Should I Caulk Between Floor And Walls

Caulking is an easy remedy to fix the gap between the wall and the subfloor.

Should i caulk between floor and walls. When this occurs whether the homeowner understands the physics behind it or not his or her first impulse is often to plug the gap between floor and wall typically using hydraulic cement or some other waterproof sealant. 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. A carefully run line of caulk known as a. Caulking is the best choice for this application.

The tile council of north america recommends at least a quarter inch gap between the tile floor and the walls. Caulking this connection is fine if the wall is some sort of one piece sheet or enclosure but with tile it should not be there. Caulk provides a waterproof seal where tile abuts other materials such as bathtubs sinks or walls. The grout joints are designed to prevent water from penetrating the wall but any small amount that does penetrate is able to evaporate out and or weep out along the bottom.

But on that subject the tile council of north america tcna offers the following recommendation. Since you are joining two different materials together you should use caulk in the space where the floor tile and tub meet. Caulk should appear seamless while keeping your walls windows floors and ceilings adjacent to showers tubs and toilets safe from the excess moisture that is typical in a bathroom. Unsanded caulk has a smooth appearance and texture.

Instead fill it with an elastic material capable of sustaining the movement of the floor and the movement of the wall. Since sanded caulk can crack tile and other materials when it expands in too small of a space unsanded caulk should be used to fill tight joints that are smaller than 1 8 inch wide. Caulk seals seams between tile and fixtures or walls. Generally grout should be used on the shower walls and floors and all other vertical or horizontal shower planes.

It s most often used to caulk countertops and backsplash since it creates a clean finish. If the basement floor has cracks these will also leak water when hydrostatic pressure increases. Never fill this gap with grout because tile grout is not flexible. Seepage in spaces between the wall and the floor especially on the sagging subfloor or due to expansion of the laminate floor may be a common problem.

Caulk should be used between the tile planes or anywhere there might be movement between the tiles and the adjoining shower surfaces.