How To Repair Bathroom Shower Tile Caulk

How to Repair Water-Damaged Shower Walls

July 22, 2020 half dozen:46:59 pm

Mold or Fungus of the Wall In The Shower Room

Water damage is extremely common, particularly on tiled shower walls. If yous have an older home, chances are that the tile was installed directly on top of the drywall. The problem is that there is no waterproof barrier between the tile and the drywall. So, any moisture that gets between the tile'southward grout joints will impact the structural integrity of the drywall.

Even in homes where a moisture bulwark is used, water damage is still possible. Improperly maintained grout joints allow wet to seep beneath the tile, which tin cause the tiles to loosen. Poor grout and caulking can too pb to excess moisture, which can cause mold and mildew, equally well as wood rot and fifty-fifty a water leak.

If y'all're facing water-damaged walls, go along reading for all of the information yous demand to know for shower wall repair.

Evaluate the Impairment

Earlier starting time the shower repair process, the first thing you lot'll desire to do is evaluate the harm. You'll demand to determine what caused the water harm, which is most likely attributed to loose tile, missing grout between tiles, or missing caulk. All of these issues permit water to penetrate the wall.

When determining the cause of h2o damage, await toward the bottom of the shower wall where the tile and the shower base meet. Some of the tell-tale signs of moisture include:

Mold
Loose tile
Discolored grout
Peeling caulk

Depending on the cause of the water damage, the fix may be as simple equally re-grouting the tiles or adding a new line of caulk. In the event that at that place are no bug with the tile, grout, or caulk, water damage may be caused past leaking pipes in the wall.

Remove Tiles & Damaged Drywall

Once you've identified the cause and location of the damage, the next step is to remove the affected tiles. You lot may be able to remove the tiles by hand, but information technology'due south often easier to apply a putty pocketknife or a small pry bar to pull the tiles from the drywall.

When removing tiles, practise so slowly and gently in society to avoid groovy them. Once tiles are removed, identify them in a bucket of warm water and household cleaner. This way, the tiles can be properly cleaned and reinstalled.

If a large amount of the tiles are damaged, information technology may be ideal to inquiry shower enclosure kits, which are much easier to install and more durable than tile solitary.

Later on all of the affected tiles have been removed, the adjacent step is to cut out whatever soft, damaged drywall. This tin be removed by hand. You'll then want to cut straight lines in the remaining, intact drywall using a wallboard saw or utility knife. Then remove any screws or nails and clean any exposed woods studs that are wet or show signs of mold using a water-bleach solution.

Install Cement Board Patch

The side by side pace is to cut and install a cement board patch. The patch should be sized to fit the expanse where the damaged drywall was removed. When choosing a cement board patch, ensure you're using the same thickness as the existing drywall.

Cut the cement board to fit the cutout drywall with a ¼ inch gap on the sides. Using cement lath screws, spike the cement board to the studs. Then, apply cocky-agglutinative mesh cement board joint tape to the cement board joints.

Mix sparse-set adhesive to fill in the seams around the patch. Ensure the seam is apartment and smooth so that the tile will be flat on the wall. Allow thin-gear up dry completely.

Reinstall Tile & Caulk

Modern Shower with White Wall Tiles

Y'all're almost done! The last steps are to reinstall the shower tiles and and then caulk and grout. Mix more thin-set adhesive and utilize information technology to the wall using a notched trowel. Fix the tiles into the adhesive, making sure to align the grout joints with existing shower wall tile. You tin can use spacers for uniform grout lines.

Allow adhesive to dry, and then grout the tile using grout that matches the existing tile. Don't grout betwixt the bottom row of tiles and the shower pan. Permit grout ready and harden as directed.

One time the grout has gear up, seal grout lines. Afterward the sealer has dried, caulk the joints, including the gap between the tile and shower pan. Utilise 100% silicone caulk, as this will continue water out of the shower wall to forbid future harm.

Demand a Total Shower Renovation? Nosotros Tin can Assistance

If your shower walls have been damaged across repair, a total shower replacement may exist needed. At American Bath Enterprises, Inc, we sell a diverseness of shower enclosures, as well every bit bathroom shower stalls. While shower replacement may seem like an overwhelming project, we make the process easier than ever before with our loftier-quality, long-lasting shower wall kits.

Contact our team today at (888) 228-4925 to discuss your bathroom needs.