Grout around bath tub: remove or keep

Discussion in 'Tilers' Talk' started by mewmewme, Jan 17, 2022.

  1. mewmewme

    mewmewme New Member

    Moved into a new house and found the bath needed resealing.

    Taking the sealant off there is currently grout at the join between the top of the bath and the tiles on the wall.

    I can find lots of advice online that 'sealant over grout is bad' and I can see how it has caused problems here. Even little failures in the sealant caused water to build up in the grout and go gunky.

    Buuuuuuuut... down the side of the bath there is what looks to me quite a big gap to fill with sealant (at least 5mm in places).

    When I rake out the old grout should I replace it then seal over, or just silicone seal?

    Some pictures are under the 'spoiler' button.

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    Last edited: Jan 17, 2022
  2. WillyEckerslike

    WillyEckerslike Screwfix Select

    5mm is nothing to worry about and I would just use silicone once you've raked out the grout and cleaned everything up. When dry, wipe down with alcohol and then apply your silicone finishing off with one of the profile tools available from our host.
    My choice of sealant is Dow Corning 785+
     
    Deleted member 246321 likes this.
  3. ejenner

    ejenner Active Member

    Backer rod is a useful innovation. I dunno when it came out but you put the backer rod behind the silicone seal and it creates a gap behind the silicone. Then with the flexing of the bath filling up with water and sinking it takes the fatigue stress out of the joint and makes it more reliable.
     

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