Packing Grout Behind Caulk

Mike Finley

Do you guys pack grout behind your caulked joints? I started doing this a few months ago to make it easier to fill those lines when it comes time to caulk them. I can't see how this could be detrimental, but thought I would ask.

Tileworks

If you are referring to something like the corners in a shower, I always grout them and then caulk them later... unless there is no room for any grout to really get in there, in which case I'll just caulk it.

My personal rule then, is this: If I can get some grout into the inside corner joint so I do not squeeze an entire tube of caulk into it, then I will :-)

- Bob

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Mike Finley

That's good to hear, I didn't want to find out I'm creating some sort of time bomb waiting to go off down the road. Yep, I'm talking about corners, the space between the tub or shower pan and the tile floor, the gap between the floor and the tile baseboards, anything like that.

Bud Cline

Hey guys.....

The whole purpose in caulking those joints is to allow some room for movement when there is a change in plane, both shift and expansion and contraction. By grouting first you have totally defeated the whole purpose of using caulk in that location.

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Mike Finley

Let me clarify what I am talking about just in case you are misunderstanding me. I'm not talking about grouting a joint fully. Lets say a joint that runs against the bath tub on a tiled floor, I try to make this a consistant 1/8 wide gap to match the rest of the grout lines. The tile is 3/8 thick so what I am talking about is filling the bottom 1/4 of this gap with grout then the next day when I caulk everything filling the rest of it with caulk. Pretty much the same idea as using backer rod.

Bud Cline

Yow but backer rod would still allow for expansion and movement grout will not.

By grouting first you have totally defeated the whole purpose of using caulk in that location.

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R&D Tile

Not a good idea, caulk it all the way down, doesn't matter how much is in there, you will loose the expansion you need.

Tileman Rich

No grout in expansion joints. Backer rod or all caulk. Its an expansion joint. It must be able to move.


Rich

Ben

Caulk behind grout joints seems like it would work fine, grout is a hard surface, it is porus but the caulk isn't I don't see any problems there, I've never done it myself that I can think of but probably never came across that situation yet.

Ben

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coveinspiration

I say stay away from this. I live in a rental unit and the contractors did exactly this. It's ok in the corners, but the contractor grouted where the tub meets the tile and then caulked and it all slowly came out and the caulking and grout is wrecked. Like the previous poster said caulking is for movement!

neolitic

As the joint becomes more shallow
you are getting a less mechanical
joint, and depending more on the
adhesion of the caulk.

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Bud Cline

Three years old!

You have resurrected a thread that wasn't bothering anyone and just laying there dead for three years.

neolitic

And I took the hook...

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strathd

Oh well, stuff happens..............

rbsremodeling

Put your glasses on gramps

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orson

Playing Devil's Advocate:

John Bridge says just just grout the joint and forget the caulk; the hairline crack that develops isn't very noticeable.

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Bud Cline

Well...

If JOHN BRIDGE said it, then [by God] that's what we all should do.

The messiah has spoken!

Winchester

Yeah, I was going to say, why not just use backer rod?

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Ryan

Winchester

That's funny, I was in a bathroom last week where the shower is on two exterior walls (corner of the house) and both grout lines are not hairline cracks.

John Bridge may have got me a bathroom remodel job. Thanks John!

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Ryan