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How to seal holes in bathroom tiles & shower base?

Hello team 🙂

I am replacing my old shower screen in an ensuite. I need to seal the old attachment points and I’m wondering a smart way to do it.

The holes still have the plastic plugs so I’ll have to remove those as well - then seal with a waterproof sealant. Any thoughts?

Thank you

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EricL

Hello @MMF155

Thanks for sharing your question about how to seal holes in bathroom tiles. I recommend having a look at this discussion - How to fix hole in tile? by @parisMof. It was suggested in the discussion that the wall plugs be pushed inside the walls to let them drop inside the wall cavity. However, in your case, there is the possibility that the plugs are inside either a timber stud or in a masonry wall. I recommend pulling them out instead with long nose pliers.

Once you've removed the plugs, I suggest using Selleys 50g Aqua Epoxy Putty Knead It. Make sure to knead the putty very well before plugging the holes. Once the holes have been covered, I recommend feathering the edges to blend in with the wall. The putty can be sanded down to the level of the wall tile. Please note that the putty dries off white and will not match your current tile colour.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric

Vis-á-vis

It appears you will be putting a new screen over the holes? If that is the case then I don’t think you need to worry about the aesthetics or even bother removing the plugs. If you do remove the plugs then a drill with a slightly smaller bit than the hole will be the best option.
The most important thing would be to try and protect the integrity of the waterproof membrane behind the tile. I would use a standard clear silicone. Cut the nozzle so it still fits in the hole, insert nozzle tightly in the hole and fill with silicone. When you remove the nozzle, silicone should spill out (indicating the hole is well filled). Wait until it dries and then scrape off the excess with a scraper blade.

MMF155

Thank you Eric

I appreciate the care in your response. Sorry I should have referenced @parisMof - saw that post - but I thought to ask a fresh question instead. And more precise questions😙

I can’t push through green plugs. They are export glued in place and into masonry wall. I have to drill them out. I’ve not done that before- wondering what sort of drill bit??? Lots of different types. So want to know what is the right one rather experiment and waste money buying wrong one/ wrong size/wrong technique.

For some holes the final look & aesthetics not important because they’ll be covered by new screens. For these I just need to make enough of a cavity to get enough filler in & get it to stick to & make waterproof

However- some holes will not be covered by new screen. For these I need a solution that’s waterproof and looks okay. I don’t expect to get them perfect but just neat. Hence the smart technique/tricks to drill out epoxy glued green plastic first.

again sorry should have explained my query better…..

MitchellMc

Hi @MMF155,

I can't imagine the plugs are epoxy glued in place. Perhaps they were inserted with some clear silicone, but I doubt that was even done. Regardless, a standard metal/timber drill bit will quickly go through them. The green plugs should be around a 6.5mm drill bit.

For the holes hidden behind the new screen, follow @Vis-á-vis's advice and fill the hole with Selleys 300g White Wet Area Waterproof Silicone Sealant. For the exposed ones, I'd recommend you try this method first as it could give you adequate results and will be easier than using the Knead It putty. If you are not happy with the results of the white silicone, you can dig it back out and try @EricL's method. As he mentioned, that putty doesn't dry white, which is another reason why I'd suggest using white silicone instead.

Don't drill too deep, and you'd be better to stop short of removing the whole plug than penetrating any waterproofing membrane behind the tile. You should only need to drill out 5-10mm of the wall plug, which will be just enough room to fill with silicone.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

MMF155

Thanks Mitchell!
will get started. Although I can assure you the plugs are epoxied. The previous owner’s DIY or trades did some ridiculous & dumb things around the house!! 😳Clearly they weren’t hooked into the Bunnings Workshop community!!

thanks again !!

MitchellMc

Oh, I understand. I live in one of those houses too, @MMF155. The previous owner filled around the wall tap spindles with grout. They cemented them into the wall obscuring the nut to undo them like they would never have to come out again. I had to chip out copious amounts of cement to extract the spindle and change a tap washer.

Keep us updated, and reach out if you need further assistance.

Mitchell

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