DIY bath grout/sealant

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Margaret52129
Margaret52129 Posts: 262 Forumite
in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving
Hi I need to replace my sealant round the bath.

I've removed it but underneath it had grouting between the bath and tiles. Lots of that came away with the sealant, so my question is, do I now have to remove all the grout and regrout before sealing, or will the sealant be enough?

Thanks for any advice.

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  • Aylesbury_Duck
    Aylesbury_Duck Posts: 13,993 Forumite
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    I've only ever used sealant for that join, simply because temperature and weight will all make the bath move ever so slightly. Grout will crack. Flexible sealant copes with it.
  • Margaret52129
    Margaret52129 Posts: 262 Forumite
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    Thanks Aylesbury Duck, so do I have to remove all the old grout, do you think?

    Thanks
  • Ebe_Scrooge
    Ebe_Scrooge Posts: 7,320 Forumite
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    Margaret52129 wrote: »
    Thanks Aylesbury Duck, so do I have to remove all the old grout, do you think?

    Thanks


    No - as long as the surfaces that you'll be applying the sealant to are perfectly clean and dry, then what's underneath makes no difference. Fill the bath with water before you start, apply the sealant, let it cure overnight then empty the bath. If you apply the sealant to an empty bath, the first time you fill it, it'll settle slightly and pull apart all your lovely new sealant.


    To re-iterate - like many DIY jobs, preparation is everything. Make sure you remove all traces of the old sealant, give it a good wipe over with meths to make sure there's no grease or soap or anything left there, and you'll be fine. As long as the old grout is underneath where you'll be sealing, no problem at all.
  • Margaret52129
    Margaret52129 Posts: 262 Forumite
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    I'd heard of this before, I assumed it was only if it was an acrylic one. I've a cast iron bath, does that make any difference?

    But I've no idea what I'm doing, and you seem to do, so that's what I will do!

    Thanks.
  • Ebe_Scrooge
    Ebe_Scrooge Posts: 7,320 Forumite
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    Margaret52129 wrote: »
    I'd heard of this before, I assumed it was only if it was an acrylic one. I've a cast iron bath, does that make any difference?


    It's true, a cast iron bath will tend to move less than an acrylic one. But it'll still move - particularly if it's sat on anything other than a solid concrete floor ( the floorboards, chipboard, whatever will also flex slightly under the weight of a full bath ). It only takes a movement of half a millimetre or so to spoil all your hard work.
  • Cats_are_great
    Cats_are_great Posts: 51 Forumite
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    As Ebe said, I fill the bath with water ( and get in it) before applying, make sure the area to be sealed is clean and dry before you apply. I find silicone is much better than acrylic bath sealants as it has much more flex and silicone doesn't go mouldy and has a longer lifespan.....but it does smell nasty until cured.

    Good prep is the key.
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