grout in shower above showerpan has cracks.

[nereo]

Ok - second grouting question in as many weeks. 

The bottom line of grout in my shower, right where the showerpan meets the tiles, is showing a lot of cracks.  Water can now definitely get between the tile and the showerpan.  I'm guessing this is because it's a new edition on a much older house, and now 2 years in it's "settling".  Dunno.

My question:  eventually I plan on taking a grout saw and redoing all the grout, but that won't be anytime soon.  I'm planning on using a hairdryer to make it as dry as possible and then laying in a thick bead of silicone caulk.  Does that sound like an ok approach?  during the summer I"ll have the time to re-grout everything, but not now.
My only worry is it not being completely dry behind there, but I'm not sure hat I can do about it besides the hairdryer.  I certainly can't rip everything out right now "just to check".

[gillstone]

A hardryer will not do you any good.  It will just warm up whatever moisture us sitting behind the caulk.  You need to remove the line of cracked caulk and dry the area completely.  In terms of time, you can caulk the shower pan without having to redo everything and it really won't take long and it will be done right.  I had to do it last fall when the same things happened to me and it took me less than 3 hours to remove the old grout, clean the area, and add new caulk, and it the first time I had ever done it.

[geekette]

The John Bridge tile forum is the place to go for tile questions.

From what I remember from our installation several years ago, is that grout is not waterproof.  There should be some sort of barrier behind the tile that directs the small amount of water that gets through down to the base (we use Kerdi).  The shower base has a lip that your lowest tile and waterproof barrier overlap, so the water will be directed into the pan and down the drain.  There should also be a weep hole or two in the shower base that shouldn't be grouted or caulked (but often is, as it was by our installer).

Caulk, not grout, for the joint between tile and base.

[nereo]

A hardryer will not do you any good.  It will just warm up whatever moisture us sitting behind the caulk.  You need to remove the line of cracked caulk and dry the area completely.  In terms of time, you can caulk the shower pan without having to redo everything and it really won't take long and it will be done right.  I had to do it last fall when the same things happened to me and it took me less than 3 hours to remove the old grout, clean the area, and add new caulk, and it the first time I had ever done it.

Sorry, a bit confused on your methods - did you remove the grout, then regrout AND caulk, or did you just remove the old grout and then caulk?  If you are regrouting wouldn't I need to wait 12-24hr before caulking?

For me it's the 3/16" line between the bottom row of tiles and the top of the shower pan.

[nereo]

The John Bridge tile forum is the place to go for tile questions.

From what I remember from our installation several years ago, is that grout is not waterproof.  There should be some sort of barrier behind the tile that directs the small amount of water that gets through down to the base (we use Kerdi).  The shower base has a lip that your lowest tile and waterproof barrier overlap, so the water will be directed into the pan and down the drain.  There should also be a weep hole or two in the shower base that shouldn't be grouted or caulked (but often is, as it was by our installer).

Caulk, not grout, for the joint between tile and base.

Ok - good to know about the lip in the showerpan.  Chances most of the moisture getting in there is just dripping back down into the pan then.  No idea about whether they used the appropriate barrier behind the tile, but I'll have to assume so - overall they seemed to have done a good job with the remodel.

So - once I remove the grout with a grout knife I should just lay caulk in and NOT regrout the bottom most line?

I will check out John Bridge - been to that forum before but the working-professional attitude in that forum seems to often be beyond my current skill-level.
Cheers

[geekette]

Yes, many are professionals, but they were quite helpful to me, a complete novice who really didn't want to do the work, but thought I might have to after my first contractor flaked out and others were just plain stupid.  I ended up finding the contractor who did the work via someone local on that forum who recommended him. 

My understanding is that the lowest joint will flex and caulk is flexible. 

[gillstone]

The line between shower pan and tiles needs caulk, not grout.  Caulk can have sand in it so it feels kinda like grout and looks a little like it.  You need to use caulk because caulk will provide that tiny bit of elasticity you need for when your shower pan goes from empty to having someone stand in it.  Clean out whatever is between the pan and the tile, dry it completely,  fill with a sanded caulk that color matches, let it dry, be done.