Silicone Sealant instead of Floor Tile Grout

youtheman

I did a major refurbishment on my upstairs bathroom last year (it's quite small, approx 2.5 m x 1.5 m). I put in 300l solar cylinder, new shower bath, bath screen, 2 bar pump and thermostatic mixer. It works fine but the only problem is that the shower is so powerful that it tends to leave pools of water on the floor (the bath screen is not 100 % effective). When I'm using it I have to remind myseldf to point the shower head down, but try telling that to the kids (one is 6 ' 3" tall).

The first sign of trouble was when I noiced that some of the floor tile grout was beginning to crack (there is some minor flexing of the floor despite it being lined with marine ply prior to tiling). Then I noticed the water was leaking done through the damaged grout. Lookily I noticed it early and I took the shower out of action, and took up a few tiles to fortunately find that there was no significant damage to the floor underneath (I caught it early).

So I'm going to replace the tiles but I was thinking of using silicone selant instead of grout. My reasongs are threefold:

1. it is more flexible than grout, and won't crack if the floor flexes
2. it is non porous (so 100% waterproof)
3. It doesn't discolour, particularly when it gets wet.

Am I mad ?

Joey the lips

Yes your mad:)

Thats most likely not why the came up however as you dont intend replacing the whole floor i would either

1. Use admix to make the floor grout more flexable

2. Silicone it as you suggest.

youtheman

Thanks Joey.

Just to clarify, 90% of the existing tiles, and the grout, is o.k. There is enough of a groove in the gap between the tiles to put a small smear of silicone over the grout.

There are two 300 x 300 tiles I had to take up. I was going to use something more flexible like Tech 7 to glue them down, and then use silicone between them (and no grout).