Tape behind grout = bad?

[Mattf83]

Hello,

I am a total amateur DIYer, redoing my little bathroom. I tiled the shower walls and bathroom floor, but chose a pre-made shower floor because I didn't trust my ability to do this with tile (kinda wish I had... oh well!)

Anyways, I put some painters and masking tape on the face of the shower floor, to protect it from getting scratched up while installing and tiling the bathroom floor. But... where the bathroom floor grout meets the pre-made shower floor, I accidentally left the tape on and grouted right against it!

Now that the bathroom is almost done, I removed the visible tape, and it looks fine. But, I am worried about water sneaking in between the grout and the face of the shower floor, where some tape is still hiding.

Should I be worried? Should I do something to fix this? Or is it fine? I thought about running some silicone caulk over it, but worry it will look crappy in no time.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Jadnashua]

Is this inside or outside of the shower? If it's between the pan and the floor outside of the shower, FWIW, that should not be grouted, but should have a bead of caulk on it. Industry standards call for movement accommodation between any change of plane, or different materials. Tile nor grout is waterproof, so if I understand what you're saying, the tape shouldn't be an issue, but the grout there might be.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Mattf83]

Yes, it's between the shower pan and the floor outside of the shower.

I do have caulk everywhere else it should be at changes of plane (and gaps between walls and floor tile) but at some point I must have read somewhere that the grout was OK in this one spot (not that that was correct!)

I guess my question is, then, do I need to tear that grout out? Or is it functionally fine, if not exactly standard? Would grout sealer do enough?

Thanks!

 

[Howard M Emerson]

Yes, it's between the shower pan and the floor outside of the shower.

I do have caulk everywhere else it should be at changes of plane (and gaps between walls and floor tile) but at some point I must have read somewhere that the grout was OK in this one spot (not that that was correct!)

I guess my question is, then, do I need to tear that grout out? Or is it functionally fine, if not exactly standard? Would grout sealer do enough?

Thanks!

Hello Matt,
As long as you can't see the painters tape it is fine as it is. Just remember, though, that grout is not waterproof, and water can leak right through it.

Get some clear silicone caulking, put fresh tape on either side of the grout joint, and caulk that entire length of grout with the silicone. Right after you do that, wet your finger, and draw it along the entire joint with a good amount of pressure.

Pull the strips of tape off immediately, and now you'll have a nice waterproof coating that's unaffected by expansion & contraction.

Here's some joints I just caulked with Mapesil T colored silicone caulk. Depending on what color grout you used there may, or may not, be an available matching color. Whatever you do, though, do NOT use water based caulking where you need it to be waterproof, and/or provide elasticity on movable joints.

Best,
Howard Emerson