a 3/16″ gap for cosmetic uniformity. I was planning to use spectralock in the corners (only). However, another site had a posting from a Laticrete rep who recommended against this (due to the risk of TILES cracking), so now I’m considering caulk instead, though it’s a relatively wide joint.
IYO is Laticrete too conservative on this point? If the tile-cracking risk is VERY low I might prefer the SpectraLock (installation has no outside walls or wall-floor joints). Thanks!
Andy
Hey Andy,
Nope, they’re right. Especially if you only use the epoxy in the corners. The corners are going to move, the epoxy is stronger than most tile. That movement will happen and since there is regular grout in the rest of it either the other grout will crack or the tiles will. That is a HUGE gap in the corners. For that matter – that’s a HUGE grout line, too.
Thanks for the tip. I’ll get help with the grout work if it’s too big/hard a job for me.
I’m sure I’ve seen grout lines this size on public bathroom walls (sometimes with cracks in the grouted corners). I presume the 3/16″ gap is “huge” only for a shower?
thx, andy
oops, i meant to say help w/the caulking (grout’s done).
In my opinion 3/8″ is huge for any tile installation short of saltillo.
I was waiting to see Roger’s reply to this because unlike everything else of his which I can’t agree more with, I was not on the same page with the opinion about 3/16″ being a “huge” joint for a shower. But it now seems as though Roger read 3/8″ not 3/16″? 3/8 would indeed be ‘huge’. 3/16″ is only 1/16″ more than 1/8″ which, by most standards, is a nice size for ceramic/porcelain and using sanded grout. I personally like 1/8″ for ceramics / porcelain and feel it affords a good compromise between a ‘small joint’ and a solid tile installation with sanded grout, “locking in” the tiles within the grid. I’ve removed wall tiles on some jobs where the grout literally was the only reason the tiles weren’t completely falling off! Good grout work – bad install work!
Ahhh, crap!
You’re right kevbo, he did type 3/16″, not 3/8″. My bad. The 3/16″ lines are fairly standard in a lot of parts of the country, it tends to be geographical, strangely enough. Nothing wrong with them, just a bit large for my taste.
Thanks kevbo and Roger, not a problem. My vision of 3/8″ gaps is not very pretty either.
I’m curious Roger, this is an English-unit country but do you ever use metric units while working? I find them a lot nicer at this scale (e.g. 5 mm is easier irto remember than 3/16″).
I switch back and forth. I had to learn it in college and used it regularly in the science community. It’s easier with some things. I still use mostly English units, though.
Roger –
(perhaps not a good idea 
) becuase of the RedGuard on the wall and the panliner running up behind, if I put chaulk in this gap before I put the tile up am I trapping moisture. More specifically, if I put caulk in this gap am I stopping the moisture that gets behind the wall tile from making its way down to the pan liner and ultimately the drain?
First, thanks. Your site and manual have actually made the remodel of my shower an enjoyable project, rather than stressful experience. I bought your manual for building a traditional shower. However, after getting started my wife requested a niche. I was concerned i wouldn’t be able to keep it waterproof using plastic, so i switched gears and used RedGuard instead – very cool stuff. Tile is now on the walls (grout lines match the niche) and I am pleased with the way it has all turned out so far. Again thanks.
Here is my question. I am ready to set the tile on the floor and then the first row on the wall. I have an 1/8″ gap (slightly larger in some spots) between the RedGuarded backerboard and the floor. I put chaulk in this gap becuase of the change of plane; but, i got to thinking
Thanks for all your help,
Matt
Hey Matt,
As long as you don’t caulk the backer to the floor liner then you’ll be fine. You should have a layer of deck mud between the backer and top mud deck, no? Water will drain right through that back down to the drain.
hi roger,
i am tiling above my tub. i plan on using epoxy grout.
i started tiling and my corners are not a perfect fit. some tiles have 1/8 space, some are butted against the other tile with no space.
do i need to rip these out and re-do or can i cover any imperfections
with caulk ?
thanks
Hi Charles,
Provided the spaces are 1/8″ or less it can be covered with silicone.
Dear Elf:
Well, you’ve blindingly helpful in the past with your unequivocal feedback (about changing planes and about getting cement off the back of old tiles), so I thought I’d try you again. I am putting in a shower in the basement, with a four foot wide tray, properly backed, tiled walls, etc. etc., and I am wondering if I absolutely have to tile the ceiling or whether you know of any alternatives (paint would be good ;). I have 80″ from the lip of the tray to ceiling. It’s a shower that will only see occasional use, and while the room is small, it’s properly vented with a fan.
I know, it’s bad form to ask a professional tiler about not using tile, but if you have any thoughts I’d appreciated hearing from you.
Hey Nigel,
A good latex paint works well. No need to tile it if you don’t want to.
Hey Roger,
I was wiping down the tile and making sure the thinset residue was off the tiles when I looked at the tub-tile joint and thought (just as you have said)
“Why not try and keep the grout OUT of this joint?” So I was pleased to see that you had answered my question already! I’ll do as you’ve mentioned…
Thanks much for the quick response !
Hi Roger,
MANY THANKS to you for all of the invaluable help you have given to me as I am a guy that loves to do it right the first time. Levels, squares, and very accurate lines are what I live for… FLAT – no lip page etc… Thanks to your
method of tile placement – almost against the already set piece – then move to establish proper grout joint = no lippage!! Cool! So the question I had
asked previously is visited again, and that is: At change of plane, when should grout be removed and caulk be applied? When it has set for a specific amount of time or when it appears to loose some sheen or ?? I asked you last time the proper order and it was grout then caulk. I just need to know how much grout to remove (the entire depth of the joint or half the depth or?) and how long after grout application to do this. Thank You kindly for all of the
time and knowledge you dedicate to us who seek your professional guidance.
Hey Stephen,
I do it as I do the initial wipe down. Try to remove as much as you can. Of course it’s always easiest to try not to get it in there to begin with.
Covering a mistake.
Although I measured twice and cut once when I installed the last line of 2″ x 2″ webbed tiles on the shower floor I came up short. The dry fit was perfect and I thought fine but when I turned the lights on in the morning there was a large gap along one wall. When I put the tile on the wall I dont think it will come close to having a proper size gap.
Question: is it possible to take out the one row of 2×2 tiles without ruining the kerdi underneath and the kerdi pan? I should have sent a picture but am too embarassed….
Hey Tim,
You can take it out if you do it now, or very shortly. It may peel a bit of the fleece off the kerdi, but it’ll be fine so long as you don’t see any orange when you do it.
My Grandfather used to say “Cut the damn thing twice and it’s still too short…!”
Roger,
Problem is I didn’t realize the size of the gap until the next AM. I assume if I chisel them out it will get messy. Any wisdom?
You can still get them out. Don’t chisel! Get right under the bottom edge and pry them out. If you try chiseling you’ll definitely compromise the kerdi.
Roger,
Thanks. Lesson learned.
Hi Roger, I grouted right to the floor of the shower (change of plane) and silicone caulked all the corners over the grout (changes). Now I have noticed mold above the silicone caulk but only at the “wall to floor”. Is it possible that the water (moisture) is getting trapped behind the caulk and causing mold. If this is the case should I take ALL the grout out at the bottom and fill the entire void with silicone.
Thanks, Gord
Hey Gord,
Yes, it sounds like moisture is trapped behind the silicone. Yes, you should remove all the grout and replace it with silicone.
Hey Mr. Elf: Was wondering why you say to seal first then grout ? just wondering as a lot of the “tile people” or tile product people say not to pre seal before grouting………… Want to let you know that I have finished the travertine tile job on the shower / tub and thanks to your help it looks great.
(even my wife thinks it looks good !) anyway thanks for all your help. Looking forward to having your opinions on my floor tile which is next….
Thanks Again,
Chuck
Hey Chuck,
If you seal before grouting it assists with getting the grout residue off the face of the tile. It just makes it easier.
Hi Roger,
I am going crazy because of the ants that constantly use a crack between the grout and the base of the wall to get into our bathroom and climb all over everything. I was so mad when I found them all over our toothbrushes the other day! I felt so violated! Anyway, the crack runs several inches long and is located behind the toilet between the shower and the bathroom cabinets and like I said, is between the grout and the wall base board. I don’t know anything about home repair as we have always rented up until recently. How can I fix this?
Hi Carla,
You can dig out all the old caulk and replace it with fresh caulk or silicone. That should take care of it. Until you get that done you can place used coffee grounds in front of the crack – ants won’t go anywhere near them.