DIYbanter - View Single Post - Cultured Marble Shower Stall Re-Caulking

Steve

wrote on 12 May 2007 in group
alt.home.repair:

I have a cultured marble shower stall that the Silicone caulking looks
bad on, black mildew behind the white caulking. I had this shower
stall installed 2 years ago & it looks like crap already. Where it
looks bad is along where the floor and walls meet. There is not a
"pan" for the floor, it is a more flat cultured marble piece that has
a rough non-slippery surface that the walls sit on.

I have removed all of the old silicone & was ready to put in new
silicone. My dad says to use grout instead, that it will hold up
better and be easier to install. I thought I had heard that grout was
not waterproof?

My question is, can I use grout in this joint along the floor in the
shower stall? Will it hold up? If so is there a type of grout that
would work best?

I do hate working with silicone, it is such a mess & the stuff I
worked all day to dig out was only there 2 years.

Grout works poorly in corners, regardless of the surface material. The
perpendicular sides flex under load or expand and contract at different
rates, causing the grout to crack and pop out. Always use caulk in
corners.

As others have said, make sure you buy the right silicone. I use the
stuff that specifically says "bath" and "100% silicone".

For neater joints, put tape on either side of the joint before you start
applying the caulk. That will give you nice, straight lines. Pull it off
after you smoothe the joint, but before the caulk dries.

Wear some TIGHT-FITTING rubber gloves. Have a rag ready with the solvent
specified on the tube, because you WILL get some where you don't want
it. Have some more of the solvent standing by with paper towels.