What is the best bath sealant?

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Discuss What is the best bath sealant? in the Plumbing Jobs | The Job-board area at PlumbersForums.net

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wacman

As it says really. I've recently tiled the bathroom and i'm now looking to seal around the bottom of tiles and bath. Any tips on the best sealant to use, brand names would be really useful. I've been told to go for a natural curing sealant and to avoid the type that smell like vinegar....though this doesn't really help when trying to find a decent one.
 
You tend to get what you pay for

As a start I would recommend an antimould sealant
 
Always use the best that you can afford and make sure it has anti-mould and anti-fungal properties. I like the Unibond Sanitary sealant and they do a sealant solely for the purpose of sealing round baths and showers. Our local B&M stores sell it cheaper than S*rewfix. Don't buy the budget stuff, it's a pile of cack and if it does manage to form a water tight seal, rest assured you'll be redoing it in a very short time.
 
I've used the expensive stuff and I've used the cheap stuff and have to say from experience there is very little difference in performance across the range. I find it's more down to how the silicone is applied, firstly that a gap has been left between the tile and bath, you get the silicone right into the joint and that the bath is full and left for 24 hrs after.
 
i agree fill the bath before sealing the weight of water pulls the bath down to make the gap slightly larger don't let the water out too soon to let the sealant cure properly
 
I done a seal round a bath with the No Nonsence budget sealant and using the usual methods of filling up the bath etc. Had to rake it all out a few weeks later and re do it with better sealant. I'm not a novice at this either.

If the bath is on a ground floor, then chances are if the cheap stuff leaks then you won't know about it, while if on a first floor it may pee down the ceiling. I don't like experimenting with customer's homes and usually prefer to use what works best for me.
 
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system3 said:
I done a seal round a bath with the No Nonsence budget sealant and using the usual methods of filling up the bath etc. Had to rake it all out a few weeks later and re do it with better sealant. I'm not a novice at this either.
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Maybe I haven't used the really, really, really, really cheap stuff. :) I've used T station own brand and center brand sanitary silicone white and clear and never had a problem.

The only one I had an issue with (can't remember the brand) was one that came out likle decorators caulk, blood horrible stuff.
 
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the one that smells of vinager is best proberbly, dow corning the best but i use sx.
no problems in the last few years at £2 a tube and maybe made in the same batch?
 
The vinegar smell is acetic acid, given off by real silicone.

FWIW I have found very little difference in durability between Dow corning 785 & the cheaper silicone, found they both dis-colour eventually
 
There are sealants that advertise that they are "forever white". The Evobond stuff is reputed to stay white for 10 years, though most bath seals never last that long.
 
Personally I don't trust anything Unibond, I've been let down by their products everytime I've used them. When I started out I did my mums shower with it, the ultra expensive £12 a pop, power shower proof anti mould, anti fungal all singing all dancing etc.

Within 12 months it was as black as New Gates knocker.

All I use now is Mapei or Dow Corning.
 
Use the Polish plumber's preferred method.....run a roll of sellotape along your bath.
 
i find the best stuff to use to give a long lasting finish that never discolours is black, nice contrast too.
 
I currently use SX sanitary silicone. Mould discoloration will happen to any silicone if it isn't kept clean and wiped down regularly.

I have had problems with Unibond clear sanitary silicone going yellow.

Sealocrete silicone is rubbish - too runny and drips.
 
Over the years I have used all the brand names and was close to despair until lately I discovered a product called Sealfix, made by Solvall. It comes in different colours but clear or white is probably best for your job, and you can buy a cleaner which removes any excess sealant. It is anti fungal, but I agree with a previous reply that if it is not looked after, any product will discolour over time. It says on the tube that it will seal and bond even under water. This product has not let me down yet and I would recommend it to anyone.
 
plumbersfriend said:
Over the years I have used all the brand names and was close to despair until lately I discovered a product called Sealfix, made by Solvall. It comes in different colours but clear or white is probably best for your job, and you can buy a cleaner which removes any excess sealant. It is anti fungal, but I agree with a previous reply that if it is not looked after, any product will discolour over time. It says on the tube that it will seal and bond even under water. This product has not let me down yet and I would recommend it to anyone.
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you sound like a sales man for solvall.
 
CT 1 is supposed to be very good too. Sound like a similar product, set under water. No idea if its any good under water but I have used it a lot on my boat.
 
Don't believe a sealant when it says it sets under water. I have a mate whos a lab technician at bostik and he says they say it but don't test it for that, same for the heats they can withstand.
 
Loving plumbersfriend and desrobs conversation all 1 word posts quality work guys.
 
Dow Corning goes black within a year or so, where used in places that are damp, like showers. Forever white is easier to use & garanteed to stay white 10yrs. Tec 7 is hard to use as a sealant, but grips clean surfaces well. The flex rubber strips that adhere to bath or shower tray, make a good upstand.
 
Best said:
Dow Corning goes black within a year or so, where used in places that are damp, like showers. Forever white is easier to use & garanteed to stay white 10yrs. Tec 7 is hard to use as a sealant, but grips clean surfaces well. The flex rubber strips that adhere to bath or shower tray, make a good upstand.
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Dow goes black? then we are all done for! There's me thinking it was Rolls Royce stuff. :angry_smile:
 
I've never had any problems with Dow 785 and use it most of the time. I must admit I haven't tried many others brands, but I have used Ceresit once or twice and that seemed okay.
 
mrlennie said:
Please post link of such items!
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One make of bath/shower seal is " Classic Seal ". It is a thin rubbery strip about 50 mm wide & you can get it in various lengths. Half of the width of it has a thick black adhesive & it comes with a paper you peel off as you stick it to tray/bath. It bonds immediately, so got to be right, but easy enough fit. It allows about 15mm movement I think. You end up with a 25mm thin up stand which can be tiled over. Really simple solution!
 
Best said:
One make of bath/shower seal is " Classic Seal ". It is a thin rubbery strip about 50 mm wide & you can get it in various lengths. Half of the width of it has a thick black adhesive & it comes with a paper you peel off as you stick it to tray/bath. It bonds immediately, so got to be right, but easy enough fit. It allows about 15mm movement I think. You end up with a 25mm thin up stand which can be tiled over. Really simple solution!
Click to expand...

Sweet good info best. do you think it could be adapted to work with wetrooms/ level access shower trays?
 
Phil said:
Dow goes black? then we are all done for! There's me thinking it was Rolls Royce stuff. :angry_smile:
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I thought same, but found it going black where a lot dampness. Even a little black dot or two ruins look of jobs. Dow is harder to work with also.
 
Best said:
One make of bath/shower seal is " Classic Seal ". It is a thin rubbery strip about 50 mm wide & you can get it in various lengths. Half of the width of it has a thick black adhesive & it comes with a paper you peel off as you stick it to tray/bath. It bonds immediately, so got to be right, but easy enough fit. It allows about 15mm movement I think. You end up with a 25mm thin up stand which can be tiled over. Really simple solution!
Click to expand...

Yep, it's really good at what it says, however, just hope you never have to take it off, the mastic never sets and you will find out that when you take it off, you have it all over you and end up binning what you have got it on due to it being on your knees, then on the floor, then on your hands and everything you touch, Thinners seems to be the only way to get it off you!
 
forever white is the dogs! but £5 a tube then scrape off with a fugi scraper (google fugi for those that dont know)
a great tool to give you a pro finish no more licking your finger!!
 
" Mrlennie " -Think it is only suitable for ordinary trays as well as baths & worktops, but not sure.
 
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Dow 785 is great stuff. Don't use spit and your finger when tooling it up (as tempting as it is) as it will encourage mould growth.

I like it for three reasons....its thick and tools up well, it has Microbore antil fungal admix in it, and finally because I used it in my old bathroom and after 7 years it hadn't shrunk, discoloured, or delaminated. So I feel comfortable using it in peoples homes.
 
I'm just bumping this thread for no particular reason. If it isn't a current topic, don't worry about it, just ignore it and it'll move off the forum list before long. If it is a topic you'd like to reply to though, go ahead. :)
 
Dan said:
I'm just bumping this thread for no particular reason. If it isn't a current topic, don't worry about it, just ignore it and it'll move off the forum list before long. If it is a topic you'd like to reply to though, go ahead. :)
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Any updates on this? Anything new that is better than Dow Corning 785?
 
Not sure this thread states it's the best does it?
 
Dan said:
Not sure this thread states it's the best does it?
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There wasn't a clear winner, but the Dow Corning seemed to be the benchmark.
Since that was 6 years ago, and I was checking to see if there had been any significant new products since then
 
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