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rookie tile question

Dan612 | Posted in General Discussion on April 27, 2009 03:33am

A bunch of years ago, I had a shower stall built with tile walls and a plastic shower pan.  The caulking around the seam at the bottom is getting pretty nasty.  I am a total newbie to tile work, (however, I have been working as timber framer for 13 years) is this a job I can tackle?  Where is a good place to get info? 

Is it as simple as removing the old and putting new stuff in?

If so, what type of caulking should I use?

This shower is in the master bathroom and if I mess this one up, the master (a.k.a. the wife) will be found standing over my body with a hand gun yelling “Quick! some one show me how to reload this thing.”

 

I meditate, I burn candles, I drink green tea, and still I want to smack someone.

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Replies

  1. stephen53 | Apr 27, 2009 03:45am | #1

    Cleaning out the old caulk and gunk, and drying it out 100% is vital. If water is getting behind the tile, that's another matter, but if it's just the caulk, then once it's prepped right I use white silicone kitchen and bath caulk. I found that mold can grow on the latex bathh caulks.

  2. maverick | Apr 27, 2009 04:35am | #2

    yeah, just dig it out being careful to not break the flange behind it. then get yourself some grout caulk that matches the grout color. you can get grout caulk at any tile store or big box home center

  3. User avater
    Dinosaur | Apr 27, 2009 07:10am | #3

    Scrape/chip/dig/grind/peel off the old stuff and recaulk with Mulco Flextra or Supra (same product; Flextra is the consumer label; Supra is the pro label) or another brand of thermoplastic exterior caulking. This type of caulking sticks to anything, tools beautifully, and beats latex and silicon caulks hands down. It's good for 20+ years and ever after all that time, you can usually peel it off in one piece.

    Dinosaur

    How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
    low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
    foolish men call Justice....

  4. User avater
    xxPaulCPxx | Apr 29, 2009 06:32pm | #4

    If you used siicone initially, remember that nothing will stick to silicone, incuding new silicone.  The old has to be gotten off completely.

    Tu stultus es
    Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
    Also a CRX fanatic!

    Look, just send me to my drawer.  This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.

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