Bathroom Repair

DireEmblem

Good evening all.

My bathroom is about 5 years old, and I have noticed a small hairline crack in the grouting that extends maybe 6 inches.

I’ve had a check under the bath and there is a small drip and I suspect this is where it is coming from.

Is this easy to repair yourself?

picture below.  The tiles are an inch square.

grumbler

I'd remove as much as possible of the old grout around the crack and re-grout this area.

FreeBear

DireEmblem said: I’ve had a check under the bath and there is a small drip and I suspect this is where it is coming from.

So where is this drip coming from ?

Condensation ?

Water getting through a grout line or silicone sealant ?

Leaking water pipe ?

If it is a leaking water pipe, that needs to be fixed before anything else. If it is water getting through a grout line or silicone sealant, rake it out and fill.

Bendy_House

As asked above, DE - where exactly is that drip coming from; how clear is it that it's from that crack?

And do you think you can get a good colour match for that grout?

That bathroom was redone 5 years ago? Or the whole house is that age?

Yes, it's possible for that crack to let water in, and for it then to travel down behind the tiles to get under the bath. How far above the bath is that crack, and any idea why it happened - is that wall a 'stud' type with some flexibility?

Ant555

I had some cracked grouting between tiles in the shower that was not obvious until we were looking for it but it seems to have been a very slow and steady leak - nothing on the ceiling below to suggest an issue however when we took the bath out, the chipboard floor was soaking and ultimately most of it had to be replaced.

Whatever you do, do it soon - if you are unable to re-grout then at the very least I would instigate a short term temporary fix by letting it all dry completely and run a small bead of silicone sealer in that crack whilst you decide what to do.

DireEmblem

FreeBear said:

DireEmblem said: I’ve had a check under the bath and there is a small drip and I suspect this is where it is coming from.

So where is this drip coming from ?

Water getting through a grout line or silicone sealant ?

This one.  I tested it by running the water for several minutes and no leaky pipes.  I didnt run the water down the side of the shower, but the drip is coming from behind the crack in the grout.

I've now ordered equipment to fix, and am using the shower at work in the short term as it needs to be dry, and kept dry for a period once replaced.

DireEmblem

Bendy_House said:

how clear is it that it's from that crack?

And do you think you can get a good colour match for that grout?

That bathroom was redone 5 years ago?
How far above the bath is that crack

1) There is a clear line under the crack where water has been dripping down, and I've tested just running the hot/cold in the basin, no leaks from that alone.
2) Yes I have ordered grey.
3) Yes, and the flat is about 120 years old.
4) Crack is 2 inches above the seal with the bath.

Bendy_House

Are you intending to remove the grout from around and a bit beyond that crack so you can then pack the new stuff firmly right in to its full depth?

What type of grout do you have - is it a powder you mix with water?

Do you have a multi-tool - a hand-held 'drill' grinder? I think I'd be inclined to clean out that grout line as much as possible, and then taper it (slope it up) at each end so that the new grout bonds to a larger area of the old, and not just butt-up in one place (which could be vulnerable to a hairline crack afterwards).

But hopefully tilers on here will advise on the best course.