Need advice caulking a bathtub when the gap is BIG between wall tiles & tub. Thanks.

[phil2b]

Hi folks. I am a new member. I have done some tiling but am still a slightly advanced beginner. I have 2 questions, one small & one big, about caulking a bathtub. Some folks mentioned filling up the tub with water prior to caulking. How long do you leave the water in the tub? One youtube video suggested leaving the water in for 24 hours after caulking. Do you agree?

Bigger question. I live in an old building & at least 30 years ago, whoever tiled & caulked my tub was very sloppy. The gap between the tiles on the wall & the tub varies from 1/4 inch to almost an inch! That is (I think) between 6 mm & nearly 24 mm. The only good news is that the gap is not deep (going into the wall) & I have cleaned out the gap well. I was thinking of adding one layer of caulk & then adding more caulk after maybe 5 or more hours (when the first layer is dry) Then I would continue adding layers of caulk until the gap is filled & level. By the way, the gap between the tiles and the tub is filled with grout.


Thanks VERY MUCH or your help.

 

[Andy Allen]

I would look at raising the bath to meet the tiles...

 

[phil2b]

Thanks, but that would not work. The gap varies in size from about 6 mm to almost 24 mm on the different walls surrounding the tub. There is only one small section of the tub where the wall tiles are level with the tub.
Decades ago, lazy workers patched up the gap with a combo of grout & caulk. I removed that "combo" & will re-caulk the gap later. I cut & installed 3 tiles that are longer so the gap could be smaller. But I don't want to cut & replace every tile next to the tub.
I am new to this site. Hope you can see the photo & read my reply. I don't know why my photo shows up twice, but I don't have time to change it. Thanks for your help.

 

[Andy Allen]

You could get yourself a pack of these to stick round the bath to reduce the gap...

 

[Dumbo]

You could get yourself a pack of these to stick round the bath to reduce the gap...
View attachment 97331

Ir go to double glazing place and by a length of 19 mm plastic quadrant

 

[GoneGuy]

I would use a pvc quadrant

 

[Blunt Tool]

That bath definitely looks as tho it has moved down, the problem is that you don’t know if it’s still moving down or has it stopped. Is it the bath legs or is the floor under the bath giving way. You need to take bath panel off and see why this is happening or you could be visiting your neighbor or basement the quick way. No amount of silicone or quadrants will permanently fix this and IMO those tiles look past their sell by date and all need renewed anyway. So in short fix the bath and floor first then get some new tiles on

 

[WetSaw]

 

[Blunt Tool]

 

[WetSaw]

View attachment 97412

Keep up....

 

[Blunt Tool]

Keep up....

No yours is cif mines is jif keep up

 

[WetSaw]

In Sweden, the United Kingdom, and South Africa the products were sold under the name Vim before this was changed to Jif, the launch name in Ireland, the Netherlands and Hong Kong. In January 2001, the name in most of these countries was changed to Cif, in order to harmonise marketing and product inventories across the continent.

 

[Deleted member 49260]

No yours is cif mines is jif keep up

Jif the real deal, none of this euro-naming nonsense, and don't get me started on Oil of O/Ulay.
But having said that I worked in printing and when Marathon changed to Snickers we made a fortune:- first it was a new pack design for
Marathon (redesigned slightly to allow a 'flash')
then
Marathon 'flashed' known as Snickers in USA (or somesuch), then
Snickers 'flashed' previously known as Marathon, then
Marathon!

I'd probably still be doing all that stuff except it all went to Poland/China - you may have seen the odd spelling mistake since then...

 

[Deleted member 49260]

Hang on wasn't Vim an old fashioned shaker - hadn't realised that had morphed into Jif as a cream!

 

[Blunt Tool]

Bet the OP is wondering where this has went haha

 

[Deleted member 49260]

Bet the OP is wondering where this has went haha

Gotta love thread drift - or go mad!

 

[Andy Allen]

Off

(Just to continue the chocolate theme)...

 

[phil2b]

Here is the email I sent to [email protected]:

Hi:
I am very new to this forum. How do I report ludicrous, inane, stupid, childish replies to my question about re-tiling a bathtub wall?
The ludicrous, inane, stupid, childish replies started with pdc & continued with callatiler, neilrj and Andy Allen.
Thanks...........................phil2b

 

[phil2b]

You could get yourself a pack of these to stick round the bath to reduce the gap...
View attachment 97331

Hello:
I think that first the gap must be sealed, possibly with grout and/or silicone caulk. I am working on that. The next step might be trim tiles.

 

[phil2b]

I would use a pvc quadrant

Hi Adey:
Hello:
I think that first the gap must be sealed, possibly with grout and/or silicone caulk. I am working on that. The next step might be some kind of pvc trim tiles. Thanks for your help.

 

[phil2b]

Ir go to double glazing place and by a length of 19 mm plastic quadrant

Hello:
I think that first the gap must be sealed, possibly with grout and/or silicone caulk. I am working on that. I am in the US & the quadrant tiles are more available in the UK than the US. But maybe I can find something similar.

 

[Dumbo]

Hello:
I think that first the gap must be sealed, possibly with grout and/or silicone caulk. I am working on that. I am in the US & the quadrant tiles are more available in the UK than the US. But maybe I can find something similar.

I didn't recommed quadrant tiles . I don't like them .

 

[phil2b]

That bath definitely looks as tho it has moved down, the problem is that you don’t know if it’s still moving down or has it stopped. Is it the bath legs or is the floor under the bath giving way. You need to take bath panel off and see why this is happening or you could be visiting your neighbor or basement the quick way. No amount of silicone or quadrants will permanently fix this and IMO those tiles look past their sell by date and all need renewed anyway. So in short fix the bath and floor first then get some new tiles on

Hi: Thanks for your answer.
I doubt the bath has moved down. The gaps between the tub & walls have been that way for decades. About 30 years ago or more, workers took the lazy way out & filled the gaps with grout & silicone. The real problem is that the building is old & the walls have warped. There are not many level "90 degree right angles" between one wall & the next. A right angle might be a US term that folks in the UK are not familiar with. If I had the money, I would get a contractor to put in new walls. I can't do that by myself.

 

[WetSaw]

Here is the email I sent to [email protected]:

Hi:
I am very new to this forum. How do I report ludicrous, inane, stupid, childish replies to my question about re-tiling a bathtub wall?
The ludicrous, inane, stupid, childish replies started with pdc & continued with callatiler, neilrj and Andy Allen.
Thanks...........................phil2b

I've put myself on the naughty step, given myself a slap on the hand and said 5 hail Marys. I hope those other nasty people will follow my lead.

 

[Qwerty]

Cheers guys. Keep it on topic please

 

[Blunt Tool]

I’m easily led, sorry

 

[Andy Allen]

What did I do wrong...??

I don't want to be associated with the rif-raf........

 

[phil2b]

I didn't recommed quadrant tiles . I don't like them .

I plunged ahead. I installed some longer tiles to cover the gap. Then I added a small amount of grout, but mostly silicone to seal the tub. I am fine with grout. But it was my 1st time using silicone caulk. God, what a mess that can make. I might add some kind of trim tile to cover the caulk.

 

[Julian 'Farmer' Bonsall]

Well I'm a little lost. I can't tell what's real and what isn't.

 

[Andy Allen]

You've lost me....