Help!: Anyone know of an extra extra extra flexible wall tile grout? Damsel in distress!!

[Sue1]

Hi all, we had our bathroom done in the summer and had a new bath plumbed in. Its been tiled all around and also to bath panel has been tiled making it impossible to gain access to underneigh the bath.

Our problem is that recently when we fill the bath up or stand in the bath for shower a crack runnning the full length of the bath appears along the grout between the tiles on the walls. Worrying especially since water drips through the ceiling underniegh when someone has a shower. The gap is less than 3mm thick and disappears when the bath is not in use. Obvioulsy the bath is moving with the weight.

Without smashing off the tiled panel on the front of the bath to gain access to under the bath, is there any extra extra extra flexible stuff we can fill the crack with that will solve the problem? Please please help :-)

[Dave]

Hello and welcome..



IMO i think you need to remove the panel and strengthen the bath,.. and has silicone been applied between the bath and tiles.?

[Stewart]

Is this the internal corner that should be siliconed instead of grouted...?

[Sue1]

Yeah the bath was siliconed, then the tiles were stuck on, then the bath was siliconed again. But its not the silicon thats cracked. The tiles are only small and its one tile distance above the bath. About 10cm above. And the crack runs along the grout between the tiles along the full length of the bath. Thanks for your help.

[Dave]

Sounds like a stress crack... bath needs supporting, but it might be too late for the first 2 rows of tiles.

[Brinkley]

plumber / tiler should have battoned the wall for the bath to sit on imo

[jay]

Best to get them back to fix (original fitters) as it doesn't sound like an easy fix problem
might help if you can post some pics
thanks

[Bolter]

tubbed adhesive?

Seen this a few times where the silicone is the strongest thing in the room. House moves (newbuild) or bath settles (old build) or what have you and the silicone literally pulls the bottom rows off/down.

Attended a new build repair job the other day where customer reported bottom row of tiles and come loose in a shower. Took the front off the shower tray and all five legs were off the floor by 5-10mm!! The house had "settled" that much, and the silicone had pulled the bottom row of tiles down with it. Tiler had used tubbed adhesive.