Hello, I’m writing because I’m in the process of recovering from a failed project and could use some expert advice. I’ll try and make this story short but I think it’s worth while. Recently, I had the misfortune of having a tile surround where a few lines of grout had come loose causing my entire tub surround to be ruined by water damage. Vowing never to go through that mess again, I sought out a new product that would improve on the weaknesses of tile surrounds. What I found was a wholesale dealer in my area who sold sheets of 1/8’ thickness 100% acrylic. I thought this would be an excellent product. Acrylic is claimed to be durable, colored throughout and resistant to stains and household cleaning chemicals. Great! The sheets were a dream to work with. I used a router to cut the sheets to size and make the holes for the spout and valve openings. I used 2 way mounting tape and silicone to glue the sheets to the 3 walls. Never fails that the problem with any project (at least the ones that I do) always present itself at the end, when it’s especially difficult to do anything about it. I proceeded to seal the surround and tub with 100% GE brand ‘Kitchen and Bathroom’ silicone sealant. Why so much detail, you ask? Well, here’s the problem: the silicone sealant, after about 2 weeks, began to show signs that it was not adhering to the acrylic. Oh No! After some discussion with the wholesaler, he claimed we did nothing wrong. This is a big problem since I already noticed some water had seeped its way behind the acrylic. I asked the dealer if the acrylic required some special cleaning to remove any manufacturing agents, he said nothing. I was also very skeptical of the highly smooth surface of the acrylic. It is the most flawless, ‘plastic like’ surface I’ve ever seen. Is it possible that acrylic needs to be sanded in the areas where the silicone sealant needs to be applied? I’ve used silicone on many surfaces like, porcelain, ceramic tile, glass, and metal fixtures. With each of these applications the silicon needs to be cut off with a razor if you ever need to remove it. The silicon on the acrylic peels off with ease. Practically speaking, any amount of shift from the tub to the surround can easily cause the silicone to pull away from the acrylic. For example, if I were to fill the tub with water, adding an extra couple hundred pounds of weight, I’m sure this would eventually cause the silicone to pull away, as it has. I’ve completed removing all the old silicone from the surround and now I’m hunting for a solution that will permanently stick to acrylic and my porcelain/steel tub. I’d greatly appreciate any advice you can offer. I’d also be most interested in a solution that does not involve silicone; instead maybe a superior sealant? I’m not confident that the silicone will work with any amount of preparation. I do have some scrap pieces of acrylic so I will be able to test the sealant before I attempt the job again. Thanks in advance! EP

I have a 30 year old home and both of the hot water valves are leaking through the faucet. I have replaced the valve stems, but the washers keep getting torn. Do I have to remove the til in order to replace something behind the wall? I am hoping to avoid this, but think there is no other solution at this point.