In my shower the grout (where wall tiles meet floor tiles) has hair line cracks and leaks. What should i do?

Answer 1

Clean well, removing all mildew and soap scum. Wipe well with rubbing alcohol, this will prepare tile for good bond with caulk. Use a silicone caulk, the same color as your grout, and caulk over the cracks thinly. Work the caulk into the cracks with your finger, then caulk again, heavier, and also smooth out with your finger. This gives the caulking a feathered edge and will be harder for it to work off.

Answer 2

Hi - first of all, you should remove the entire grout line and then air it out for a good 2 - 3 days. You most likely have moisture that has drained through so you want to dry this out before you close it back up to prevent rot, mold and structural problems. Fan works great. Next, you should clean the tile both on the wall and floor. You should then go to any tile store or hardware center that sells grout but DO NOT purchase grout. You should purchase sanded caulk if you have sanded grout and unsanded caulk if your grout is unsanded. You will want to purchase the color caulk that matches your grout.
The caulk has more latex in it which allows it to expand and contract much more than grout does which should prevent you from seeing cracks in the future as this area moves alot being a 90 degree angle where the floor and walls meet.
TIP: use this caulk in tile jobs anytime you have a 90 degree angle such a yours or anytime the tile butts up to anything other than tile such as wood, laminate, plastic, glass, etc... You will see cracks like this often where a backsplash meets a counter in the kitchen or shower walls meet floors or tubs so now you can be a good friend and let those people know the little trick.

Good Luck

Answer 3

They missed a step....Use a good clear silicone caulking in the 'crack' where tile and grout meet wall. Otherwise, if for example, someone showers and gets water on the floor, it will get into this area, go under the tile and start to ruin the flooring under the tile. Mold and mildew can also grow in these wet areas. Molding trim only covers the edge of the tile giving it a neater more finished appearance, but it's still cosmetic...to protect, you need to seal or caulk around the outer edges of your flooring. You will also need to use a sealant on the grout between your new tiles as well, or the same problem can occur, as grout is porous and can absorb water and soapy liquids which then go down into the underflooring, and different liquids can stain the grout.

Answer 4

Good answers above. Either regrout the bottom section or just apply a clear silicone sealant over the cracks. Letting this go will only lead to structural problems. When that happens, it will take more than a tube of caulk to fix.

Answer 5

There are a number of ways to fix this problem from the simple to days of work. The trick is to do a good repair quick and simply as it is a shower and you are using it every day. One of the best products for these sorts of repairs and a 100 other uses is epoxy putty as it is water proof and water malleable the trouble is most epoxy putty's are tan in color only a few places sell a white epoxy putty. Try this company (KBS Coatings) they have a white one and if you are like me you can use it for all your other repairs.

Answer 6

I would re-grout the cracks that have formed and fill them in to prevent water seepage under the floor. Then make sure you seal the grout to help it withstand the water and prevent cracking.

Answer 7

Caulk with a 2 part epoxy putty. It just about bonds to everything and won't shrink either. Lightly sand area before applying. This stuff can even cure underwater!

Answer 8

Most home improvement stores sell a sealant for cracks. It's easy to apply.

Answer 9

Use lots of chewing gum - it's way cheaper than sealant and easier than re-grouting.

Answer 10

It's time to regrout. You can try that sealant that works pretty good, too. I did that and it sure did help. Leaks may require some major repair.