Tile Shower Floor Grout Or Caulk

Doing so protects against moisture related issues and common expansion cracking associated with these areas.

Tile shower floor grout or caulk. Caulk is impermeable meaning it won t let in water. Caulk is a sealant typically made of silicone or acrylic material. The vast majority of showers that i ve tiled have had no problems when i use grout in the corners. If mold gets into that space it can cause damage to your subfloor.

On one hand there is little chance for movement around the base of a properly installed tile shower floor. Tom meehan a second generation tile installer and co author of working with tile who lives and works in harwich mass responds. A properly installed tile shower should always have a 6 inch lip liner going up around base of the shower walls. An area of controversy has always been whether to caulk or grout around the base of a tile shower floor.

Since you are joining two different materials together you should use caulk in the space where the floor tile and tub meet. Or where the edge of a tile meets the wall. Where grout is just good for bonding together tile caulk is good for creating a seal between multiple materials say between glass tiles and a porcelain tub. Grout is not flexible so it s not the best material for the job while caulk allows for movement and also provides a better sealant.

My tile installer recently told me that he wanted to use caulk in the corners of a tiled shower instead of grout is that necessary.