Bath Screen Silicone - Tile Advice

[Alf_Laden]

Hi All,

Not strictly a tiling question, but thought you guys would know!

Having successfully completed my bathroom tiling project, I have just fitted a bath screen to a bath/shower setup.

There is a long chrome/aluminium profile/bracket which first screws to the wall, and then the screen slots into it. The bath screen is hinged at the wall side.

The (limited) instructions say that I should "externally silicone seal the wall profile where it meets the wall and along the bottom of the glass" and says "do not silicone inside the enclosure".

Does that sound right?

I thought you'd put a thin bead of silicone down on the internal side of the bath screen to stop water and soap etc getting in down behind the wall profile, but it says to put the silicone on the external side, which I think wouldn't look very neat and would surely mean that water and soap could get in behind it and surely soap "scum" would build up behind the profile, no? Doesn't sound right to me!

What's the normal approach on this?

Thanks guys.

 

[MitchDoss]

Most instructions will say to silicone on the outside so that any water has a way of getting out and running back into the bath and not getting trapped behind the profile, why its a good idea also to put silicone in all the screw holes going into the tile.

same reason for shower valves leaving a little gap of silicone so water can escape.

 

[Alf_Laden]

Most instructions will say to silicone on the outside so that any water has a way of getting out and running back into the bath and not getting trapped behind the profile, why its a good idea also to put silicone in all the screw holes going into the tile.

same reason for shower valves leaving a little gap of silicone so water can escape.

Thanks Mitch.

That makes sense. But surely if one properly siliconed the internal edge of the profile, then water would not get behind it?! Unless over time the seal degraded and let the water in, I guess.

I had already put a blob of silicone into the profile screw holes, so that one's covered - thanks for the tip.

Just need to decide if I want the aesthetic of a line of silicone down the outside edge of the profile now, or rsk putting it on the inside edge!

Cheers.

 

[MitchDoss]

Thanks Mitch.

That makes sense. But surely if one properly siliconed the internal edge of the profile, then water would not get behind it?! Unless over time the seal degraded and let the water in, I guess.

I had already put a blob of silicone into the profile screw holes, so that one's covered - thanks for the tip.

Just need to decide if I want the aesthetic of a line of silicone down the outside edge of the profile now, or rsk putting it on the inside edge!

Cheers

I mean over time water could find its way in, possibly from the top depending on the type of shower,

Me personally when I fit these I will just do a thin clear bead of silicone, doesn't have to be too big so it's hardly noticeable.

 

[Alf_Laden]

I mean over time water could find its way in, possibly from the top depending on the type of shower,

Me personally when I fit these I will just do a thin clear bead of silicone, doesn't have to be too big so it's hardly noticeable.

Understood!

Agree on a thin clear bead of silicone - down the outside edge - I think that's what I'll do.

Thanks again.