Tile Shower Floor Grout Or Caulk

Tom meehan a second generation tile installer and co author of working with tile who lives and works in harwich mass responds.

Tile shower floor grout or caulk.

Caulk is impermeable meaning it won t let in water. A properly installed tile shower should always have a 6 inch lip liner going up around base of the shower walls. If mold gets into that space it can cause damage to your subfloor. Caulk is a sealant typically made of silicone or acrylic material.

An area of controversy has always been whether to caulk or grout around the base of a tile shower floor. Doing so protects against moisture related issues and common expansion cracking associated with these areas. This is largely because of the way grout binds with backer board the concrete material placed behind tiles. Where grout is just good for bonding together tile caulk is good for creating a seal between multiple materials say between glass tiles and a porcelain tub.

On one hand there is little chance for movement around the base of a properly installed tile shower floor. Since you are joining two different materials together you should use caulk in the space where the floor tile and tub meet. Grout is not flexible so it s not the best material for the job while caulk allows for movement and also provides a better sealant. Though grout is more porous than caulk it s best for tiled shower walls and floors.

Or where the edge of a tile meets the wall.