What sealant shall I try? - Tile Advice

[SarahStu]

Please could anyone advise me what sealant I might try for a marble mosaic wetroom floor (but it is the grout that is the problem).

This is the story so far:

I have a wet area shower with tiled walls and floor. The tanking is holding up ok, but a small amount of water is getting between tiles and tanking and rising up at edge of wet area. I have spent a lot of time crawling around on my knees carefully replacing all the sealant (wall/wall, wall/floor, tiles/drain) but it is still leaking.

The only thing I can think of is that the mosaic floor (small marble tiles) is letting water through hairline cracks in grout. These have probably arisen through slight movement...I don't think enough care was taken with sub structure (another story....but too late to go back to company that installed it even if I wanted to....which I don't! )

Is there a sealant that I can use on the floor that might deal with these very small grout cracks? I'm happy to give it a go even if it only has 50/50 chance of succeeding, as I'm running out of options!

My only remaining option is to rip it out and re-tile :-( However the shower is a Daryl Minima walk-in, and it doesn't look like this would be easy, or that it could be taken out and reinstalled without getting damaged.

If anyone can suggest a sealant to try, or is very familiar with Daryl Minima's and can advise on removing and reinstalling (I realise this is tiling forum not shower fitting forum...but you never know!) then I would LOVE some help.

Thanks
Sarah

 

[grumpygrouter]

Hi Sarah. Looks like you have quite a problem. We have a wet room sponsor on the forums and he may be able to help better than me. There are grout sealants on the market but I am unable to advise as I have never used any. Not really sure it would solve your problem though, I am inclined to think as I can't see your problem (pic would help!) that the only solution will be to re-grout - and this will be a pain with mosaics. Good luck, I am sure you will get more responses later so stick around....oh! and welcome to the forums.

 

[wetdec]

Hi Sarah

Honestly anything you paint on or pump in is not going to hold for long so I would say are a waste of time.

Best option available I would say :

Go buy a dremel (b&Q own make about 20 quid) a mask and a tile cutting drill bit.

Now get a piece of mosaic you have left over and measure so the bit goes 3/4 down the depth and mark the bit. Now put some insulating tape around bit above the mark.

Sit in your shower and grind out the grout first one way then the other going only as deep as the tape.


It will take a while but not an age, when all done alow it to dry for a good few days before re grouting it and sealing it with a lithofin product.


Sound laborious but it will be worth it and will quite possibly save the whole installation.


Sorry you asked now


..

 

[Leatherface]

Hi, might be a silly question, but do you know if Flexible grout has been used ?
Cracking grout ? This can occur when non flexi is used on a floor subject to movement.

 

[SarahStu]

Thank you everyone for all the ideas!

Grumpy...I can do photos, but where do I put them? (der, I just noticed 'insert image' icon...would that be it? )

Wetdec...that sounds truely terrifying, but not as terrifying as ripping it out and starting again. Obvious worry is going through the tanking. But other thing that worries me...I could be wrong! So far I thought it was the silicone sealant around edges that had failed, but it wasn't. Then I was convinced it must be sealant around drain, but it wasn't. I could be wrong again. The cracks are very tiny, and only a few...they don't look like water would go through them easily, if at all. Would it be worth me trying a paint on sealant to test the theory, even if it didn't last for very long? Or do you think it just wouldn't work at all?

Leatherface...that is an interesting question. I had forgotten, but now you mention it I do recall there being some discussions with bathroom company about grout. I think (but I'm not sure) that the recommended grout was grey, but because this would have looked odd, they opted for a white one. They said it was flexible and ok for the width of the grout....the grey one was only neccessary for wider grout.

I'll have a go at getting some photos tomorrow.

Thanks again, it's great to get some encouraging ideas!
Sarah