How to close the joint between the bathroom and the wall: options and technology for sealing

The process of repairing the bathroom does not end with laying beautiful ceramic tiles and buying new plumbing. There are many small nuances that also need to be considered. One of them is a small wall gap between the wall and the side of the bath.

We will tell you how to seal and camouflage a gap that is dangerous for leakage, and also does not please aesthetics. From our article you will learn how to close the joint between the bathroom and the wall. To get ahead of the most suitable option for you, we give several methods.

The causes of the gap at the wall

No matter how hard you try to install the bath, a small gap will remain between its side and the tile or concrete wall. The minimum gap is 0.1 cm, but in some cases it reaches 2-3 cm in width.

We do not take into account the distance to the wall of 10 cm or more, which remains on the narrow side of the bathtub - it can only be repaired using a structure made of profile and drywall or other improvised materials.

There are several reasons for the appearance of the gap, and almost all of them come down to the imperfection of the geometry of the room.

Even a small gap can cause big trouble for the family of the apartment owners and for the neighbors from the lower floor

Among the most common shortcomings are the following:

• uneven screed on the floor, causing the bath to skew - part of the problem can be solved by leveling the floor or tightening the bath mounting bolts;
• “Wavy” walls formed by a layer of illiterate stucco;
• non-standard-sized angles are sharper or blunt than 90 degrees;
• defects in the sanitary ware - not a perfectly flat side.

The latter problem is extremely rare, mainly in economy class bathtubs. Sometimes it’s easier to seal a non-aesthetic junction between steel or acrylic bath and a wall, than changing the product or plastering several walls again.

You cannot leave even a slight gap.While bathing or taking a shower, the liquid will certainly fall onto the wall, and then not into the bath, as usual, but directly onto the floor. And the water on the floor will certainly lead to a conflict with the neighbors from the apartment below, regardless of quality and reliability waterproofingmade in the bathroom.

Through a narrow slit, water drops slide under the bathtub, where they accumulate and begin to destroy building materials, provoke the appearance of mold and fungus

You can get rid of trouble in different ways: with your own hands or with the help of professional finishers. Since special skills are not needed to close the lumen, many do it on their own.

An overview of the methods for sealing the joint at the bath

Various materials are used to mask the gap. Some of them are applied using a gun with a sealing compound, others are simply glued.

Consider the popular methods that you can take note of and implement on your own.

The choice of a particular material depends on the width of the gap, the characteristics of the interior and wall decoration. If the gap is very narrow, borders and corners will be superfluous.

A wide gap, in contrast, requires the use of additional elements. Here, the best option is to combine two materials, for example, mounting foam and a border or sealant and plastic edging.

Consider the simplest ways to mask the joint between the bathroom and the adjoining wall, more precisely - the walls. It is problematic to adjust the sanitary equipment to the dimensions of the room, so you have to grind it from two or three sides.At the same time, a large indent from the third side is most often covered with a kind of “shelf”, decorated under the lining.

How to seal a gap with silicone sealant

Using sealant is an inexpensive and easy way. The only condition for its use is the size of the gap, which should not exceed 3 mm. A thick product placed in a tube can have various shades, but the same color is best for masking a white bath. Transparent taking is not recommended.

In construction stores you can find a huge number of quality sealants. You will need a sanitary, specially designed for decorating a bathroom or toilet. Among the characteristics of the product must necessarily be moisture resistance and antibacterial.

To hide the gap, one package is enough, so you can not save, but choose high-quality branded products. We offer four examples, the positive characteristics of which were noted by professional builders.

In addition to the brands listed, in the stall markets you can find other proven sealants: KRASS, S 400, Dow Corning, CIKI FIX. Properly selected material is 50% successful sealing of a wall joint.

Instructions for applying sealant:

• Thoroughly clean the working surfaces: wipe the side of the bath, which is near the wall, and the wall itself first with water and then an alcohol-based degreaser and dry.
• Install the tube in the gun, with a construction knife or scissors cut off the tip of the "nose". The diameter of the hole should be slightly larger than the gap that must be masked.
• Starting from the edge, slowly squeeze the sealant so that it lies straight and completely covers the gap.
• Carefully smooth the resulting roller with a special spatula or finger so that its edges merge with the working surfaces. Moisten a finger with soapy water so that the sealant does not stick to it.
• Wait for drying, and then remove the remains. They resemble a rubbery elastic substance, easily scraped and removed.

Silicone sealants are often used instead of glue when sealing joints in the bathroom. It is on them that it is recommended to stick plastic and ceramic borders.

Recommendations on the choice of sealants for use in bathrooms and bathrooms given in the article, the contents of which we advise you to read.

Instructions for gluing a plastic corner

Corners (borders, plinths) made of PVC are inexpensive, lightweight, easy to use products that lend themselves well to processing and, when properly installed, harmonize with the bathroom. There are also color options, but a white border is considered more appropriate - in the color of plumbing.

Before buying a skirting board, you need to measure the length of the sides of the bath, along which you need to mask the gap.It will take a small margin, as you have to cut corners.

We put on a cap at the very end, after drying. For a better grip of the corner, it is pressed with something heavy, for example, a piece of tile. After about 3-4 hours, the bathroom can be used, but it is better to wait about a day.

The work that is carried out using sealant is good in that any mistake can be corrected during gluing.

Ceramic border installation

Ceramics clearly outperform plastic, so those who love reliability and durability still prefer it. A smooth glossy border does not change shape and color over time, easily withstands mechanical stress, does not respond to alkalis and acids that are part of detergents.

If you use high-quality adhesives and grouts when installing the ceramic border, the aesthetic side of the installation will not suffer at all - everything will look harmonious and neat

Preparation for work is to purchase the necessary number of products: several horizontal elements and two corners. You also need to purchase a reliable silicone sealant and a tool for degreasing the surface.

Operating procedure:

1. We process the edge of the bathroom and part of the wall along the entire length with a solvent, and dry it.
2. We fill the gap with sealant, try not to make passes.
3. We glue the ceramic corner into the corner, which immediately catches your eye at the entrance.
4. Alternately glue the curb elements, trying to create an even line.
5. At the edges and around the second corner, you may need to trim ceramic parts. To do this, use a grinder, and we clean the edges with sandpaper.
6. At the end of the installation of all parts, we overwrite the seams. You can use grout for tiles and sealant.

Finishing gluing the curb onto the bath remove the remaining grout material with a damp sponge and wait for it to dry completely. If the grout or sealant turns yellow over time, then you can dismantle all the parts, clean them and the wall, and then repeat the gluing procedure.

How to make an abutment tight?

Experienced builders recommend using curbs and other materials for sealing joints as a last resort. They offer a modern alternative that will save you from regular repairs - gluing tiles after steel bath installationsas well as installation and connection cast iron or acrylic plumbing to home communications.

If you close the bathtub close to the wall, and then glue the tile by placing the bottom row on the side, you won’t have to close any gap

This method is often used when the bathroom is faced with expensive collection tiles, next to which the plastic corners look inappropriate. The only difficulty is choosing the right size for the ceramic parts. It is necessary to determine in advance the height of the bath and calculate everything so that the tiles do not have to be cut.

The minimum clearance on the border with the bath bowl is easily masked by a grout that dries and is not washed with water. But for insurance before laying tiles, you can walk around the perimeter of the tank with sealant to be sure of the reliability of insulation to the end. The border tape or plastic corner may come off, but there is no such danger.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

You can use any of the listed methods, and several informative videos with a detailed description of actions will help you with this.

Video # 1. How to apply silicone sealant:

Video # 2. An interesting idea using floor skirting:

Video # 3. Tips for gluing a plastic corner:

Video # 4. The curious consequences of installing a border strip:

The technology for masking the joint between the bathroom and the wall is simple, so all the actions for closing the gap can be performed independently. But do not forget that quality material is half the success.

If you doubt your own abilities or the choice of building material, seek help from finishers. Consultants in building markets can also explain a lot.

Tell us about how you sealed the joint between the wall and the bathroom, how did you close the not-so-attractive seam? It is possible that your tips will be useful to site visitors. Please write comments, ask questions and post photos in the block below.