I finally stopped using cheap caulk after it ruined my brand new tile work

I used to buy the $2 tubes at the hardware store until last month when the caulk in my bathroom shower started cracking and peeling within 3 weeks. Switched to a mid-grade silicone caulk for $8 and it's been solid ever since - has anyone else had cheap caulk fail on them like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

holly7093d ago

Did you use the right kind of caulk for wet areas in the first place? Because a lot of those $2 tubes are just basic acrylic caulk that's meant for dry spots like trim, not a shower. I've seen people grab the wrong stuff thinking all caulk works the same, and that's a recipe for peeling fast. Even the good silicone needs a clean, dry surface and proper curing time or it'll fail eventually. Sounds like you made the right call with the mid-grade stuff, but it's worth double checking the label next time just to be safe.

miles_robinson202d ago

I mean, is a little peeling really that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things? Yeah, it's annoying when caulk fails, but it's not like your whole shower is going to collapse because of a crack in the seam. You just scrape it off and redo it in an afternoon for like ten bucks. People act like it's a life-ending tragedy when their bathroom has a small gap that needs fixing. I get that you want it to look nice, but I've seen the same complaint about the expensive silicone stuff failing too after a year if you don't get the surface perfectly dry. Chalk it up to a learning experience and move on, it's just caulk.