Silicone internal corners... - TilersForums.com

[united]

not sure i have read you right here , but , the silicone takes the place of the grout

I agree

 

[brinkley]

always grout first imo

 

[StanleyES]

I thought that you pretty much filled the expansion gaps with silicone, (When you smooth it off with your finger). Once this had been done you then grout. This would mean the grout would simply butt up against your dry silicone joints. I just couldn't imagine the grout would seal against the dry silicone very well, i may well be wrong! Does grout shrink at all as it dries, if so this would definitely make the joint weak.

Whereas, doing it the other way round (As Scottley says) i can see the silicone will make a good seal when you smooth it off.
(My only thought with his method is that you need to have more accuracy applying the grout, making sure you get right up to the vertical joint without getting any in it)

What do think, am i worrying needlessly?

 

[paulyoung666]

What do think, am i worrying needlessly?

yes you are :lol: , buy colour match silicone and you will not notice it is there

 

[mikethetile]

I thought that you pretty much filled the expansion gaps with silicone, (When you smooth it off with your finger). Once this had been done you then grout. This would mean the grout would simply butt up against your dry silicone joints. I just couldn't imagine the grout would seal against the dry silicone very well, i may well be wrong! Does grout shrink at all as it dries, if so this would definitely make the joint weak.

Whereas, doing it the other way round (As Scottley says) i can see the silicone will make a good seal when you smooth it off.
(My only thought with his method is that you need to have more accuracy applying the grout, making sure you get right up to the vertical joint without getting any in it)

What do think, am i worrying needlessly?

I understand your point

yes grout does shrink back a small amount as it dries but ive never known this to be a problem

I grout first leaving corner corner clear and then silicone when grouts dry

its just common sense to me as the other siliconing is done after grouting and I do it all in one

 

[Rich]

As above. I grout first, then when the grout is just setting off, I run a paint scrapper (gently) along all the joints that are going to be siliconed to remove the grout. Then I come back to silicone when the grout is dry and the room clean.

 

[carole m]

I want the internal corner in my shower just grouted with bathroom grout, i hate the sight of silicone, in many hotels in showers you never see silicone and in many new builds i do not see silicone, i have had silicone in bathrooms before and it has gone mouldy and looks bad, i understand i would have to re-grout every so often. if it is the case that it is because it is an internal corner. can ti be siliconed and then grout on top so as to make all the tiling look the some.

 

[DJS]

Hi Carole, the internal corners should not be filled with grout. The gap is filled with flexible silicone, so that it does not crack due to heat expansion. If it is filled with grout it will crack, it is not the way it should be done.

I'm not saying all contractors working on commercial projects such as hotels and new builds are bad, I have seen both excellent and some shocking examples myself.

If you are having problems with mould growth, then you need to ensure your background is prepared properly, use suitable grout protector, and a decent mould resistant silicone (preferably matching your grout colour, so it look like a grout line). Plus using a proper cleaning product, to remove soapy residues from grout and tile surface once every few months, should all add up to keeping it looking like new.

Also, if your tiler uses a silicone shaping tool, and cornertape/masking tape, then the silicone joint will be nice and tidy. Not sploged in and smoothed over with a finger, which I guess is what alot of people are used to seeing. So, just because your used to seeing something done a particular way, doesn't mean it is the right way to do it!!

Good Luck

 

[diamondtiling]

HI Carole and welcome to Tilersforums. All good advice from DJS, you do need silicone rather than grout in the internal corners. Just get a quality brand and someone who can apply it properly. Silicone turns black and unsightly because of soaps and bodyfats during showers etc
and showers are always worse than baths for these types of problems.

 

[Rich]

I agree with both the guys above and I doubt you will find anybody on here that will say we are wrong. I really couldnt count how many rooms I have put right after thousands of pounds worth of damage has been done to the house just because the "tiler mad2" didnt know or couldnt be bothereds to use silicone.

It is not that we like to use silicone, it would be a lot easier and quicker just to grout the joints in but it WILL fail and water will destroy the wall and floor behind the tiling.

As has been said above, a neat silicone joint that has been done by a pro will blend in with the rest of the room, a bad messy joint done by a monkey will look awful.