[dhue]

this work was done by flip contractors and needs to be sealed. not sure about impregnable vs surface seal...just would need to seal at the counter and tub line. the grout is "loose" in some spots. as always advice and knowledge is appreciated.

 

[oh'mike]

Knife out the loose grout --and replace with a color matching caulk----any 'change of plane' should be caulked---corners move --grout does not---use caulk.

 

[KevinEF7]

Is there any real reason why a home owner shouldnt use 100% silicone on things like this? Aside from it costing a little more, I find it a far superior product as far as its strength and lifespan compared to caulk which I have had trouble with peeling and discoloring

Just curious, any reason why dhue couldnt use silicone in this instance? More curious if theres ever a place NOT to use it

 

[oh'mike]

I use silicone for most things----but many novices make a huge mess when applying it, so I suggested the easier to apply color match caulk.

 

[KevinEF7]

If only there was a paintable silicone right??

I just did some built in book shelves and want to seam the edges but Id like to paint them completely but hate how brittle latex caulks become in short order

 

[dhue]

the grout is obviously not sealed and is loose, I can chip pieces off if I want or they come off in small bits if I pick at it. so I should get the loose debris off, tape it off and clean silicone it? does it need to be dry, like heat gun dried before? not to concerned with the discoloration. any advice on sealant as to do it correctly the first time? thanks

 

[oh'mike]

The grout at the counter top should be cleaned out with a knife---enough to remove any loose bits and leave a little gap or divot---

I do not tape off an area to be caulked---(you might want to)

The tile must be bone dry---silicone will not stick to a wet surface---

I use that knowledge to make applying silicone easy and neat--try this on a sample--

You need a spray cleaner like 'Greased Lightning'--and a few paper towels--

Apply a thin bead of caulk into the joint,being careful not to leave any voids--

Very quickly spray the caulked joint with Greased lightning--spray your finger--tool the joint with your finger,removing excess to the paper towel---

 

[marianlibrarian]

I caulk all the time. I paint and rehab houses. I make a mess with silicone caulk. Use a premium kitchen bath caulk...color matched as recomended above...for the microban mold resistancee and the ease of use. I grout that kitchen counter joint too for aestetic reasons...countertop is caulked behind the backsplash. I always caulk tubs/showers because the risk of the grout cracking and water getting behind it is greater.
Seal the backsplash and countertop with a good sealer. Home Depot sells Custom Building Products which makes a good sealer. I like Miracle too.

 

[marianlibrarian]

You could also scrub the grout with a toothbrush and softbscrub type stuff and get all rhe loose stuff out. Then buy a tube of sanded caulk that Custom makes to match their grout and use that to fill in the gaps. Tearing out all rhe grout would be a eoyal pain. It might work just fine....of course it may not last, but it woyldn't be too hard.

 

[dhue]

yes, i will definitely color match the grout. in terms of drying the grout before caulking, should it be say 3-4 days dry? i ask because the sink is used everyday so it could prove difficult to accomplish.

thanks

 

[marianlibrarian]

read the instructions. Sometimes they say to clean the area with alcohol which evapoates quickly...why it is used in ear drops for after swimming. So after you do the dinner dishes, clean the atea and dry it, rub alchol and wait a while. Then caulk and it should be fine with drying overnight. I do not recomment silicone because it is difficult. I do recommend custom building products sanded caulk made to match your grout...two different planes should be caulked because they move independent of each other and grout is not flexible so it cracks if there is movement. But grout looks better so custom made a caulk that matches the grout. If there is no movement then grout works fine if it is sealed...some people grout and then use clear caulk over the grout for added insurance against cracks or just the porous grout letting water through. Miracle 511 will seal your granite, your travertine and the grout...you can just wipe it over everything. If you use caulk, make sure it resists mildew and mold...not sure if the custom product does...but it should...good company.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

Is there any real reason why a home owner shouldnt use 100% silicone on things like this? Aside from it costing a little more, I find it a far superior product as far as its strength and lifespan compared to caulk which I have had trouble with peeling and discoloring

Just curious, any reason why dhue couldnt use silicone in this instance? More curious if theres ever a place NOT to use it

Kevin: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

The primary reason why experienced DIY'ers are reluctant to use silicone caulk is because it is so hard to remove. Yes you can take a utility knife and get MOST of it out easily, but that's not good enough. The internet's DIY Q&A forums are full of newbie homeowners asking how to get the replacement silicone caulk they want to put around their bathtub to STICK.

The problem is that NOTHING sticks to silicone caulk, not even silicone caulk. So, even a microscopically thin film of silicone caulk over the glazed tiles around a bathtub or on the tub itself (or both) will be sufficient to prevent the new silicone caulk from sticking.

DAP (Dow's consumer products division) makes a product called "Silicone-Be-Gone" which is really nothing more than gelled mineral spirits. SBG doesn't dissolve the old silicone caulk, it just causes the old silicone to swell up and get softer so that it can be more easily removed by mechanical means like scraping, scrubbing or brushing.

When I remove old silicone caulk around bathtubs, I use Silicone-Be-Gone. After I think I've removed all of the old silicone caulk, I wash off that SBG with water, dry with a paper towel and then paint a very fine abrasive powder on (like portland cement or cement based floor leveler compound) with a small artist's paint brush. If any soft residual silicone remains, the powder will become stuck to it. Otherwise, it'll wipe off the surface of the tub and tiles easily. In this way I can locate and remove any remaining silicone caulk so that I can be sure I've removed the old silicone COMPLETELY. Only then will the new silicone caulk stick properly everywhere it should.

Now, think about what kind of problems you're going to face if you've used silicone caulk around all your doorways, windows, counter tops, etc. You've got tons of work to remove that silicone caulk (if needed) in order to use something that's not so difficult to remove (if needed).

I very much like a caulk made in the USA by the Henry Company called Kop-R-Lastic. It's cohesive strength is even higher than it's adhesive strength, which means it sticks to itself even better than it sticks to common construction materials. That means that if you ever want to remove it, you just get one end started and it pulls CLEANLY off your window or door like a rubber rope. It has about the same strength and elasticity as silicone and it's paintable. I have 66 windows in my apartment block, and I won't use any other caulk on them.

 

[Nestor_Kelebay]

I use silicone for most things----

Please don't do that.

Please read my response to KevinEF7 in this thread as to why experienced DIY'ers and pros are reluctant to use silicone caulk.