Leaking shower sealant gap

[CoffeeCake]

I have a shower that's leaks into kitchen below. I have tested the waste pipe and even after 30-45 mins of running water there is no leak. When I point the shower to two ends of the shower tray there is a leak. So I got a plumber to reseal (£££) and it didn't solve the issue, he's been 3 times now trying to seal every nook without success. He's now suggested installing a new shower tray and doors.

So I thought of giving it a go myself for the last time. I spent a lot more time than he did removing the sealant and found both new and old. I thing I am concerned about is the pretty big gap between the tiles and the shower tray. Attaching picture. Is there anything I should do to fill this gap before I apply new silicone?

Any other tips before I get resealing.

Thanks

 

[Wayners]

Standing corner to corner shift your weight. Tray rock?

 

[CountryFan]

I would remove all the old sealant, try a wallpaper scraper with a bevel edge, a sharp wood chisel or being careful use a utility knife blade. Then if you have access to apply some weight overnight, eg some bags of sand, apply a small bead to fill the gap leave to set and then apply a larger bead of silicone. See how that goes.

 

[CoffeeCake]

Standing corner to corner shift your weight. Tray rock?

Not that I can tell.

 

[Wayners]

Sometimes water comes in higher up and runs down tram lines in adhesive behind tiles.
People go mad with silicone which never makes any difference.

 

[CoffeeCake]

Sometimes water comes in higher up and runs down tram lines in adhesive behind tiles.
People go mad with silicone which never makes any difference.

Could be so how can I make the tile grout more water resistant?

 

[Madrab]

Run a hairdryer around it and get it nice and hot, as there will be dampness still in there, silicone then won’t seal to it. Then use a solvent to clean, I use brush restorer. Meths, isopropyl alcohol etc.

Grout can be sealed with a liquid sealer but if there are actual gaps then only removal and renewing would do it.

 

[Scally-Ho]

Cut away all of the old sealant and then reseal before applying some plastic quadrant all around the tay/wall edge to ensure a good seal and rapid water deflection. Eurocell sell a good selection of such plastic.

Eurocell: Your Premier Supplier of Windows, Doors, Roofline, and Conservatories

Home page at Eurocell. Explore our range of quality building solutions with free delivery on orders over £100.

www.eurocell.co.uk

 

[opps]

What happens if you spray it at the walls but make sure that the water doesn't go near the doors?

 

[CoffeeCake]

Some more pics of this as there are some pretty large gaps that I found when I got rid of all the old seal. Should I grout, then reseal then apply a plastic quadrant?

 

[Madrab]

I'm sorry but please don't add any type of aftermarket seal over any sealant area around the edge of a shower, honestly, it will eventually just create a trap for water to get into and cause issues later, that and it just plain looks like a really bad DIY bodge IMO.

The vertical gaps will be fine - just fill with silicone, use a fine nozzle on the tube and fill it, then use a flat profiler and squeeze the sealant into the gap until it won't take any more, wipe it flat and let that set for a few hours, before a proper fillet is added over the top

The wall profile, is that for an enclosure or is it just a piece of glass? Either or that is just a mare. That will need filled flat but I'd possible use a clear/beige silicone adhesive on that rather than a silicone as it's a bit more of a permanent repair.

The mosaic, if those are separate cubes then that is different matter again. I'd look to see if any of the small pieces are actually loose, take them out, clean back the area and get a flexible waterproof adhesive/grout and re-set them.

 

[simplesteve]

All good sound advice from Madrab, especially the " DON'T use a seal ' ; they are just a recipe for a minging looking job !
Re the mosaics; it is very difficult to regrout successfully those small squares. Looking closer at that photo, they have another hole in at the 4th and 6 th rows up. i.e. It's not been grouted properly. Unfortunately, I would suggest that the whole mosaic strip comes out.

 

[Elsa TLC]

Is there a screen or a door in place?

 

[CoffeeCake]

Thanks. I removed the doors for access but attaching a few pics to show the full tray and areas.

 

[CoffeeCake]

Problem is this cabin has leaked even after I got it sealed by a plumber. I will do a more thorough job myself but wondering if it's worth taking it out and getting it refitted properly?