Caulking to use on shower wall it.
#1
01-19-17, 10:10 AM
Caulking to use on shower wall it.
A few years ago I installed a shower wall kit made of polystyrene. After installation I could not get any caulk to stick to the seams between the wall panels and themselves as well as the metal tub. Finally, I called the manufacture of the wall kit and they said to use either GE I silicone or Lexel caulking. I used GE I. It stuck, but a few years later it needed to be redone.
The one panel in the wall kit broke and I replaced it with the same type of panel. Now I would really like find a caulking that will last. The manufacture now says to use ECO-BOND kitchen and bath. When I look up the product it says it will not stick to polystyrene. I tried to contact ECO-BOND and they will not return my call or e-correspondence. GE said to use GE II, and DAP recommended 3.0 kitchen and bath plumbing sealant. So I am ready to buy 3 different brands and experiment. I have an old piece left over to sample with.
I really think the GE I is not the correct product because it did not last very long. Has anyone had any experience with Polystyrene shower wall kits. Any ideas welcome. Thanks,
J
The one panel in the wall kit broke and I replaced it with the same type of panel. Now I would really like find a caulking that will last. The manufacture now says to use ECO-BOND kitchen and bath. When I look up the product it says it will not stick to polystyrene. I tried to contact ECO-BOND and they will not return my call or e-correspondence. GE said to use GE II, and DAP recommended 3.0 kitchen and bath plumbing sealant. So I am ready to buy 3 different brands and experiment. I have an old piece left over to sample with.
I really think the GE I is not the correct product because it did not last very long. Has anyone had any experience with Polystyrene shower wall kits. Any ideas welcome. Thanks,
J
#4
01-19-17, 02:13 PM
I've scraped way too much silicon off showers where mold has gotten under the caulk.
I now only use the mold resistant latex caulk like this DAP Dynaflex 230 and it states it will stick to polystyrene.
DYNAFLEX 230 Premium Indoor/Outdoor Sealant - DAP
I now only use the mold resistant latex caulk like this DAP Dynaflex 230 and it states it will stick to polystyrene.
DYNAFLEX 230 Premium Indoor/Outdoor Sealant - DAP
#5
01-20-17, 11:36 AM
GE I Silicon did not mold, it just did not stick well to the polystyrene.
The GE I silicone after a couple years starting un-sticking itself from the polystyrene wall pieces.This was most noticeable at the corner seam where two pieces meet. At the tub the caulk was still stuck to the steel tub just fine.
J
J
#6
01-20-17, 11:50 AM
The two most common reasons for GE silicone to come loose is either moisture was trapped behind the caulk or the surface was dirty. It can take awhile [sometimes a day or two] for the surround to dry completely. A hair dryer can speed things up.
#7
01-20-17, 12:46 PM
Was certain it was dry
It took a couple years to un-stick from the wall surface. I had used a couple other water based caulks which un-stuck within a few days. The wait time for drying out was 2-3 days and the dry time was about a week. i really feel the wall surface and the caulk were just not made to work together. Thus the reason this time I would really like to use something that will last and not required re-caulking. I had the original wall kit in place for about 7yrs and had to re-caulk 3 times. This shower gets used every other night for one shower. Very low usage. Any ideas.
J
J
#9
01-21-17, 06:56 AM
Just use the Dap produce and be done with it. I've got showers with this that are 6+ years and still look like new, silicone has failed (mold) in less time.
Should you decide to go with silicone, do not use clear, at least you wont see the mold growing under the caulk.
Should you decide to go with silicone, do not use clear, at least you wont see the mold growing under the caulk.
