Caulk/Grout cracking question?
Two months ago my husband and I had a bathroom gut renovated in a new home we purchased. In the two months since it’s completion we have noticed a great deal of cracking/splitting in the caulking/grouting along the baseboards, in between some tiles and also in the area between the outer base of the tub…
Two months ago my husband and I had a bathroom gut renovated in a new home we purchased. In the two months since it’s completion we have noticed a great deal of cracking/splitting in the caulking/grouting along the baseboards, in between some tiles and also in the area between the outer base of the tub and floor which is cracking too. We are certain that this problem will just get worse and worse.
What can we attribute this problem too? We want to speak with the contractor about it, but need to have a perspective as to why this has happened first so he doesn’t brush us off. Fortunately, we have a final payment to make, but only want to exercise this leverage if indeed this is a mistake on his part.
Thanks for the advice in advance.
Leslie
Thanks for all the responses. I will have to check with the contractor to see what he used. A friend said to me that he should have used some kind of latex so things wouldn’t dry out like they have. As for one posters question about heat, we have a forced air duct in the bathroom, but the problem isn’t just in the area right by the duct it is all over the bathroom. Any other thoughts would be great and wish us luck 🙂
I’m not a contractor, just a homeowner, but I do know that when grouting, as well as repointing (putting new mortar between bricks), that you should keep the grout and mortar wet for awhile after application. I’ve always followed this advice in when doing these home projects but only recently learned the reason why. The tiles and/or bricks are very porous and will suck the water right out of the grout/mortar, causing the material to dry too fast and possibly crack. I use a plant spray bottle to keep the grout moist. Don’t know if this is your particular problem, but maybe a factor? This is particularly true during warm weather– less so in a cold space where the grout/mortar dries at a slower rate anyway.
Mike Z
Google around for DIY tips on grout and caulking. We too had this issue; the contractor used grout between tub and floor, tub and baseboard, etc, and it’s starting to show small cracks just 2 months later. I read somewhere that for surfaces that move slightly (the tiles are on top of cementboard on top of wood, and the other side of the wall are hardwood floors that definitely move), it’s best to use something that stretches, like silicone. I’m planning to add a thin layer at the places where the floor moves.
I also had the same problem. I ended up touching up the cracked areas myself with additional grout and now a year later their still perfect. (Knock on wood).
You should first find out the reason for such perspective after talking to contracter will make realize the mistake done by him while constructing. Try to deal of final payment after sorting a problem only.
If there is baseboard separation, you must consider floor expansion that can be attributed to HVAC. Do you have radiant heat or forced air ducts in or around where you see the separation?
You had a gut renovation done, and two months later you see cracks in seems everywhere. On the surface it sounds like your contractor did something wrong and should definitely be held accountable. I can’t think of any reason why they should not fix it, or reduce your debt by such amount that you can pay someone to fix it.
Sounds like either you have an unusual amount of settling for some reason, or he used the wrong stuff. My plumber gave me this hot tip: Fill the tub with water and then caulk. The weight of the water matters. It’s easier for caulk to contract a bit when tub is empty than to expand when it’s full. I would ask the guy what he used, and have him show me a tube–if it’s the right stuff, perhaps try to figure out why you have so much settling.