How to stop water escaping bathroom screen?

Question

Water is escaping from the bottom of the shower screen. What would be the most effective method to resolve this issue? The gap is approximately 1 cm, so applying silicone alone is unlikely to provide a suitable solution, as it may sag and fail to seal properly. Additionally, applying silicone in this area is challenging due to the lack of a supporting wall surface.

The shower screen is a floating design, which means a backing rod cannot be installed. Could you please advise on the most suitable repair method for this situation?

JacobZ · Answer

Hi @RayRayRay,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is wonderful to have you with us.

A 10mm gap is on the higher end, but it is not above the limit where I would say silicone alone is not an option. You may need to pump a fair bit in but simply removing the existing silicone and replacing it ensuring that you entirely fill the gap would be the cleanest option.

If you'd like to give this a go, I'd suggest you use a clear neutral cure silicone such as

https://www.bunnings.com.au/selleys-300g-clear-wet-area-waterproof-silicone-sealant_p1230999

and start by cutting your caulking tip so that the opening is about the same width as the gap beneath the glass, then pumping silicone to fully fill the gap underneath the glass. Once this initial filling is done, while it is still wet, run another bead on both the inside and outside of the glass that is slightly wider so that it touches both the glass and the tile beneath. You can then use this

https://www.bunnings.com.au/paint-partner-4-piece-silicone-scraper-set_p1660196

to strike off and smooth these two beads. I'd suggest using the 14mm radius to ensure there is still solid coverage.

Check out

https://www.bunnings.com.au/diy-advice/diy-skills/tiling/how-to-silicone-a-gap

for a bit of guidance.

An alternative option, which unfortunately would lose that floating glass look, is to attach an aluminium channel to the tile beneath the glass. You could attach it to the tile using silicone, then seal the bottom edge of the channel to the tile and seal the gap between the glass and the inside of the channel. This would reduce the potential for the silicone sagging considerably, but would lose some of the aesthetic.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob