Resealing shower

Bex_12

Hi all,

I am a novice DIY-er so please be patient! A month ago I discovered that my shower was leaking into the adjacent bedroom through the wall. Got the plumber out and he advised that it was likely to be the shower. As there was a thick layer of old sealant where the tiles join the shower tray he recommended resealing and suggested I could do it myself.

I have just finishing removing most of the sealant but discovered a plastic seal which fills the gap where the tiles meet the shower tray. My questions are:

Am I likely to need to remove and replace this also, or should sealing the joins suffice?

Also, there is sealant in the crevice where the tiles meet the seal. This sealant is pretty black and mouldy, however it's proving pretty difficulty to remove as it is a narrow crevice with a seemingly thin layer of sealant.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am keen to do a decent job of this!

Thanks,

Becky

dominoman

I just did the exact same job last weekend.

So long as there is a good seal it doesnt matter what is behind. The most important thing is to make sure it is totally clean (no dust) and totally dry before you apply the sealant. Dry it with tissue paper and then leave it for another day.

For the sealant you can buy the tube (plus the gun that applies it) at any DIY shop. Get one that is antibacterial so you don't get the black spots on it.

Ebe_Scrooge

Good advice from Dominoman.

A couple of points I would add. As above, cleanliness is paramount to ensure a good seal. As well as cleaning, I'd give it a wipe over with white spirit to make sure there is no grease, soap etc. on there.

Buy proper silicone sealant, not one of these "silicone free" ones - I've never had much success with them.

To get a neat finish, run two parallel lines of masking tape above and below the gap you want to seal. Apply the sealant. As soon as it's applied, dip your finger in a cup of water / washing up liquid mixture, then run your finger over the sealant to give a perfectly smooth finish. Wipe any excess off your finger straight away on a piece of kitchen paper - it's truly 'orrible stuff to get off when it's dried a bit !

As soon as you're happy that it's smooth, and before the sealant starts to cure, carefully remove the masking tape. You should be left with a very neat seal.

Renewing the sealant is a good first step, and won't cost much. However, I have come across examples where the grout in between the tiles has become porous or cracked, and the water seeps through the joints. If this is the case, then it's again not too bad a DIY job to renew the grout with some decent waterproof stuff.

But that's jumping the gun - try the sealant and see how you go, it may well be that that's all that's needed.

Bex_12

Thank you both for your advice. Glad to know I don't have to try and remove/replace the plastic seal as well.

Do either of you have any tips regarding removing sealant? There are some tough bits I can't seem to access with a stanley blade.

Thanks again

Ebe_Scrooge

Bex_12 wrote: »

Do either of you have any tips regarding removing sealant? There are some tough bits I can't seem to access with a stanley blade.

I normally use a very sharp chisel - I find it easier to use than a Stanley knife for this job. You do need to be careful not to scratch the plastic though. Just take your time - as long as it's really sharp, you don't need to use much force at all, just gently push it along the surface of the tray, and the old stuff should come off quite easily.

You can buy sealant remover. I've never tried it as I've always managed fine with a chisel, but you can get buy it at B&Q or wherever.

Alias_Omega

Ive used a paint scraiper before, it tends to roll off in larger pieces. I would avoid a stanley knife if your not a DIY person, your finger will take the blunt of it... eek.. :mad:

cajef

Sealing round a shower tray or bath if you are a novice with a sealant gun is always a messy hit and miss job an alternative without messing with fingers or masking tape is to use one of these, I did my shower tray a month ago with one of these tools, did an excellent job looks very professional with a nice smooth even finish.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/fugenboy-kit-1-bmfg1/28167