Sealing the junction of the bathroom and the wall is included in the complex of finishing works. They are mandatory, since during installation a gap is always formed between the bathroom and the tile, which can be eliminated different ways.

The bathroom is a room with high humidity Therefore, it is necessary by all means to prevent water from entering the surface. The installation of an exhaust device helps with this. Great importance It also has the correct connection of the bath to the wall. The outer side of this plumbing is covered with a screen that limits access to surfaces behind and under the bath. If there are gaps, water will get into them. It is difficult to remove it, because mold often starts behind the screen.

It will not work to avoid the formation of cracks between the bathroom and the wall. But you can choose a way to install it, in which the gaps will be minimal. They are easily removed with a silicone moisture-resistant sealant, since the distance between the bath and the wall is small.

Masters disagree on when to install plumbing: before laying tiles or after. Experienced people advise doing this last, but they recommend preparing the walls in advance for installing the bath: make strobes under the sides in them. Thus, they (sides) will be able to "embed" directly under the first row of tiles. This method of installing plumbing equipment has its advantages:

1. The sides of cast-iron and steel bathtubs are rarely even. With acrylics in this regard, things are much better. By sliding the bathroom into the strobes, they get the minimum gaps between it and the walls.
2. For the design of such joints, finishing materials are not required. The method is beneficial in terms of saving money and labor costs.

Joint masking methods

The adjoining of the bath to the wall is masked and decorated in various ways. The choice of material for sealing joints depends on several factors:

• slot width;
• the material from which the bath is made;
• its appearance: angular, rectangular, built-in.

Finishing the sides should look harmonious and match the style of the room. Information about each of them with step by step instructions for installation. There are modern methods of sealing and designing gaps that guarantee trouble-free operation of the bathroom.

The use of mounting foam

An easy way to seal gaps is to use mounting foam. Not any will do, but one-component polyurethane. This composition provides a high degree of moisture resistance of the foam.

In order to carefully close the seam between the bathroom and the tile, you will need masking tape. It is glued to the side of the bath and the wall next to it. Strive to lay the paper tape evenly and close to the gap as much as possible. After the foam has hardened, cut off its excess and remove the masking tape. Close the joint in the same way acrylic bath and tiles.

Foam is able to seal the gap. But the seam because of it looks ugly and tends to crumble. Mounting foam also has other disadvantages: it turns yellow over time and quickly becomes dirty. This does not meet the requirements for aesthetics and sanitation of the bathroom. Foam can be used on any surface, but you need to be careful with tiles. It is not easy to clean the foam from the tiles. Special washes may be required.

The seam must not be left open: additional protection is required. The mounting foam in the bathroom can be closed in several ways:

1. plastic tape;
2. plastic corner;
3. ceramic border.

Gap filling solution

The use of cement-sand mortar to seal the gaps between the bathroom and the tiles is considered an outdated method. But it has proven its effectiveness over many years of practice, but has a drawback: over time, it begins to crack and crumble. Therefore, it is suitable only for filling joints and requires additional protection.

If the space between the bathroom and the tile exceeds 0.5 cm, the cement-sand mortar is not used. During the adoption of water procedures, minor movements of the bath occur. As a result, the seams will crack and break into small pieces. They can fall behind the bath, exposing the gap. For wide gaps, it is better to use mounting foam.

Using Silicone Seam Sealant

If the distance between the bathtub and the tile is small (up to 0.5 cm), it can be filled with silicone sealant. To apply it, you will need a special gun, which can be bought at building and finishing materials stores. The sealant must meet several requirements:

• be moisture resistant;
• have antifungal properties (such compounds are called sanitary)

You can fill the gap with a sealant of any color, combined with the dominant one in the decoration of the room. But it is wiser to choose transparent formulations. You will also need White Spirit to complete the task.

Stages of work:

1. The sides of the bath and the walls adjacent to them are cleaned of dust and dirt.
2. Moisten a cloth with White Spirit and carefully wipe the previously cleaned surfaces.
3. Cut off the tip of the sealant bottle with scissors. It is taken into account that the lower the cut is made, the thicker the extruded layer will be.
4. Slowly leading the nose along the gap, coat it with silicone.
5. Moisten your finger in the soapy solution and level the sealant, while lightly pressing it into the gaps between the tub and the tile, and thereby sealing them securely.

Tape application

Regardless of how the gaps were sealed, in most cases additional protection is required. Under it hide the ugliness of wide seams of mounting foam or cement-sand mortar. Only thin gaps are filled with sealant, so it can be left as it is.

You can close the joint with a curb tape. It is made of durable and elastic plastic, on one side of which glue is applied. Therefore, such a tape is called self-adhesive. A special vein runs along its entire length, which ensures bending. We close the corners with the same tape, cutting it and cutting out the excess at the overlap.

To seal the gaps in the bathroom, only reliable material is used that will last for many years. Plastic curb tape fully meets this requirement. You need to stick it carefully, having previously prepared the surface.

To do this, perform a few simple steps:

• clean the sides and walls with any detergent;
• dry the surface with a hairdryer;
• remove the protective paper layer from the sticky side of the curb tape;
• slightly heat the adhesive surface with a hairdryer;
• apply the edge of the roll to the side of the bathroom so that the tape lies close to the wall, thus forming a right angle;
• press the plastic to the bathroom and tiles, trying to stick it as firmly as possible.

This method of masking gaps has its advantages:

1. tape - an inexpensive finishing material;
2. its installation is simple and fast;
3. you can choose the desired width of the tape;
4. the finish looks modern and stylish.

Installing a plastic baseboard

You can close the gap between the bathroom and the wall with plastic plinth. These products are of 2 types:

• with adhesive side
• without glue.

1. the adhesive part of the plastic does not fit snugly enough to the rounded sides of the bathroom, so the quality of gluing is low;
2. glue on plastic is not moisture resistant;
3. after removing the plinth, hard-to-wash marks remain on the tile and enamel of the bathroom, which will require a solvent to remove.

In order to reliably mask the space between the bathroom and the tile, you need a transparent adhesive for plastic. It is advisable to buy a quick-setting composition, otherwise the plinth will have to be pressed against the sides and the wall for a long time. The glue must be moisture resistant. This is a prerequisite for its use in the bathroom.

The plinth is installed after the gap is filled with sealant or mounting foam. The installation sequence is as follows:

• clean and degrease surfaces;
• measure the length of the sides of the bathroom with a tape measure;
• cut off the plinth of the desired length, cut one end at an angle of 45 °;
• perform fitting and, if necessary, trimming;
• apply glue to the sides;
• lay the plinth and press it;
• a thin layer of sealant is applied to the tile in places where the top shelf of the plinth is attached to the tile.

For facing the bathroom, kits are sold, which include corner and connecting elements. This finish looks neat.

Installation of a ceramic border

The distance between the bathroom and the tiles can be covered with a ceramic border. It is the most reliable and beautiful material of all listed. Manufacturers offer not only a wide selection of borders, but also components: internal and outside corners, connecting strips. This greatly simplifies the installation process, as there is no need to trim the ceramics.

For grouting, the same mixture that was used when laying the tiles is suitable.

Stages of laying a ceramic border in the bathroom

• Clean the surfaces of the sides and walls.
• A thin layer (2-3 mm) is applied to the tile adhesive on the side and tile.
• Lay ceramic plinth.
• Level and remove excess glue with a sponge.
• Wait for the mixture to set and fill the joints with grout.
• When the composition dries a little, align the seams with a damp sponge.

How to choose the right way

The seam between the bathroom and the wall must be sealed and lined with high quality. If the distance is large, it is wiser to make a narrow shelf than to fill it with mounting foam. With a gap width of more than 2 cm, it is recommended to install ceramic plinth, which is more reliable in operation than plastic or self-adhesive tape.

If the gap width is more than 3 cm, it is necessary to mount a drywall shelf, on which tile adhesive will be applied and a curb will be laid. The seam between the gypsum board and the bathtub is sealed with a moisture-resistant silicone sealant.

Adhesive plastic tape is recommended as a temporary means of masking the seam, as this material has proven to be unreliable. If there are no tiles on the walls adjacent to the bathroom, they are treated with antifungal drugs.

Matching the material to the style of the bathroom

Joint between bathroom and tiles must match the style of the room. A win-win option would be to choose a white plastic skirting board or a ceramic border from the same tile collection.

A couple of decades ago, there was a meager selection of building materials that allowed you to aesthetically design a bathroom. Sealing with cement mortar followed by the application of enamel paint is a favorite method of the majority of the population of the recent past. An indispensable condition for long-term operation of the joint without destruction was the absence of the slightest vibrations of the bath. Intensive development of the chemical industry and improvement technological processes filled the market a wide range products that allow you to qualitatively and elegantly repair the joint between the tile and the bathroom.

Joint design options

In the process of re-equipment of the bathroom, the question of the sequence of work performed regularly arises, preventing further water flow at the junction of the tiles and the bathtub. Experienced specialists offer a lot of options for solving the problem, providing an opportunity to choose the most optimal method in specific situation.

Planning for a long-term operation of the bath allows you to install its sides into the wall. After high-quality fixation of plumbing, tiles are laid, the connecting joint is processed with inter-joint grout. Such a solution has certain nuances. The complete elimination of the risk of water leakage is a significant plus of the proposed method. Among the shortcomings, there is a possibility of violation of the laying of tiles at the junction as a result of insufficient stability of the bath. An unforeseen situation regarding the replacement of a plumbing item will entail additional investments of financial and labor resources for dismantling the tiles and re-laying them. The chance to pick up finishing material from a similar collection is small, so replacing the bathtub can provoke a complete renovation of the restroom.

It is much more effective not to embed the bath in the wall, but to apply modern materials for sealing the joint. The following options have gained steady popularity:

• application of grout for tiles;
• use of the solution;
• foam finishing;
• work with silicone sealant;
• installation of curbs.

Each method has certain advantages and some disadvantages, which are excluded by the simultaneous combination of several methods. A detailed acquaintance with the process of sealing between the bathroom and the joint tile will allow you to choose the most appropriate option in a particular situation.

tile grout

Adjoining the bath close to the wall allows you to seal the joint with minimal cost forces and means. Having ensured high-quality fixation of the bath, it is enough to close the gap with white grout, or matching the shade with the tile. Long-term color retention and moisture resistance are the key advantages of the method. Additional processing in the form of a fugue-gloss coating will significantly increase the level of protection against external pollution and rust. However, the conditions for a tight fit to the tile around the entire perimeter and stable fixation of the bath are not always feasible, so they resort to more reliable options.

Solution application

The traditional solution to seal the joint with a cement-based mortar has the right to exist. The cost-effectiveness of the long-known method ensures its steady popularity. To decorate the gap in the bathroom, you can use the remaining tile adhesive or put it on your own sand-cement mortar. Sealing the joint with plaster is also appropriate. A sufficiently thick consistency of the solution is an essential condition for a qualitative result. The process of sealing the joint includes the following steps:

• The surface of the bath and adjacent tiles are thoroughly cleaned of dirt.
• The treated area is wetted with water to increase adhesion.
• Eliminate the possibility of the solution falling under the bath will help plastic mesh used when plastering or puttying corner surfaces, fixed at the junction of the tile and the bathroom. The absence of a sickle will successfully replace other improvised materials fixed under the edge of the bath.
• After applying a small amount of the solution, tamp it down.

Warning ! Sealing the joint between the bathroom and the tile with cement mortar needs additional protection against moisture.

To increase the level of moisture resistance and give the bathroom an aesthetic appearance, the joint needs to be further finished. Experts suggest treating it with water-repellent impregnation or epoxy resin. The final design of the bath is done using tiles or self-adhesive tape.

Using mounting foam

The use of mounting foam greatly facilitates the process of eliminating the joint between the bathroom and the wall. When purchasing a container with a composition, make sure that it has moisture resistant properties. Before starting work, take care to protect your hands with gloves. In the absence of a protective barrier and the foam gets on the skin, thoroughly rinse the area of ​​​​the body with water, preventing drying. Similar to the grouting process, the surface of the tile and bathtub in the joint area is pre-cleaned. The key to a quality result is accurate actions when applying the material. Avoid getting foam on foreign areas. After it is completely dry, the excess from the bathroom and tiles are removed by cutting with a clerical knife. In conclusion, they resort to one of the most suitable finishing methods - tiles, tape or a border.

Silicone sealant

For sealing a small gap between tile and bathroom silicone sealant used as the main mounting material. Gaps reaching sizes up to 3 cm require pre-treatment of the joint with mounting foam. Purchase a sanitary sealant that prevents future mold growth in the bathroom. The sequence of work on sealing the gap is as follows:

• The surfaces of the tiles and baths adjacent to the joint are treated with a solvent for degreasing.
• Paper tape pasted along the joint will prevent contamination of the bathroom and tiles.
• Having made a hole in the tube, the attached tip is attached to it.
• Having fixed the tube in a special gun, the silicone-based sealant is carefully distributed over the joint.
• The designated area between the tile and the bathroom is filled with a single movement. It is impossible to apply an additional layer to the frozen mass.
• Prepare a soap solution and a brush of a suitable width.
• A brush dipped in a soapy solution is carried out along the silicone joint in order to give it a smooth surface. Movements must have a strict focus. The randomness of the strokes will lead to the formation of an uneven surface.

A rubber spatula is able to notice the brush. In extreme cases, you can smooth the seam between the tile and the bathroom with your finger or spatula. After the silicone joint has dried, the paper tape is removed. In the absence of it, excess mounting material is removed from the bathroom and tiles with a damp cloth.

Important ! When working in the bathroom, take care of the safety measures.

Working with a solvent obliges to ventilate the room well. A mask and gloves will protect you from negative impact chemical fumes and prevent skin damage in the event of contact with a caustic substance.

Borders: plastic, ceramic, self-adhesive tape

After sealing the joint with a sealing compound, care should be taken to decorative design area between tiles and bathroom. Most often, various borders are used for these purposes.

Plastic plinth has a reasonable popularity. A relatively inexpensive product is convenient to use for the final sealing of the joint between the tile and the bathroom. At the choice of consumers are offered various models. The most common design that closes the junction of the bathroom and tiles by attaching to liquid nails. To form a joint in the corner, the plinth is cut at an angle of 45 ° or resorted to special fittings. A prerequisite for long-term operation is the refusal to use aggressive chemicals and abrasive products. The second option is used less often. In this case, the joint is sealed simultaneously with the laying of the tiles. The plinth is pre-installed - one edge is on the side of the bathroom, the second is recessed in the adhesive. Finally, the tile is fixed.

To seal the junction of the bathroom and tiles with a ceramic plinth will cost much more. Method advantage:

• increase in the period of operation;
• resistance to the influence of chemical compositions;
• the surface is practically not scratched;
• the plinth does not change color over time.

The disadvantages include a small selection of color palettes. Docking is carried out similarly to plastic skirting boards.

Advice ! Trimming of ceramic products is carried out by a grinder with diamond disc. The use of a fragmented disc can cause chipping of the edges and result in poor appearance of the bathroom and tile joint.

The easiest way is to seal the joint between the tile and the bathroom with self-adhesive tape. The work sequence includes the following steps:

• thorough cleaning with degreasing of bath and tile surfaces;
• removing the protective film from the tape;
• light heating of the product with a hairdryer;
• close the gap by pressing the tape.

The process of renovating a bathroom does not end with laying a beautiful ceramic tiles and buying new plumbing. There are many small nuances that also need to be taken into account. One of them is a small wall gap between the wall and the edge of the bath.

We will tell you how to seal and mask a gap that is dangerous for leakage, and besides, it is not pleasing with aesthetics. From the article we have proposed, you will learn how to seal the joint between the bathroom and the wall. To get ahead of the most suitable option for you, we present several methods.

No matter how smoothly you try to install the bath, it’s all the same between its side and the tile or concrete wall there will be a small gap. The minimum gap is 0.1 cm, but in some cases it reaches 2-3 cm in width.

We do not take into account the distance to the wall of 10 cm or more, which remains on the narrow side of the bath - it can only be repaired using a profile structure and drywall or other materials at hand.

There are several reasons for the appearance of a gap, and almost all of them come down to the imperfection of the geometry of the room.

Even a small gap can cause big trouble for the family of the owners of the apartment, and for the neighbors from the lower floor.

Among the most common shortcomings are the following:

• uneven screed on the floor, causing the bathtub to skew - part of the problem can be solved by leveling the floor or tightening the bathtub mounting bolts;
• "wavy" walls formed by a layer of illiterately laid plaster;
• non-standard angles - sharper or obtuse than 90 degrees;
• defects in the plumbing product - not a perfectly even side.

The last problem is extremely rare, mainly in economy class baths. Sometimes it is easier to seal an unaesthetic joint between and a wall than to change the product or re-plaster several walls.

You can't even leave a small gap. While bathing or taking a shower, the liquid will definitely fall on the wall, and then not into the bath, as usual, but straight to the floor. And water on the floor will certainly lead to conflict with the neighbors from the apartment below, regardless of the quality and reliability made in the bathroom.

Through a narrow gap, water drops roll under the bathtub, where they accumulate and begin to destroy building materials, provoke the appearance of mold and fungus

You can get rid of trouble in different ways: with your own hands or with the help of professional finishers. Since special skills are not needed to seal the gap, many manage on their own.

Overview of ways to seal the joint at the bath

Use to mask the gap various materials. Some are applied with a caulking gun, others are simply glued on.

Consider the popular ways that you can take note and implement yourself.

Image Gallery

In most cases, the bath is installed directly against the wall. This is the best solution for a small bathroom, it is practical and rational, but there will certainly be a gap between the wall and the side, which must be repaired.

Sealing the bathtub with a wall will help to avoid unpleasant odors in the room and protect against the need for unscheduled repairs. The work itself is simple, anyone can handle it, you just need to choose the right strategy and boldly get down to business.

Causes of the gap

What is the cause of the gap is easy to understand - the mismatch between the geometry of the bath and the wall. An indent of a millimeter or less occurs due to a loose fit of the rim. A gap of greater width is the result of poor-quality repairs or a mismatch between the dimensions of the bath and the bathroom.

The gap is ugly, but not only. In addition to the aesthetic component, the need to close the gap between the bathroom and the wall is caused by purely practical considerations. The waterproofing of this joint does not allow water to flow into the space under the bathtub, accumulate there, creating an ideal environment for the growth of bacteria and mold. If there is even a small gap, very soon a persistent smell of dampness will appear in the bathroom, mold will breed under the bathroom.

Whatever the reason for the appearance of the gap, you need to close it immediately. There are several ways to do this, it all depends on the capabilities of the home master and the width of the gap.

Surface preparation

Before covering the gap between the bathroom and the wall, you need to clean the surfaces, degrease them and create conditions for maximum adhesion with adhesives. These conditions are mandatory for any of existing methods work.

First of all, dirt, dust are removed from the wall surface, if necessary, remove the layer old paint. Next, the wall is washed, dried thoroughly, it is better to dry with a building hair dryer. To give antifungal properties, the surface is treated with special compounds. The edge of the tub is also washed.

If you want to seal the joint with an acrylic bath, it is filled with water. The need for this is due to the fact that acrylic tends to sag. A full bath is taken, the water is drained only after the adhesives or sealing materials have completely hardened.

Ways to close the gap

Before starting work, you need to prepare everything you need so as not to be distracted, this is especially true when using cement and various mixtures that quickly harden. It would also be useful to cover the bathroom floor with old newspapers, this will greatly simplify subsequent cleaning and will not allow you to spoil the repair.

If the distance between the edge of the bathtub and the wall is measured in centimeters, in addition to Supplies, it is worth buying a bar or a metal square, which will add rigidity to the connection.

Use of cement mortar

One of the most common building materials was and still is cement. It is durable, the connections made with it are characterized by durability. It can be safely used to seal small gaps, however, this is far from the best option.

Cement slurry is:

• complexity and laboriousness;
• the need for general cleaning after work;
• a minimum of aesthetics, subsequent edging is necessary;
• rigidity of the joint, which can cause cracks.

With all this, the cement-sand mixture is inexpensive, and the surface created with its help is easy to decorate, for example, with tiles.

Work begins with the preparation of the solution. You can purchase a ready-made dry mix, which is enough to dilute with water, you can mix sand and cement yourself in a 3: 1 ratio. It is convenient to mix the solution with a construction mixer or an electric drill with a nozzle.

Close up a small gap preparatory work. If the gap is a centimeter or more, reinforcement will be required, otherwise a hole will form into which the entire solution will fall. Before applying the composition, it is necessary to fix a corner or bar under the bathroom, put a rag soaked in the solution in the space between the wall and the side. After the reinforcing layer has hardened, the mixture is applied, leveled with a spatula.

Foam sealing

A great way to seal a small gap will be mounting foam. Rarely what modern renovation does without this simple and versatile material. The use of foam for sealing a joint is:

• ease of operation;
• a fairly reliable connection;
• elasticity of the seam;
• ease of subsequent finishing.

Foam is a high-quality sealant, it does not require special skills or training, just shake the can and screw on the dosing tip. The end of the tube is inserted into the slot and gradually fills the space, moving along the wall. You should not rush, just as you should not forget that during solidification the volume of the foam increases several times.

When planning to use foam, it is necessary to protect the wall and bowl from splashes. It's easy, you just need to stick strips of masking tape on the joints. Next, the gap is filled, the foam hardens. The excess is cut off with a sharp knife, you can proceed to the finish.

Application of sealant

It is easiest to close a gap a few millimeters wide with a sealant. This method is simple and does not require subsequent finishing, you can do the job in just a few minutes. The material is selected by color, transparent can be considered universal. A simple silicone-based composition is suitable for work, in order not to give a chance to the fungus, it is worth spending money on a special sanitary sealant.

Note! In order for the sealant to fill the gap tightly, keep well and serve for a long time, you need to carefully prepare the surface: clean it from dirt, wipe it with acetone, wipe it dry with a rag.

To seal the seam with silicone, the tip of the tube with sealant or the tip of the tube is cut so that the cut diameter matches the width of the gap as much as possible. Squeeze out the composition, moving along the perimeter of the bath. We must try to create a continuous seam, in this case, maximum tightness is ensured.

Minor flaws that may occur during the filling of the gap are easy to fix. To do this, you can use a plastic spatula or a finger dipped in soapy water.

Decorative embed

The above methods of filling the joint between the bathroom and the wall require subsequent decorative finishes, which will hide traces of work and complete the repair as a whole. In most cases, this is acceptable, but there are other methods that immediately create a fully completed connection.

Tile

If a we are talking about sealing the seam between the bathroom and the tile, it is worth using a tile of the same color as the material. As a result of high-quality work, the side of the bathtub will become a continuation of the wall. This method it is also excellent as the final stage of cementation of the gap.

The work is not particularly difficult. The tile is cut to size, fixed using tile adhesive or sealant. It is important to wait until the composition has completely solidified and only after that you can use the bathroom.

Drywall constructions

It is not uncommon for situations where the length of the bath does not match the dimensions of the bathroom. When a distance of ten centimeters remains between one of its short sides and the wall, which cannot be used, it has to be closed. In this case, drywall is perfect.

It is enough to make a frame from a metal profile, sheathe it with a waterproof material, and the bath will fit perfectly into the space of the room. The surface of the resulting box can be tiled to match the color of the room and used as a shelf for detergents.

border tape

The budget option for sealing the joint between the bathroom and the wall is curb tape. The material is a strip of polyethylene with or without adhesive. Polyethylene easily bends to follow the shape of the wall, fits into a corner, provides insulation. To install, it is enough to degrease the surfaces, lay the tape and press it firmly.

plastic corner

You can quickly and cost-effectively hide a gap up to 3 cm wide using a plastic corner. It is attached with a sealant, installation does not require knowledge and skills. It is really easy to work, besides, before installing the corner, you do not need to close the gap in other ways. It is enough to cut the blanks of the desired length, lay, fix with adhesive.

Fillet

Another simple and cheap way to get rid of the gap between the wall and the bathroom is a fillet. Actually, this is an inner corner of a different profile, made of plastic or foam. On sale is a large assortment of material that differs in cross-section, color and texture.

Installing a fillet is no different from working with a conventional plastic corner. The material is marked, cut. To create corner joints, workpieces are cut at an angle of 45 degrees. Sealant is used for fixing, it is better to take transparent silicone with an antiseptic.

Combination of methods

Each of the described methods has its own advantages and disadvantages. To aggravate the former and exclude the latter, it is worth using not one specific option, but combining several at once. Excellent result it will turn out in the case of sealing the gap with the help of mounting foam, covering the joint with sealant, followed by pasting with curb tape or installing a plastic corner.

Closing the gap between the bathroom and the wall is an important stage of repair. They shouldn't be neglected. Even if the work is done really well and the gap is less than a millimeter wide, it is worth spending several hours sealing it. This will protect against unpleasant odors and will help keep the bathroom clean and fresh.

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How to fix the gap between the wall and the bathroom: 5 ways to solve the problem with pure Slavic ease

The gap between the tub and the wall not only destroys the aesthetics of the entire bathroom, but can also cause such serious problems as the appearance of mold under the font or flooding of neighbors. And if it is still relatively easy to overcome the fungus, then to pay for repairs in someone else's apartment, you will have to pat the family budget sensitively. Therefore, I personally decided to eliminate the cause of possible troubles even before they “knock” on my shoulder from behind.

In our realities, there are 5 main methods for eliminating the described gap, one of which I happened to use. But I will describe them all so as not to limit you in the choice of means if you suddenly encounter a similar situation.

Causes

But first I want to consider the reasons why a gap can generally form between the wall and the bathing tank. What for? So that you can exclude its appearance even at the stage of installing the bath. In my case, this, unfortunately, was no longer possible, but this information may be useful to you:

Cause Description	Solution
Absence right angle between walls at the installation site of the font	The situation can be corrected by leveling the wall with a layer of plaster or a sheet of drywall
The bathtub is not long enough to reach the opposite wall	There are two options here: Again, use drywall and install a false wall, which, however, will “eat” a certain amount of usable space; Choose a longer tank and punch a strobe or even a niche under its side, depending on the shape of the model;
Wrong installation	This is my favorite situation, which requires only twisting the legs and controlling the horizontal of the bath with the help of a building level.

Solutions

In my case, the gap between the bathing tank and the wall of the bathroom was formed due to the unevenness of the walls, and there was simply not enough money and time to level them at that moment. In this way, overhaul I postponed it for a while, but I decided to eliminate the described problem immediately, fearing negative consequences.

I looked into my workshop and immediately formed 5 possible action plans, which I will also introduce you to:

Method number 1: Cement

How can you seal the gap between the bathroom and the wall in any situation? Of course, the most versatile material, which is a cement-sand mixture. I just had a couple of kilograms of it left after concreting the pillars under the greenhouse in the country.

But here right away, however, I want to note some disadvantages of this option:

• Labor intensity. Cement work has never been distinguished by lightness and cleanliness, so everything threatened to turn into a full-fledged, albeit small in area, screed;
• Questionable aesthetics. A concrete seam is not something you want to look at in the process of taking water procedures. Of course, it can be beautifully decorated, but it means additional finishing work;
• Possibility of cracking due to the mobility of the bath.

All this was enough for me to continue searching for a more suitable solution for myself. But I will describe the technology itself to you, since this method is still quite effective:

1. Mixing solution. I had a ready-made cement-sand mixture, which can be purchased at any hardware store, and then simply mixed with water to a mushy substance. If you have cement and sand separately, then use the following proportions to connect them:

In the case of using a drill for mixing the solution, be sure to reduce the number of revolutions per minute that its engine makes using a special regulator. If you don't do this, you will simply burn the tool, which is not designed to work with a viscous substance at full capacity.

1. Arrangement of the gap. Estimate the distance from the side of the font to the wall, and if it is large enough for the mortar to begin to fall into it, then do not rush to cement. First, soak rags in the mixture and fill the gap with them;

1. Application of the mixture. After the rag dries, and the cement that has soaked it begins to set, apply a layer of mortar on top, carefully leveling it with a spatula.

After the seam has completely hardened, it will need to be decorated with your own hands. Of course, you can leave everything as it is, but from an aesthetic point of view, this will be wrong. Finishing material you should choose the same one that was used for wall cladding:

• Tiles - lay pieces of ceramics;
• Plastic - install a plastic baseboard;
• Paint - paint the cement surface.

Method number 2: Mounting foam

I also had such a wonderful thing on the farm even after installing double-glazed windows on the balcony, and I must say that sealing the gap between the bathroom and the wall with the help of construction foam is quite easy and fast. And although I did not stop at this option, I highly recommend it for use. It consists in the following steps:

1. Arrangement of the gap. The name of the stage, although it sounds the same as one of the points in the description of the previous method, but its essence is somewhat different. The sticky substance will not fail, so it is not necessary to close the gap with rags, but it is necessary to clean, degrease and wipe the dry treated surfaces with a rag to increase their adhesive properties;

1. Foam pouring. Now you need to shake the can several times, insert its spout into the slot and squeeze out some of the contents. At the same time, we must not forget that this mounting mixture will increase several times after application, so do not overdo it with its quantity;

1. pruning. After about an hour, the substance will harden, and its excess can be carefully cut off, which should be done with a sharp one.

Decoration is carried out just as accurately as after cementing.

Method number 3: Sealant

How to cover up the gap between the bathroom and the wall so that you can do without additional decoration? For this purpose, suitable sealant. I still have this one as well. a small amount after replacement sewer pipe in the toilet.

Since the masking of such a seam is not needed, then, therefore, the price of this method of eliminating the gap will be more economical. But it also has one important limitation: you simply cannot seal a large gap. That is why this option did not suit me, although it is quite progressive.

When buying a sealant, be sure to pay attention to the mark "for the bathroom." This type of glue has antibacterial properties that prevent the appearance and spread of mold, which is very important for a bathroom with its excessive humidity.

The process itself looks like this:

1. Arrangement of the gap:

• Removal of dirt and mucus from the edges;
• Processing them with acetone;
• Wiping with a dry cloth;

1. Glue application. Here it is necessary to open the tube, while choosing such an angle for the cut so that the thickness of the extruded strip is just the same as the gap. Then the spray can is inserted into a special metal gun, its nose is brought to the treated area and after pressing the lever of the tool, the glue fills the gap between the bathroom and the wall. Try to make the seam even and continuous;

1. alignment. If any flaws still have a presence, then wet your finger in soapy water and correct the applied strip.

You should know: in no case after the work done, do not use the bathroom during the day, otherwise the applied seam will become unusable and everything will have to be redone again.

Method number 4: Plastic fillet

As a result, having examined my stocks, I decided to act in the original Slavic way and choose to fix the problem what I did not have, namely a polyvinyl chloride baguette. With this thought, I went to the store.

It's not that I wanted to complicate my task and incur additional costs. I just found this option to be the most successful for the following reasons:

• Ease of execution. It is not necessary to dilute special solutions or cut off the protruding excess of the finished seam, it is enough to make a simple installation of the fillet in the right place. In addition, plastic is easily cut and bent, so it will not be difficult to fit the product to a specific gap;
• No need for additional decoration. Baguettes themselves are decorative elements;

• Versatility. You can choose a model for a gap of any possible size;
• Variety of visual effects;

• High efficiency of problem solving. Special baguettes for baths have a special shape that allows them to seal the gap as tightly and reliably as possible. Plus, they are completely waterproof.

So, I bought the skirting board I liked the most, the most suitable for the interior of my bathroom, and a special moisture-resistant transparent quick-drying glue, after which I set about the task:

1. Cleaned and degreased using acetone fillet installation site. Then I wiped everything dry with a clean cloth;
2. Made measurements, according to which made a cut baguette with a hacksaw. If you need to close up a whole corner, then the edges need to be cut at an angle of 45 degrees so that the connection of the planks is smooth and beautiful;

1. Attached the finished segment to the installation site and pasted strips of masking tape on both sides of it to prevent the formation of adhesive streaks;
2. Removed the fillet and put glue on the edges of the gap;
3. Returned the baguette back, pressed it tightly and held it for several minutes until it was securely fixed;
4. Removed masking tape.

Method number 5: Border tape

While I was looking for a suitable skirting board in the store, I came across another material that could elegantly and quickly solve the problem at hand. This is a self-adhesive border tape, which is enough to apply to the gap to hide it.

The advantages of this option:

• Ease of implementation. We removed the protective film from the back and glued the strip to the right place;

• Quite aesthetic appearance . A neat white ribbon looks quite decent against the background of the bath and without additional decoration;
• Low price. The tape is made of polyvinyl chloride, which has never been expensive.

But there is also a very significant disadvantage: short service life not exceeding two years. I don’t like to solve problems temporarily, so I opted for a more durable baseboard. Although if you need to eliminate the gap quickly, for example, before the mother-in-law arrives, then this is exactly what you need.

It is possible, however, to increase the service life of this option. To do this, the gap is pre-filled with silicone glue, and the strip itself is fixed on liquid nails. But then it no longer makes sense to talk about the high speed and simplicity of this method. This will already be more like using sealant and then decorating the seam.

Conclusion

How to close the gap between the bathroom and the wall is up to you. I described to you the most popular methods in our area for solving such an urgent issue. The main thing is not to delay, otherwise you can eventually please the neighbors below with free repairs. So if there is a problem, arm yourself with cement, foam, sealant, fillet or curb tape and go!

The video in this article contains additional information that is directly related to the topic presented. If you have any questions about this material, you can ask them in the comments.

August 17, 2016

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