silicone edge of room

[FreeD]

Hi all

Think i've done something wrong and need to be enlightened to the correct method...

last job i did i left a 10mm expansion joint around the room between the tile and skirting...then grouted this line with flexible grout...then siliconed between grout and skirting.

I had problems with the PCI silicone going off...i had waited for the grout to dry before siliconing...the PCI silicone still hadn't cured after 72 hours...a phone call to technical revealed that the silicone was 3 years out of date and they thought this may have been the problem...but the shop i bought it from say that PCI have since done tests on the same batch and it was fine (they showed me cured silicone) i told them well i left mine 72 hours and it was still uncured could this be my fault something to so with siliconing between wood and grout?

Anyway i read on the forum that if tiling up to skirting then only a 4mm gap needs to be left not 10mm and that this is not filled with grout first but filled with silicone???

[Dave]

10 mm is a wide gap.... 4 mm is fine..

[FreeD]

ok and i fill this gap with silicone not grout? leave it slightly proud and finish with finger?

What about the PCI silicone any idea why that didnt go off?

[LM Ceramics]

10 mm is to big of an expansion gap like dave says 4mm is suffiecent grouting the expansion gap then siliconing the gap defeats the object really the whole point of an expansion gap is the leave a joint for expansion

i always silicone internal corners leave them un grouted also another tip is what i hear if there ever a failure on the adhesive that is one of the things they will check if the corners have been siliconed

[FreeD]

Ok i see what ure saying...but if a flexible grout has been used surely thats enough only prob being that it may crack.

[Eddie]

Hello Bud. I use p.c.i silicone all the time. Never had any probs with it not going off.

[FreeD]

so at what point do u do the siliconing to me it makes sense to do it after the grouting when the room is clean and tidy...but this often warrants a return visit...so as not to step all over the grout..?

what u lot do?

[Tiler Dave]

when tiling bathrooms, or any where really after grouting and cleaning up i usually silicon all my internal corners just to ensure water tightness. weather tiling onto stud work walls which may move or solid walls which are less likly to cause probs. this i do as a rule in showers and other water prone areas....

[jay]

hi flex grout can flex a wittle timber floors (deflect) silicon can expand and contract(movement) and as tilerdave say internal joints were tiles meet other materials(bathes vanitys door jambs skirt s/screens etc)