While preparing to caulk a bathtub there are several things to consider. If the bathtub has been previously caulked, then it’s best to remove the old caulk first before laying down the new bead of caulk. Depending on the type of caulk that was used for caulking a bathtub it may be difficult to remove. Sometimes I’ve had to resort to carefully using a chisel to remove the caulk and it was quite the laborious endeavor. Needless to say caulking a bathtub is not the difficult aspect of the job. I can lay down the new bead of caulk in about 15 to 20 minutes; it’s the removal of the old caulk and the proper preparation of the surface that takes all the time. When caulking a bathtub it probably takes me about 2 ½ hours to remove the old caulk and make sure the surface is cleaned of all loose debris and soap scum before I lay down the new bead of caulk. Since I only use silicone when caulking a bathtub I open the windows to allow the fumes to escape. These fumes generally only last about 2 hours. I usually tell my clients not to use their bathtubs for 24 hours just to ensure that the silicone has had plenty of time to set up. I see many caulk jobs that have been taken on by home owners, who have chosen to do it themselves and it looks as peanut butter smeared all over the place. This is not the type of work that I do. After I’m done caulking a bathtub it looks like a factory quality job. Caulking a bathtub and shower stall are one of my specialties. The only people that I’ve seen out in the field that do as neat of a job as myself are shower door installers that do this all day long and even some of them do a sloppy job.
Now, there are times when a house settles and the bathtub sinks a bit and a caulk joint gets too large to caulk properly. When this happens, I usually recommend that the home owner has me install quarter round tile instead of caulk for the tub surround. I’ve done many of these jobs and my clients have always been pleased with the appearance of the tub after the job is completed. Either way, I can offer you a quality solution for your bathtub or shower stall.
Multitrade Home Repair 