Do You Caulk Tile in a Walk-in Shower?

Benefits

• Tile-specific caulking is impervious to water, meaning that moisture cannot penetrate a caulked-in grout line. Caulking does not crack as cement-based grouts do, giving it the ability to retain a seal for long periods of time and hard use. Heavy use areas of a shower attract stains, soap scum and hard water deposits; caulking is resistant to all of these stains. Lastly, caulking is mold and mildew resistant, an exceptionally important trait in dark, moist shower corners and seams.

Areas

• The tile wall-to-floor intersection area is the most important area to caulk in a shower. For example, locate the grout joint aligning the back and adjoining walls (if the shower is a three-wall shower) and tile shower floor. This seam along the wall/area is a magnet for both water and other contaminants; sealing the tile wall-to-floor intersection keeps the shower from leaking at this key point and prevents grunge from forming. Experienced tile installers also recommend caulking-in shower niche seams (especially the bottom and side seams) and glass enclosure/tile intersection areas. The general rule of thumb is to caulk any area that is a change of plane or a place where moisture accumulates.

Colors

• Years ago caulking was available in limited colors; gray and white were the only widely available options. Tile grout manufacturers now offer caulking to match every grout color manufactured. From snow white to lipstick red, even the most unusual colors are matched with a corresponding caulking color.

Installation

• Tile caulking has a rapid "tack" time (drying time of 30 minutes or less); therefore, experienced tile setters use masking tape to cordon off grout joints to save elbow grease and hassle. Caulking manufacturers also stress that the application area must be dry and free of contaminants (soil, grout, etc.). Seal the walk-in shower after caulking as the chemicals in the sealer may disallow caulk from bonding to the tile.