Re-caulking Shower Enclosure

Tatertot

I just found this.

If you were to pick up the Tile Council Handbook-- the Bible of the Tile and Stone industry-- you won't find a single wet-area application where any type of acrylic caulk is recommended, with or without an anti-microbial.

snpperhd

Thanks again for the replies...I have been detained with other matters, but the cleaning of the old caulk is compete and the time has definitely allowed for proper drying. I've decided to try a different caulk; GE 100% Silicone II...it says it's 3 hour cure, but that's not my concern. I just wanted to find a 100% silicone caulk in a smaller tube, as opposed to the gun type. I feel my initial attempt was flawed by using a larger bead (too much caulk), which caused a thinner layer of caulk to form on the outsides of the seam, making it more easily disturbed by the direct shower spray. I will make an attempt to use a smaller bead this time. I will report back as soon as I've completed.

snpperhd

CreativeDIYer

I am curious, did you ever get your problem resolved and what ended up working? I know my solution may not be the same, but I am having the exact same problem with sealing the seams in a plastic shower enclosure in a mobile home. Silicone caulk, although it is the ONLY thing recommended by the manufacturer of the enclosure, does NOT stick. I get the same peeling problem you have on the tile and cleaning it is like trying to clean a rubber band in a crevice. I've asked others about FLEXIBLE grout (yes I know, hard grout will probably crack and fall out) but haven't gotten any responses. I'm tired of looking at mold - what did you do?

yadeal

I have run into the same problem sometimes when I am re caulking showers for people that I clean house for. I really don't know why I'm successful about 2 thirds of the time and the rest of the time the caulk starts to come loose. What I can tell you is what keeps the mold way. With my customers if they run the bathroom fan for at least 20-30 minutes after they shower I see way less mold. I use a professional wide squeegee for the walls and the shower door and then dry the edges with a micro fiber cloth which I keep in the shower. I also installed a timer switches which I set for 20 or 30 minutes and it turns off automatically. Thirty years will go by and my shower will look new. I barely ever have to clean it. Good luck.

CreativeDIYer

Thanks and we do run the fan considerably during and after the shower. The problem is that the mold is growing underneath the caulking, particularly around the bottom, because I presume water and moisture is getting in under the poorly sealed caulk. The other problem I'm sure contributes to the severity is that mobile homes move, no matter how well and level they're set up. When you hang the panels they still give a little - too much obviously for caulk to stick and do any real good. My idea was to find some kind of flexible grout - rigid enough to fill and "brace" the space but still rubbery enough to seal and not "crack and fall out" as I know plain "tile-type" grout would.