Les Jones

Misc > How To Caulk a Bathtub or Shower

With all of this talk of essential handyman skills I'll throw in my two cents. I've recaulked the bathtub in our house three or four times, and I've finally gotten my technique down. Here's the short course.

1. Get you some caulk - Buy a caulk made for bathtub use. They contain antimicrobial agents that inhibit mold. I used to use a caulk gun, but now I use a handheld tube that gives me more control. After an experiment with clear caulks I'm back to white caulk.

2. Remove the old caulk - Use a utility knife, screwdriver, and pliers to cut, scrape, and pull out the old caulk. A $1.99 glass scraper can be handy for the finishing touches.

3. Clean the surfaces - The caulk will hold better if there's no dirt, grime, or soap reside in the way. Now's the time to scrub the tub. I use a sponge or nylon scrubbie and an abrasive cleaner like Comet, Ajax, Bon Ami, or Barkeeper's Friend. If you have scale or rust stains a cleaner like CLR can help. Allow to dry afterwards.

4. Caulk it up - This is the tricky part. I used to apply way too much caulk. It was messy and it trapped water, which lead to caulk that turned grungy from mold and mineral build up.

Cut the tube near the end so you can squeeze out a small bead. The goal is to squeeze a bead of caulk that's a little bigger than you need to fill the gap between the tub and the wall, or the tub and the shower stall. Some excess is fine, because you'll remove the excess at the end. Better too much than too little at this point.

Try to lay one entire side at a time. If there's a big gap, you might squeeze a little in the back of the gap for filler, then use a second application to build the caulk out to the front.

5. Finish with a wet sponge - The finishing step is the secret. Use a small sponge (a kitchen sponge works great) and a bucket of warm water. While the caulk is still wet use the wet sponge to wipe down the caulk. Rinse frequently in the bucket of warm water. The sponge will press the caulk into any remaining spaces, remove any excess caulk, smooth out the bead, and shape the caulk to fit the gap.

The same technique works with any caulk application. My brother showed me the technique when we were installing crown moulding as part of my living room remodel.