when can I use the bath after applying mastic?

[badhairday]

Basically, water is leaking from my bathroom to the room below. I have no idea what could be causing this but I hope that it is just water leaking in from the side of the tub or something where there could be a gap in the mastic. If I re-mastic, how long will I have to wait before the bathroom can be used again?

p.s - Is mastic the same as silicon sealant?

 

[Richard C]

You need to reseal around the bath with a quality sanitary Silicone. I always used to understand mastic sealer as being something rather tarry & gooey that never fully sets, completely unsuitable for a bathroom. Just to confuse matters it seems products are now sold as silicone mastic so in terms of my somewhat dated understanding, a contradiction of terms as I know them.

You must remove all the old seal first & clean surfaces thoroughly, don’t just squirt the new sealer over the top, it won’t stick. Fill the bath with water, apply the new silicone bead & leave until next day (at least 12 hours), the bath should then be OK to use.