On Jun 28, 9:42*am, aemeijers wrote:
Looking for a quick'n'dirty solution here-

Situation- 1960 cookie cutter, typical 5x9 bath. Sitting on the throne
yesterday, look down and notice a vertical crack in the wall facing me,
very close to the outside corner where it abuts the mud-bed tile job
around the tub, down at the bottom near the floor. Start poking around
with a fingernail, and determine that *the lower edge and corner there
has gotten wet and soft under the paint, either wicking up from floor,
or from overspray soaking through defects in the grout and edge caulking.

I can switch to the other bathroom for a week while this drys out. And
yes, I know the proper repair is to remove all the mushy stuff and build
back with new. However, the entire bathroom really needs fresh drywall
due to 'redecorating' done by previous owner, which consisted of
mechanically scraping off wallpaper and painting over. (Sort of looks
like knock-down textured plaster.) And if I'm dong that, may as well
replace fixtures and vanity, etc. In short, it needs a gut job, which
simply ain't in the budget this year (money or ambition wise). Maybe
next year. (I'll probably hire it out, other than maybe doing the demo
myself- my drywall skills are sub-par, I've never done tile, and I don't
have the tools for plumbing.)

So, I really don't want to open this wall any more than I have to, right
now. What is the best material for a spot repair, after raking out the
loose particles from the crack with an awl? Vinyl spackling compound?

I'd let it dry out, then use that or regular drywall mud.


And what is the best thing to coat the grout lines in the area with, to
keep water from seeping through?

Unless it looks bad for some other reason, I'd just figure out where
the water is coming from that caused the problem and eliminate it.
Make sure no new water gets to it. pools there, etc and you should be
OK till rebuild in another year or so without screwing around with the
grout.




A thin layer of tub caulk is all that
came to mind for that one. Don't care if it looks perfect, just so it
doesn't look hideous, as long as it will limit further damage until I
can afford to have the whole room redone.

--
aem sends....