*PIC* Will new caulk stick to this?

marriednamobile · Thu Jan 21, 2010 4:42 am

Hi,
I know you're supposed to remove all the old caulk and then de-mold or clean the seal before you recaulk it (between tub and bottom of shower wall liner), but my seal was so cracked and brittle that I can't get it all off, I'm talking heavy duty utility knife, razor scraper, and caulk remover tool (little scraping thing)
Is it going to mess up the new caulk if I absolutely can't get all of the old caulk removed?
Please help. Whoever caulked this tub *curses* needs to google caulking or something, I can caulk better than this, and I'm a novice, a female novice mind you!

I've removed the main seam of caulk and as much residue as possible, here are the pictures, will my new caulk stick to this?

Brenda (OH) · Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:16 pm

I read that you have to remove all of silicone caulk before recaulking. that would be rubbery stuff, the old brittle stuff is probably grout. I think that can stay...

If you end up with a big gap, there is a think called a backer rod, it is a piece of foam you pop in the gap to help you save caulk and get the caulk to fill the gap.

You can put blue painters tape on the wall and the tub, and apply the caulk, smooth it with your finger, then remove the tape before the caulk sets according to "Tommy" at this old house... I haven't tried it yet, you better believe I will be using the grade that is cleanable with water the first time I try that short cut lol

I also hear you should fill the tub with water, so that it pulls down the maximum distance, before you apply the caulk and while that caulk is drying... I wonder if that is old school. I cannot quite picture standing it the tub of water to apply the caulk.... maybe you fill the tub immediately afterwards, before the caulk sets up.

have fun, i have been taking baths until I can get the shower recaulked the downstairs neighbor got drips on his ceiling from my unit...
Brenda

ponch37300 · Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:59 pm

I highly doubt that there is grout in between the tub and shower surround. I know there is a company that makes a product to remove silicone caulk, here is one http://www.acehardware.com/product/inde ... =109395747. I've never used it but have read about others having success with it. You will want to try and get all the silicone off because new silicone does not like to stick to old silicone.

Arlo · Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:14 pm

Get it as clean as you can. I can never get all the silicone off. Try wiping it down with acetone or nail polich remover. Careful because it will ruin the shine of the tub. The backer rod Brenda is talking about is made by "Frost King" and can be found with the other Frost King weather stripping products. I even found it at Walmart. Not for my tub though. I needed it for the gap between a new toilet and the floor. The tip with the blue tape works great. I tried it a couple of months ago and it really works. You use less caulk than you think then smooth it with a wet finger or wet paper towel. Take the tape off right away or it will be sealed to the tub. Another tip I would have is to warm the caulk tube slightly before you go to work. I put it briefly in a plastic pitcher of hot water. Wrap the tube in a plastic bag first because the tube is cardboard.

marriednamobile · Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:43 pm

thanks everyone, I'm glad to hear that others haven't been able to get all the caulk off.
I've gotten the main seam off, but there's like little caulk residue where the edges of the caulk once were, I've used caulk remover, a utility knife at a horizontal and 45 degree angle, a flat razor scraper blade, and a caulk remover tool, so I guess now I'll wait for it to dry, cross my fingers and hope for the best because I've done everything humanly possible to get every last speck of caulk off.
Let's just say I'm parnoid about water leakage and MOLD!!!

marriednamobile · Sat Jan 23, 2010 3:17 am

The pictures don't do it justice, I took them very close up, and what remains is really so little- but I'm really worried because everything I read says to remove ALL TRACES of old caulk, and I really don't think this is possible!
My new caulk will be the Dap 3.0 Advanced Kitchen and Bath Adhesive Caulk with Kwik Dry Technology