The moving target is my home in general, but the question at hand is my bathroom. Since remodelling work was completed 3 years ago I’ve noticed cracks in grout and complete mortar failure in areas around my shower. I’ve noted that they get larger in warm humid weather and get smaller in the winter. My guess is the lumber framing is the culprit. (The bathroom is well ventilated, and seasonal movement of the house is evident in other rooms)
Maybe 6 tiles in a niche have broken off from their mortar bed and are held in place by the silicone sealant at the back corner. I see silicone architectural sealants with movement specs of 100%, which gets me to wondering if I shouldn’t simply rebed the tiles in silicone and use a sanded caulk for the tile joints.
Your thoughts?
Replies
Thoughts?
Wood flexes, tile doesn't.
Unless extra care is taken in the construction to avoid movement, corner joints in tile should be caulked rather than grouted. And of course the joint between tub and tile should only be caulked, never grouted.
Beyond that you need to consider the nature of the framing and make additional allowances as warranted.
Silicone is considered an adhesive. People stick all kinds to things to walls and floors with it. Doesn't mean they should. Your repair sounds like a band-aid approach to me. If you're already experiencing this problem, then it leads me to wonder what other faulty issues are lurking in your installation.
My recommendation is to ask the original installer to warranty and remedy the failing work.