[91782]

Typical shower door with magnetic strip in frame to hold door shut.

Typical failed install too.

Water hits door/jamb interface, gets past magnetic strip weeps down thru tiny gap where the top insert of the bottom track snaps in at the jamb.

Then it ravels to either end, finds its way to where bottom track meets tile corners, weeps out. Damages drywall on outside of shower.

Anyway: The damned silicone fails EVERY TIME. Once it starts, it just slowly unzips. Looks intact, but it is not

Weep holes in bottom track are clear, but it water will still travel all the way to the ends.

In one image, you can see where an attempted repair was made. Door company tech saw the problem, and half-assed attempted to plug one end with a glob of silicone, but it too detached.

As soon as I ran my finger along the silicone caulk line on the bottom, water squeezed out at the tile corner.

2-3 years on, and wasn't resolved until yesterday.

This is bull ****.

 

[Joasis]

I think caulking fails because of the surface it is against.

There is a company in OKC that builds custom aquariums, and they use 100% clear silicone, out of the same tubes we use, and it holds forever. Against water. Why is that?

Not doubting the failures we all have had with caulking bathrooms and fixtures and windows....it comes down to the obvious. Surface prep. These guys clean the glass with ammonia I suppose, and I mean clean...then they heat the edge with a blow heater, and I guess this removes any moisture....and lay the silicone on, and then using a radius tool, remove the excess and clamp it to dry and cure.

I watched them install one that was 4 feet tall and 10 feet long in an office, and every seal was done exactly like that and the aquarium is still there, leak free, 15 years later.

Now I don't work with silicone...except what we use on flashing roofs and windows, but this is what I have seen that makes me think it isn't the product, but how it is applied.

 

[91782]

I think caulking fails because of the surface it is against.

There is a company in OKC that builds custom aquariums, and they use 100% clear silicone, out of the same tubes we use, and it holds forever. Against water. Why is that?

Not doubting the failures we all have had with caulking bathrooms and fixtures and windows....it comes down to the obvious. Surface prep. These guys clean the glass with ammonia I suppose, and I mean clean...then they heat the edge with a blow heater, and I guess this removes any moisture....and lay the silicone on, and then using a radius tool, remove the excess and clamp it to dry and cure.

I watched them install one that was 4 feet tall and 10 feet long in an office, and every seal was done exactly like that and the aquarium is still there, leak free, 15 years later.

Now I don't work with silicone...except what we use on flashing roofs and windows, but this is what I have seen that makes me think it isn't the product, but how it is applied.

Aquariums - yup -that's where it works well. I was amazed 40 years ago when my brother showed me an aquarium he made to hold his Oscar fish. Just 4 pieces of glass and silicone.

It performs when placed between two pieces of material, and acting as a gasket. Just laid on the corners like the shower - and it fails. I see it time after time.

In homes, we are not talking glass against glass. We are talking dissimilar materials, soaps and solvents.

The aquariums are built by pros - homes are built by pros.

Silicone works for aquariums, does not work for homes.

 

[Tom M]

I got a call from a guy I did some updating in his bath for about 7 yrs ago. We reused the shower door after I removed it and resealed it.


The reason he called recently was because he wanted to know what I used to bond the door frame, he couldnt believe, he couldnt get it off. I used LEXEL

 

[Inner10]

I think caulking fails because of the surface it is against.

There is a company in OKC that builds custom aquariums, and they use 100% clear silicone, out of the same tubes we use, and it holds forever. Against water. Why is that?

Not doubting the failures we all have had with caulking bathrooms and fixtures and windows....it comes down to the obvious. Surface prep. These guys clean the glass with ammonia I suppose, and I mean clean...then they heat the edge with a blow heater, and I guess this removes any moisture....and lay the silicone on, and then using a radius tool, remove the excess and clamp it to dry and cure.

I watched them install one that was 4 feet tall and 10 feet long in an office, and every seal was done exactly like that and the aquarium is still there, leak free, 15 years later.

Now I don't work with silicone...except what we use on flashing roofs and windows, but this is what I have seen that makes me think it isn't the product, but how it is applied.

You nailed it with surface prep, it's gotta be bone dry for silicone to adhere. But glass has a natural advantage, it will bond to the silica in the glass.

Aquariums - yup -that's where it works well. I was amazed 40 years ago when my brother showed me an aquarium he made to hold his Oscar fish. Just 4 pieces of glass and silicone.

It performs when placed between two pieces of material, and acting as a gasket. Just laid on the corners like the shower - and it fails. I see it time after time.

In homes, we are not talking glass against glass. We are talking dissimilar materials, soaps and solvents.

The aquariums are built by pros - homes are built by pros.

Silicone works for aquariums, does not work for homes.

What's a better alternative?

 

[91782]

I got a call from a guy I did some updating in his bath for about 7 yrs ago. We reused the shower door after I removed it and resealed it.


The reason he called recently was because he wanted to know what I used to bond the door frame, he couldnt believe, he couldnt get it off. I used LEXEL

I believe Lexel is an excellent product. I have been experimenting with it for several years.

What did you use to removed the old stuff? (besides a razor blade)

 

[Inner10]

I believe Lexel is an excellent product. I have been experimenting with it for several years.

What did you use to removed the old stuff? (besides a razor blade)

Problem I had with Lexel is it has no grab, and takes forever to dry.

 

[Tom M]

I believe Lexel is an excellent product. I have been experimenting with it for several years.

What did you use to removed the old stuff? (besides a razor blade)

I dont recall. Maybe a razor to open the edges then spray goo gone to seep in.....I forget.

 

[91782]

I dont recall. Maybe a razor to open the edges then spray goo gone to seep in.....I forget.

Thanks Tom. About what I was thinking too.

 

[Peter_C]

Having worked in the auto industry for decades and using silicon RTV routinely for gaskets, it is a simple fact prep is everything. Clean, clean again, then clean once more. Any oil left behind will not allow adhesion causing a leak, which means a comeback. Not good. Spend the time to clean with cleaners and scuffy pads. Wipe with alcohol, acetone, etc, then wipe it again before application. There are no short cuts, as they lead to comebacks/call backs, and I DO NOT like comebacks.

 

[Inner10]

Having worked in the auto industry for decades and using silicon RTV routinely for gaskets, it is a simple fact prep is everything. Clean, clean again, then clean once more. Any oil left behind will not allow adhesion causing a leak, which means a comeback. Not good. Spend the time to clean with cleaners and scuffy pads. Wipe with alcohol, acetone, etc, then wipe it again before application. There are no short cuts, as they lead to comebacks/call backs, and I DO NOT like comebacks.

Not what ya use but how ya use it.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

 

[91782]

You guys keep spouting crap and that's a fact. The installers for this and any of the several other companies I have used are as good as any.

The prep is proper.

Silicone is a piss poor sealant for tile/shower doors etc.

I am here, I do observe how installs are done.

 

[rrk]

You’re wrong
Silicone probably has least amount of failures than anything else
You still have not answered Inners question as to what is better

 

[91782]

You’re wrong
Silicone probably has least amount of failures than anything else
You still have not answered Inners question as to what is better

Silicone has a huge amount of failures. That is my complaint in fact.

Did you not read? I am right.

Tom M and I discussed the Lexel product. It is better. Did you not read?

Better than silicone is a product that is more serviceable. Silicone will not stick to itself. It gets dirty and cloudy over time.

Its nasty sh!t for the application I am discussing.

The failure is not in the process - its the product.

 

[91782]

Besides silicone being a poor choice for aluminum/glass enclosures - is the enclosure design itself.

The mfrs do a number of mechanical features to block water migration, deflecting flanges, drain channel, weep holes, etc.

Yet right at both ends of the bottom track, nothing is done/can be done to mechanically deflect water that gets in the track from traveling to the outside plane where drywall usually sits.

The pics posted show that failure taking place.

 

[VinylHanger]

I usually fill the ends with silicone when installing. That usually stops it. I try and have zero silicone on the outside of the shower door. Those bottom corners may be an exception, but it usually doesn't leak if I fill them.

Water is the bane of silicone. Nothing like leaving for 30 minutes to grab something and find out the customer wanted to test the shower. Now everything is wet, and hard to seal.

I have used the Dap Max 30 minute silicone with good results. Only leaks I get is if I miss something.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

 

[91782]

I usually fill the ends with silicone when installing. That usually stops it. I try and have zero silicone on the outside of the shower door. Those bottom corners may be an exception, but it usually doesn't leak if I fill them.

Water is the bane of silicone. Nothing like leaving for 30 minutes to grab something and find out the customer wanted to test the shower. Now everything is wet, and hard to seal.

I have used the Dap Max 30 minute silicone with good results. Only leaks I get is if I miss something.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

Same goal/correction used here. pull the track cover, fastidiously clean and dry with hair dryer, then build well formed/tooled plugs so water can no longer reach the ends of the track extrusion.

 

[Lettusbee]

I usually fill the ends with silicone when installing. That usually stops it. I try and have zero silicone on the outside of the shower door. Those bottom corners may be an exception, but it usually doesn't leak if I fill them.

Water is the bane of silicone. Nothing like leaving for 30 minutes to grab something and find out the customer wanted to test the shower. Now everything is wet, and hard to seal.

I have used the Dap Max 30 minute silicone with good results. Only leaks I get is if I miss something.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

But how does it look a year later?

 

[META]

I have yet to find a place I'd use silicone, I hate the stuff. I imagine it has its places, such as glass on glass, when properly prepped. I cringe when I see people using the stuff, though. Nothing like peeling off nasty dirty moldy silicone from rotting or deteriorating substrates.


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[dsconstructs]

All silicones are not equal. I use Dow Corning 786 and it sticks to acrylics, glass, solid surfaces. I've installed Swanstone with their color matched silicone and that stuff peeled right out about a month later...resealed with 786 with no problem.