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Yesterday I had an energy audit performed on my home which revealed sever leakage of air from the floors in both my bathrooms. The inspector told me to fill the cracks but was vague as to what would be the proper materials to do the job…

Master Bathroom is Tile floor and Tile wall (see image below) enter image description here

The main Bathroom is Tile floor to a wood moulding on the wall (see image below) enter image description here

The inspector mentioned getting cement sealant for the master bathroom and using regular transparent caulking for the main bathroom – would this be recommended?

I found in the basement the grout that the previous owner used when he installed it, actually there are two bags:

  • Mapei Keracolor U polymer modified premium grad unhanded grout
  • Mapei ceramic to tile wall grout (unsanded)

Should I be using either of these?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

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In the bath with the tile base, there is caulk available that is colored to closely resemble a number of colored grouts. Any of the big box stores will carry a good selection of colors. The wood base will need only a good version of white painters caulk, wiped in with a dampened cloth to make the line only in the joint. I forgot to add this detail about the tile base.

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  • So in both case just use caulking of different colors? No special sealant or anything for the tile-on-tile?
    – Jonathan
    Feb 21, 2015 at 0:27
  • Not sure, but would think you'd use grout in between the tile-on-tile area.
    – Pᴀᴜʟsᴛᴇʀ2
    Feb 21, 2015 at 1:07
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    The colored caulk will give more than the brittle grout. There is most likely movement there that caused the gap. The colored caulk will do very well at the tile to tile condition.
    – Jack
    Feb 21, 2015 at 1:14
  • This is right. You can grout and there is nothing wrong with trying but the chances are you will develop small cracks eventually and you will have to put a thin layer of caulk over the grout crack.
    – DMoore
    Feb 21, 2015 at 1:22
  • @Jack any special kind terminology I should be looking for here? You mention in both cases to get caulking, for the tile-on-tile what kind of caulk? And for the tile-to-wood I ask for painters caulk (that is what it is called)?
    – Jonathan
    Feb 21, 2015 at 1:42

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