Tile at the edge of shower frame

[peternd]

Hi folks,

I do hope someone(s!) can give some advice.

Having a shower room done, and in the process had a few different people from their company sent out over the course of the installation.

The first installer positioned the electric shower incorrectly, right next to the shower enclosure frame so that when the door slid open it hit the shower unit every time and couldn't open all the way.

They moved the shower unit to allow the door to open, but in doing this has to remove and replace some tiles.

One of these tiles sits right up against the frame (as I think the photo shows.
You can also see in the photo the small width of the grout space between frame and tile. It's a gap, not just a black marker just for clarification.

A later member of the team came back and has now grouted over this gap, and you can see in the following photo where this is between the sealant line.

What should be done next?

Unfortunately, I've neurological issues now so cannot do these things myself, but personally I would have removed all that sealant first on the vertical line against the enclosure frame to replace it in one line (sealer doesn't stick to sealer does it?) and then on replacing the tile left a wider grout line to be able squidge my grout into and smooth off, before replacing the whole vertical run of sealant. But the installers just keep saying "it's fine!".

This is a water resistant, not waterproof grout (not epoxy) for further info.


Hope someone can point me in the right direction,.. also open to reassurance... Maybe I'm being paranoid?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

[simplesteve]

Assuming the frame has been fitted correctly, there will be a bead of silicone down the inside of the frame where it screws to the wall. You cannot see this, but it’s what waterproofs the joint.
Again, if done correctly, there will be another run of silicone on the outside of the frame; the theory being that it “ self cleans” and rinses, with any water hitting the first bead above then returning back into the shower. If any of this bead is missing then it hits the second bead, and still returns into the shower. There should never be any silicone in the shower itself.
Whilst your job doesn’t look particularly neat, and in my opinion would benefit from another slightly thicker run of grout down it, I wouldn’t get myself too concerned or distraught about it.

( I always try and discourage customers from putting a flat frame over those bevelled edge ‘Metro’ tiles:- it’s not a good idea)

 

[Wayners]

Sounds like you have multiple installers not one good one.
You need to contact the installers with your concerns.

As for your problem I guess they will silicone up to cover grout

 

[peternd]

Assuming the frame has been fitted correctly, there will be a bead of silicone down the inside of the frame where it screws to the wall. You cannot see this, but it’s what waterproofs the joint.
Again, if done correctly, there will be another run of silicone on the outside of the frame; the theory being that it “ self cleans” and rinses, with any water hitting the first bead above then returning back into the shower. If any of this bead is missing then it hits the second bead, and still returns into the shower. There should never be any silicone in the shower itself.
Whilst your job doesn’t look particularly neat, and in my opinion would benefit from another slightly thicker run of grout down it, I wouldn’t get myself too concerned or distraught about it.

( I always try and discourage customers from putting a flat frame over those bevelled edge ‘Metro’ tiles:- it’s not a good idea)

They ran ahead and siliconed the inside and not the outside aspect unfortunately.

But I presume (hope!) there was a run of silicone on the back edge of the frame. But that will surely only stop water getting out of the shower, not to the backing surface behind the tiles.

My greater concern is the risk of water getting into the gap between and behind the tiles, given this section was cut a couple of weeks after the initial install, and also given how narrow that line is, restricting flow of material into the space.

It's perhaps hard to tell from the picture, but the profile of that bit of grout they added to the left of the tile against the frame is proud of the frame... Following the profile (more or less) or the silicone above and below

Running a finger down the sealant, can feel it give at the join between sealant and grout, so it's not a stable seal/join and can't be left like that... But the question is really what to do to 'make good' of it all?