How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

02-05-2018
Bathroom

Sealing the joints between the bathroom with a wall is a small but very important element of repair - the slightest gap can lead to unpleasant consequences. Due to the regular ingress of water in the crack, a mold or various living creatures will start. There is a high risk of flooding the neighbors below if water constantly flows through the gap. Similar troubles can be avoided at the repair stage, it is enough to fix the hole. What materials are used to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall and which method is best suited?

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

So that the bath is not only pleasing to the eye but also brings pleasure from exploitation, it is worth worrying about the joints in advance.

The causes of the gap

Sealing seams in the bathroom is important so that water or steam does not penetrate the gap against the wall. A gap can occur if the walls are not strictly perpendicular. The slightest deviation from 90 degrees will lead to the appearance of a gap. If during repair you see that the walls are not deflected from the right angle, they need to be leveled. The same applies to the floor, it must be perfectly smooth and smooth.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Bathroom floor should be perfectly level.

Important! If the walls with the floor are even, a gap can occur when the bathtub is crooked. This issue is easily solved by adjusting the legs.

The gap between the bathroom and the wall will appear if the dimensions do not match. If the bath is too short, you can build a drywall wall. The proposed option is suitable for spacious rooms. In smaller bathrooms it is easier to immediately purchase a bath of suitable length.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

The reason for the formation of a gap between the bathroom and the wall can be inappropriate dimensions of the tank.

If the gap is found between the bathroom and the wall after the repair, instead of dismantling the tile or plaster, it is enough to cover the joint to level the base.

Material selection

When selecting the necessary material for sealing holes or crevices along the edges of the bathroom, it is important to consider the strength, wear resistance, and the difficulty of installation. No less important is the width of the gap, some sealants can not block the seam wider than 4 cm.

Polyurethane foam

In practice, it is not so easy to close the gap that appeared between the bathroom and the wall with foam. In fact, when it dries, it will become larger in volume at times. It is better to use such material with sufficient experience in working with it to be confident in your abilities.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Polyurethane foam perfectly copes with problem areas.

In conditions of high humidity it is necessary to use a fine foam, so you can quite easily close the gap up to 8 cm. For a complete high-quality sealing of the joint between the bathroom and the wall, you should choose a foam made on the basis of polyurethane.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

The process of blowing the gap between the bathroom and the wall mounting foam

If you are going to cover the gap that arose between the bathroom and the wall, use construction foam. The procedure is as follows:

  • Wear gloves;
  • Before use, shake the can of foam, apply a little material along the entire length of the gap;
  • If excess foam gets on the tile or bath, remove them immediately, otherwise after drying the cleaning process will take a lot of time;
  • Wait until the composition is completely dry (up to 8 hours);
  • Use a sharp knife to cut off excess material.
How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Excess foam can be removed with a regular stationery knife.

After complete sealing of the seams in the bathroom with foam or sealant, it is necessary to hide them. As decoration, it is appropriate to choose decorative plinths made of PVC or ceramics. If the walls are simply painted, the seam can be sanded and painted in the same color.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Cement or tile adhesive

After repair, a small amount of unused cement or ceramics adhesive remains. The gap between the bathroom and the wall can be filled using either of the two options proposed. It should be borne in mind that cement with glue is not suitable for sealing cracks wider than 4 cm. If the gap is larger, you will have to use special locks that do not allow the solution to fall off.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

To properly grout or glue to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall should be guided by the following tips:

  1. To glue or cement better adhere to the surface, apply a layer of primer on the wall section at the edge of the bath.
  2. Dilute fresh solution according to the instructions. Unless ready mix should be thicker than it is required for construction works.
  3. The mixture is applied with a spatula, then the seam is leveled.
  4. Wait for the solution to dry. Then you can close the joint with a ceramic or plastic border, paint.
  5. When choosing this method of processing the joint between the bathroom and the wall, keep in mind that the solution works more efficiently with a small width.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

When the mass dries, it ceases to be sufficiently elastic, as a result, cracks or seam displacement by a couple of millimeters may occur. Gradually, such a seam will crack or crumble; you should not choose cement or construction glue to seal too wide gaps.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Silicone Sealant

Such a solution is a good choice to seal the junction of the bath with the wall. The choice of means is huge, but it is important to choose resistant to temperature changes, prolonged exposure to hot water with steam. Ideally, the solution should be elastic to preserve the shape and have antiseptics. Under conditions of constant humidity, the antiseptic properties of the sealant are very important because they do not allow the development of mold, bacteria, or fungus in the interstitial seam.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Important! Antiseptic properties of the sealant does not preclude regular cleaning.

Sealants for sealing seams in the bathroom can be purchased in a tube or compact tubes. The latter are very convenient if the crack is small. To seal the impressive gaps need a tube with a special gun. It allows you to evenly apply a sealant strictly along the seam, and the line is perfectly flat.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Important! Typically, sealants are colorless, but you can pick up the color to match the finish.

Properly seal the relatively small joint between the bathroom and the wall with a simple:

  1. Clean part of the wall and the edge of the bathroom, wipe with alcohol to remove grease stains;
  2. Cut off part of the nose of the tube so that it coincides with the width of the seam;
  3. Apply sealant.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

So that the joint is not visible, the strip of sealant can be leveled with your fingers, it is enough to moisten them in water with the addition of soap. If you try, the joint will be invisible, and to learn more about how to quickly and accurately seal the seams around the bath, you can watch the training video.

Flexible tape

The elastic border is not used as an independent element for sealing gaps at the junction of the bathroom and the wall. It is rather a decorative treatment of a finished seam filled with sealant or foam.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

On the outer side of the tape waterproof coating, and on the inside glue. A flexible border must be selected taking into account the width of the gap, making the stock twice as large. To tape for sealing the bath well kept and fulfilled its functions, it is necessary to mount it according to the rules:

  1. The surface needs to be cleaned, leveled and completely dried;
  2. Pre-seal the joint with sealant;
  3. To make the construction stronger and grip stronger, you can additionally walk along the seam with construction glue;
  4. The curb tape is mounted so that half is on the edge of the bathroom, and the second half is on the wall;
  5. Well hold the tape in length;
  6. Treat the corners with a sealant.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Important! If the tape was used in parts, the joints should also be sealed.

The curb tape fastens easily and quickly, but its shelf life is brief - only a year. After the tape must be replaced with a new one.

Plastic baseboard

To close the gap between the bathroom and the wall, white or colored PVC plinth is often chosen. This is an affordable and easy-to-install counterpart of a tiled or stone curb. Such a plinth is lighter in weight, it is sold with strips 180 cm long. If necessary, the plinth can be trimmed. Due to the rubber layer and adhesive on the inside, plastic does not require the use of sealants after sealing the joint between the bathroom and the wall.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

PVC plinth is mounted on top of the tile or under it. The first option is more popular because of the relative simplicity of the work. In addition to the plinth will need glue for plastic. Phased installation instructions:

  1. Clean the dirt, wipe with alcohol and dry the surface;
  2. Cut the plinth into pieces of the required size;
  3. In the corners, cut at a 45 degree angle;
  4. Try on the straps, check if they are the right size, if necessary trim the excess;
  5. At the edges of the plinth, attach strips of masking tape, so as not to get glue on the wall with the bathroom;
  6. Remove the strips and apply glue around the edges of the gap;
  7. Attach the plinth, press firmly and wait 20 seconds;
  8. Remove the tape from the walls and the bathroom.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

If you notice that the edge of the baseboard has moved away, process the joint with a colorless sealant. Try to do it carefully, otherwise these places will become noticeable with time - the silicone will gradually turn yellow. This will be especially noticeable if the tiles with the baseboard are white. How to additionally seal the seams around the bath using the sealant can be viewed on the video.

If there is a need to seal the gap in the place where the pipes are, you will need to cut a piece of a suitable size from the border, or cut small strips in order to go around the obstacle. The joints between the curb and the pipe must be carefully treated with sealant. The same applies to ceramics.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Ceramic border

The best choice for sealing the seam between the bathroom and the wall, finished with tiles or porcelain. From the outside, the corner of the border is rounded, which creates a smooth beautiful transition from the bath to the wall and well closes the gap between them. If the installation was done correctly, the curb will look very harmonious in the decoration of the bathroom.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

The lack of ceramic borders is that not a single tile collection comes with them in the kit. It will be necessary to search for a material that is suitable for a shade; it is not always easy. In extreme cases, you can choose white shades, light gray, beige, pastel colors.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

If this option does not suit you, with proper skills you can cut decorative tiles into pieces, resulting in a flat border. However, this solution is not for any problem, sometimes it is difficult to repair the gap between the bathroom and the wall in this way.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

In order to properly eliminate the gap between the bathroom and the wall with a ceramic border, you should follow the following rules:

  1. Clean the base of dirt, degrease and allow to dry completely;
  2. To seal the joint, use a thick cement mortar;
  3. When the cement dries, apply glue or sealant;
  4. Put a curb;
  5. Handle the gaps between the details of waterproof grout to match.

Technically laying the curb is no different from installing tiles on the floor or walls. To eliminate the gap between the details of the border, instead of the usual white or gray grout is better to choose a transparent sealant. It is less noticeable and will last longer in the bathroom.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Mixed technology

In order to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall, it is not necessary to use one method, they can be easily combined with each other. This will give greater strength and reliability of the joint. Here is an example of mixed gap sealing methods:

  1. First of all, seal the seam between the wall and the bathroom, pour building foam into it. Wait until dry.
  2. Cut off the excess, process the joint sealant. It will make the seam smoother, as well as enhance water repellency.
  3. When the sealant is dry, lay a sticky curtain tape over it.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

This combination is more durable and reliable. You can use the above materials as you like, it is important only to meet the main requirements: strength and water resistance, as well as combination with decoration. What other ways to seal the gap or a large gap between the bathroom can be seen in detail in the video.

Matching style

In addition to the quality of the material and ease of installation when sealing the gaps along the edges of the bath should take into account the style of the interior. For minimalism or high-tech, you can use modern materials, a plastic border on a glue base will fit in well, as well as simplified versions such as foam or mortar, painted to match the color of the finish.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

For classic design, as well as eco-style, it is better to choose natural materials: ceramics or stone. At the same time for the classics, you can even choose a marble border, which will look very luxurious. Eco-style is simple, so you can do with white ceramics or white grout.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

Useful tips

Regardless of what method of sealing the joint you chose, there are several useful tips that will facilitate the work:

  1. When sealing an acrylic bath it is worth considering that acrylic begins to sag over time. To prevent this from affecting the quality of stitching, fix the bath from four sides.
  2. Any works on grouting the slots are performed only with a full bath. Water is drained only after complete drying of all materials.
  3. It is important to place metal baths on an absolutely flat floor in order to eliminate reels or vibrations.
  4. Bath of any material must necessarily be located strictly parallel to the floor.

If all the conditions are met, the measures listed will significantly prolong the life of the sealants. If you are not sure that you can accurately seal the seam between the bathroom and the wall, you can always use the services of specialists.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

In order to properly seal the bath around the edges and seal all the gaps, it is necessary to correctly determine the choice of materials. An important role in the selection is the width of the gap, the purpose of the repair, as well as your own skills. You can combine different materials, so the seam will be more reliable.

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

How to seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall

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