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Just realized caulk and silicone are not the same thing for tub repairs | Fix It Yourself - Librear

Just realized caulk and silicone are not the same thing for tub repairs

I keep seeing people grab any old tube of caulk for sealing a bathtub and then wonder why it peels off after 3 months. I used 100% silicone on my tub in the basement last spring, and it's still holding tight after 14 months with no mold spots. The cheap acrylic stuff just doesn't flex when the tub shifts, plain and simple. Why do folks insist on buying the 2 dollar tube when the silicone at 6 bucks lasts 3 times as long? Has anyone else had their bathroom floor water damage from using the wrong sealant?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason735mo ago

Jumping on this because I had the exact same problem in my guest bath last year. The previous owner used that cheap white paintable caulk and after a year it was all cracked and letting water seep behind the baseboard. I ripped it all out, cleaned everything with vinegar, and put in the GE silicone that says "kitchen and bath" on it. Been 8 months now and it still looks brand new. The key is you gotta wait 24 hours before getting it wet too, a lot of people skip that and wonder why it fails. Also the paint on stuff is just never gonna hold up in a wet area no matter what the tube says.

leog685mo ago

Something to keep in mind is not all silicone is created equal either (learned that the hard way in my own house). The 100% silicone stuff is a pain to work with because it doesn't smooth out with water and it smells like a chemical factory for days, but it flexes way better than the silicone blends that claim to be paintable. Just watch out for the stuff that says "siliconized acrylic" on the label, that's basically the same junk you just ripped out but with a fancy name.