ChatterBank0 min ago
Can Anyone Recommend A Good Reliable Sealant For Around The Bath?
34 Answers
Here's the problem: I have a shower fitted over my bath but everytime I use it, water drips down into the kitchen below. The problem is the silicone sealant around the entire edge of bath keeps splitting even though I've tried replacing it time and time again. I've even tried removing all the old sealant and starting all over again from scratch, but the same thing happens. I was even advised to fill the bath with water before applying the sealant (to allow for the weight of the water), I've done this but it still doesn't seem to resolve the problem.
Would appreciate any help with this.
Would appreciate any help with this.
Answers
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.is it quite a wide gap? I have bodged a wide bath gap by buying a can of expanding foam and squirting it into the gap and letting it set before putting the silicone sealant on.
The other thing is to make sure that all the surfaces are grease free. Once the old sealer is off, clean it all round with meths. When the meths is dry, buff off with clean kitchen paper.
The other thing is to make sure that all the surfaces are grease free. Once the old sealer is off, clean it all round with meths. When the meths is dry, buff off with clean kitchen paper.
You could try using sealant tape
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation
Also using shower curtains with the curtains dangling a few inches inside the bath will get most of the shower water landing in the bath , minimizing the amount going around the edge of the bath .
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation
Also using shower curtains with the curtains dangling a few inches inside the bath will get most of the shower water landing in the bath , minimizing the amount going around the edge of the bath .
Thanks for all your replies.
needawin: I wouldn't touch the cheap pound stuff with a barge pole. I've tried silicone sealants from Wilkos and B&Q ranging from £3.99 - £5.99 but none seem to solve the problem.
woofgang: Have just tried giving the bath a good wiggle like you suggested and it seems firm enough but it's hard to tell for sure. I would've thought any good sealant would stop any wiggle or at least allow for slight movement?
argorstran: Yes, I do have shower curtains that hang completely inside my bath, on a "U" shape rail, but obviously not on the wall where the shower itself is located (above the bath taps). No matter what I try, the water still splashes onto the split sealant and drips down through the kitchen ceiling. I really do think the only solution is to find a decent sealant. Just checked out that sealant tape on Amazon btw, but sadly none of the reviews have anything favourable to say about the product. Cheers anyway.
needawin: I wouldn't touch the cheap pound stuff with a barge pole. I've tried silicone sealants from Wilkos and B&Q ranging from £3.99 - £5.99 but none seem to solve the problem.
woofgang: Have just tried giving the bath a good wiggle like you suggested and it seems firm enough but it's hard to tell for sure. I would've thought any good sealant would stop any wiggle or at least allow for slight movement?
argorstran: Yes, I do have shower curtains that hang completely inside my bath, on a "U" shape rail, but obviously not on the wall where the shower itself is located (above the bath taps). No matter what I try, the water still splashes onto the split sealant and drips down through the kitchen ceiling. I really do think the only solution is to find a decent sealant. Just checked out that sealant tape on Amazon btw, but sadly none of the reviews have anything favourable to say about the product. Cheers anyway.
Any decent sanitary silicone should do the job Jordy. Dig it all out again :o(
After you've had a good clean around, thoroughly dry the area with a hair dryer. Get it nice and warm. Silicone hates water, even a little dampness. It just won't stick.
Next, force sealant into the joint as much as you can. This is just the first coat........ don't worry about neat finishing. Wipe all excess off and let it cure for a few hours.
Now go for the final bead of silicone........... as neat as you can. Keep a cup of water handy. To finish ........... dip your finger in the water and run gently along the top of the bead to smooth it out.
This is only one of many ways to get good results with silicone. Others will have their own ways. This does work for me :o)
After you've had a good clean around, thoroughly dry the area with a hair dryer. Get it nice and warm. Silicone hates water, even a little dampness. It just won't stick.
Next, force sealant into the joint as much as you can. This is just the first coat........ don't worry about neat finishing. Wipe all excess off and let it cure for a few hours.
Now go for the final bead of silicone........... as neat as you can. Keep a cup of water handy. To finish ........... dip your finger in the water and run gently along the top of the bead to smooth it out.
This is only one of many ways to get good results with silicone. Others will have their own ways. This does work for me :o)
it will allow for occasional slight movement (silicone) but frequent wiggling will break the joint, especially if the joint was not good one to begin with (wet or greasy surfaces) I would really check that you have no movement, shove a few matches or cocktail sticks down the gap in various places so they are just wedged lightly, try and wiggle the bath in all directions and see if the matches/cocktail sticks move or fall out. If it does, the bath will need repostioning and the clamps/stands refixing.
You might like to try this sealant:
Dow Corning 785 Acetoxy Bacteriostatic Sealant (and, yes, I have copied the words accurately!). On the back of the cartridge there are these numbers:
ISO 22196:2007
A cartridge cost me about £5 last year. I mention this brand because I, too, have been disappointed with sealants that are available for the amateur market. A local plumber has done two or three jobs for me, and I noticed that his sealant was much better than the stuff that I had been buying. I went to the same plumbers' merchants that he uses, I mentioned his name, and I asked for the sealant that he uses, and I was sold the Dow Corning (which was in a back room and not on display). If you can get hold of that, you won't be disappointed.
Dow Corning 785 Acetoxy Bacteriostatic Sealant (and, yes, I have copied the words accurately!). On the back of the cartridge there are these numbers:
ISO 22196:2007
A cartridge cost me about £5 last year. I mention this brand because I, too, have been disappointed with sealants that are available for the amateur market. A local plumber has done two or three jobs for me, and I noticed that his sealant was much better than the stuff that I had been buying. I went to the same plumbers' merchants that he uses, I mentioned his name, and I asked for the sealant that he uses, and I was sold the Dow Corning (which was in a back room and not on display). If you can get hold of that, you won't be disappointed.
Thanks everyone for the much appreciated help and advice. I'll try The Builder's suggestion first and see how things go from there, but I'll certainly keep that Dow Corning stuff in mind, bookbinder. I probably won't be doing it until the weekend but I'll keep you posted on how it all goes. Thanks again. ;o)
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