HELP!! Split and Cracked silicone caulk on our new bathroom! Mega water issues.?

Question

We recently installed a new corner shower unit ( 3 pieces) and used a GE silicone kitchen/bath caulk. The caulk has begun splitting and cracking and it's leaking all over the place. Any ideas of what type of caulk to use to ensure our adhesion to the tub and the shower floor are durable? Also, when pressure is added to the floor or base of the unit, it too leaks. The drain in the middle, could that be siliconed as well to ensure the weight of the "showerer" is not causing the compression of the shower floor to allow for water to leak?>

Thanks!

Answer 1

The caulking material sounds like the right stuff, but if the floor under and around the shower is springy or soft, it may be allowing enough movement that the caulking lets go.

The solution may be that the floor may need to be shored up from underneath by adding additional support joists, or possibly even a concrete footing with posts to keep the floor from sagging.

Answer 2

Me guesses you didn't install everything properly and it's all moving from body weight and expansion contraction of the unit. Silicone caulk is the correct material to use. It's possible the unit wasn't clean and the caulk isn't sticking to it or it was incorrectly caulked. Silicone has some "give" in it to prevent it from pulling away. Perhaps too thin a bead of caulk was used. Many different scenarios could be present here.

Answer 3

Holy super water issue! The floor of the shower should NOT move when people are in it. It should be fully supported to allow for no movement. If it's flexing, it is not set right. The drain is typically sealed, but not to hold it in place - simply to prevent water leakage. The problem now is that even if you correct the problem, you still have water under the unit, which will cause mold and mildew - which will eventually smell and make everyone sick. To "do it right" you have to uninstall it all and let it dry out - replacing any rot, then rest the unit. Good luck!

Answer 4

Are you shure it is silicone ? Sounds like the shower is not fastened correctly. silicone is a sealant. You have to much movement. On the vinyl it should be glued to the wall with construction adhesive. Silicone is a sealant for the joints. The base should be well screwed to the wall and touching the floor on the other two sides. If you had to lift it to level it , you need to shim it.

Answer 5

Try to cut it around the bottom, like against the tub, going sideways, with a utility knife, and hopefully it will peel off in strips. Then take a razor blade knife and scrape off the rest of it. There is a caulk remover product on the market, but I've never tried it. Hope this helps:) Good Luck!!

Answer 6

DIY ? Sometimes one gets into a bind and ends up botching a job for lack of experience which seems to be the problem with this project. So get a professional whose job it is to install a corner shower properly, admit your error and get the job done right. Pay the pro a few dollars.