Failing caulk in the shower?

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Rodney R

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I installed a shower a few months back, and it had panels that glue onto the walls, and then all the seams got a caulk - I used a kitchen and bath. That caulk failed a few weeks back - I had water all over. So I removed all of it, and waited a week and put in new kitchen and bath adhesive caulk. A total of 3 showers have been taken, and it has now failed...... So what's wrong? Did I not wait long enough this time? Why would of it failed the 1st time? I waited several days each time before I used it after caulking.

Rodney
 
I'd wait at least 72 hours before applying the caulk; also make sure the area is completely DRY and clean before adding the caulk. Perhaps the moisture level or humidity level is making the caulk take longer to seal. I had this issues myself and ended up waiting 3 full days before taking a shower or bath.
 
Did you clean the shower walls before installing the tub surround panels the first time? That's about the only thing I can think of that would prevent a caulk from sticking tenaciously to ceramic wall tiles (if that's what you had on your walls).

Also, was the "kitchen and bath adhesive caulk" that you use a silicone caulk? If so, did you also use a silicone caulk to install the tub surround panels the first time as well?

I like to think of myself as knowledgeable about silicone caulk, and the use of silicone caulk could very well explain the problems your having.
 
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I'm going on the assumption that the problem is arising from the use of silicone caulk, and I'm looking for a blurb I wrote about silicone caulk some years ago.
 
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Depending on which box store you bought the caulk. Did you know there is a expiration date on caulk, and that if it freezes....it is no good.

I have had it happen to me. the stuff actually never dries.

Look at the bottom of the tube, hope this was the problem.:)
 
I don't know the brand or if it was 100% silicone, or some sort of variant. That tube is long gone. The surround walls were applied to fresh greenboard, I assume they were some sort of plastic, as is the base.

When I peeled off the 1st batch of caulk, all of it came off, and when I peeled it, it was semi-hard, and stayed in a long 'sting'. I just tried to remove some of what is still on there now, and it is softish - I can only get a little at a shot, sorta like it's only half cured. this was a DAP kwik seal plus kitchen & bath adhesive caulk - I was looking for the expiration date on it, and could not find one, and I did not find the word silicone on the tube anywhere. This was a water clean up, and I think the 1st batch that I used was as well.

Ihad waited nearly a week between removing the 1st batch, and applying the second batch, and then I waited about 52 hours before I used the shower. I think I was playing it safe. We have another bathroom, so we weren't rushing the caulk at all.

Rodney
 
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