How To Caulk A Tile Shower Floor

Select kitchen and bath or silicone caulk for a shower drain as these types are designed for areas with a lot of moisture.

How to caulk a tile shower floor.

Press down smoothly on the trigger of the application gun to begin forcing the caulk out of the tube. The seal is at the back end of the tip where it meets the tube. Hold the application gun at a 90 angle to the gap between the opening of the shower drain and the shower flooring. Run a bead of caulk along the seams slowly image 2.

Push a nail or small dowel down inside the tip of the caulk to puncture the seal. You ll need to puncture the inside of the tube through the tip to get the caulk flowing. This releases the caulk into the tip and allows you to apply it. Use a hair dryer to speed the drying.

With the old caulk removed and the area cleaned you re ready to reseal all the cracks and seams in your shower. In tile showers it is best to only use a 100 silcone caulk like latacrete latasil for recaulking a shower. Tom meehan a second generation tile installer and co author of working with tile who lives and works in harwich mass responds. An area of controversy has always been whether to caulk or grout around the base of a tile shower floor.

Caulk is an inexpensive product ideal for filling in gaps and providing your shower with a finished look. Use a utility knife to cut the tip of your caulk tube at a 45 degree angle image 1. My tile installer recently told me that he wanted to use caulk in the corners of a tiled shower instead of grout is that necessary. You should angle the utility knife so that you cut into the old caulk without cutting into and damaging shower tiles or surrounding surfaces.

You can use a utility knife and a razor blade scrapping tool to remove the old shower caulk. There are tile installers who have been installing tile for years that have no idea of how to build a shower that does not leak. Wipe along the caulk line with a wet. When applied to a shower drain it will help keep water from seeping into areas where it should not go.

Scrub the grout and then rinse off the mold killer with water and let it dry. Apply either silicone or latex caulk with a caulk gun or squeeze the product straight from the tube. Use painter s tape create a guide for the new caulk line. Clean the bare tiles and grout.

The job can look beautiful after the install but the experience of the installer is put to the test after months if not weeks of use. The vast majority of showers that i ve tiled have had no problems when i use grout in the corners. You should first use the utility knife to cut into the old caulk to loosen it up a bit. Aim the bead of caulk just ahead of the nozzle and push the gun forward as you apply the caulk.

Once the old caulk is gone remove any loose grout between the walls and the tub or shower floor.