# Forum Home Renovation Bathrooms  Sealing freestanding bathtub

## ssang4jh

Hi  :Smilie: 
I recently moved to a newly built apartment. It has a freestanding (rectangular) bathtub right next to the wall. Shower screen is also fixed to the wall. My question is.. what do I do with the gap between the walls and the bathtub? The builders keep on telling me.. water should just drain. But wouldn't moist , dust, hair etc trap in between??
I can not acess all 4 surfaces of the bathtub . Do you think I need those silicone sealer? 
Honestly i have NO idea of plumbing. I had to google to find the 'silicone sealer'.... 
I am really hoping someone can help me.. :'( 
Thanks everyone!

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## cyclic

Don't silicone anything, in fact do nothing as it will void any warranty you may have.
There are builders and bathroom people on here who should have an answer for you so
Put up a pic or 3 to show what has been done.

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## ssang4jh

Not sure if the photo will come up.. im so new to this!

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## cyclic

Thanks for the pics.
I'm not up with freestanding bath rules, so hopefully someone who does know will give you an answer.

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## Marc

That bath tub should be siliconed to the tiles all around just like you silicone a basin to the wall

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## ssang4jh

Can we silicone seal the freestanding bathtub? The bulders kept on saying it doesnt require one like any others!!grrrr 
Thanks everyone!

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## Marc

I am no plumber but I happen to renovate two bathrooms so far with that stile of square freestanding bath/shower tub and the plumber siliconed it to the wall _and_ down the side that is flush to the wall. Both look schmick.
if you don't, the water will run between the tub and the wall and pool under the tub. considering you can not get under there to mop it up, it is going to turn into a mess.

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## cyclic

I was hoping someone in the know would have an answer.
The Builder has said no silicone, so I suggest a phone call to the Builders Authority in NSW and find out what the Australian Standards are, or at least what the general practice is..
Once silicone has been applied, it is very difficult to remove, and what worries me is the bath is already hanging away from the wall in the centre, also, acrylic baths have a tendency to move with weight in them.
Get the correct answer from the BSA.
If you are going the silicone way, get a silicone expert to do it, don't try it yourself.

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## mangrovejack

I think the question is, did the builder actually say, "No silicon (because of the building regs)", or "No silicon (because its unnecessary as its a "freestanding")"?  Massive difference there.  Personally with the bath that close to the wall, like Marc said above, I'd be siliconing the edge against both walls so at least water can't run down there constantly.

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## Marc

The builder is not a plumber.
There are many type of 'free standing' bath. Most have an outside shape like a vessel and curved sides and of course would be absurd to silicon to the wall. This sort of bathtubs are designed to be used only as a bath tub. 
The bath in question is a square, bath/shower designed to be installed hard against the wall and with zero access under it. 3 of the bath tub sides are at 90 degree with the floor and only one side is at an angle. The bath is installed hard against the wall on both walls.  
Clearly this type of bath that will get tons of water spilled on the wall and edges must be siliconed and not doing so is absurd. The first shower you take will find the underside of the bath and probably the whole bath inundated.

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## phild01

> The first shower you take will find the underside of the bath and probably the whole bath inundated.

   :Arrow Up: Yes. 
Do we even know if that bath is meant to be a corner bath, the pics don't seem to reveal that. 
Surely there is a building code that prohibits tight fit free standers having inaccessible voids!

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## ssang4jh

Thank you for the replies! Well.. the builder said it is a freestanding so no need the seal. Water will just run down just like others. I did ask even if it is against the wall?? But did not get the clear answer. (I said this in writing and also on phone coversation ). Now it is dilemma wether i should silicone seal or not.. even if i do, i don't want to ask these builders!! :'( 
Should i silicone seal all the sides including the floors? Im hating my life.. 
Thanks everyone!

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## ssang4jh

I wish i was a plumber.. On my way home now. Going to take some more proper pictures..

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## ssang4jh

We meant to have a separate shower but this is what weve got. Off the plan...

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## cyclic

> I wish i was a plumber.. On my way home now. Going to take some more proper pictures..

  I am a plumber and also registered as a builder, and this is the reason I am saying you should get advice from the building services authority in NSW before doing anything.
Stop stressing, start phoning.

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## phild01

> We meant to have a separate shower but this is what weve got. Off the plan...

  Maddening that off the plan developers scrape into variation allowances like that, what you see is what you should get, feel sorry for you.

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## ssang4jh



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## ssang4jh

Thank you!! Just googled their website!

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## Marc

No need for panic ... that is a good bath tub and works a treat to take a shower in it. The fact that the bathtub has a shower screen should tell you something. What is the point of a shower screen if the water can run between the bath tub and the wall down the floor? 
Free standing bath tubs don't get shower screens.
I have the same bath tub in one of the bathrooms, brand is Vizzini ...  and it works a treat to take a bath or a shower. And that is possible only because it is sealed against the wall. It is a corner bath tub.
I have a free standing bath in another house that is the classic round old fashion bath tub on legs and that is not sealed nor has a shower-screen, and you take a shower in that contraption at your own peril. Round bottom and you flood the whole bathroom if you do.

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## phild01

Bit hard to tell but at the shower end the gap looks a bit big for sealants.  It may need a self adhesive type of sealing strip.
 Leaving a gap between the wall and tub is absolutely absurd, should be rectified by the builder.

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## ssang4jh

I think the gap is a bit big too.. i ve emailed the builders again. (Like everyday). Also contacted the australian building codes board. Waiting on their reply. Asked a few handymen and waterproofers? And they all said it needs silicone sealant. Haha.. going to call the builders everyday until it gets fixed!! Thanks everyone!!!

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## makeBeerNotWar

I was going to try to resurrect this thread but it's too old. I fear I may soon be facing a the same problem as ssang4jh (not an uncooperative builder, but a gap).
I am planning to install a corner bath. I framed the walls myself and was so focussed on getting things flat and plumb that I somehow compromised on square, so the angle the walls meet at is too obtuse. I didn't realise how bad it was until the sheets were up.   :Doh:   
I am hoping my tiler, who comes quite highly recommended, will be able to work some magic and float the tiles out to square the walls up as much as possible. I may still be left with a gap down one of both edges of the bath that's too big for sealant. In the old thread, phild01 proposes a solution:   

> Bit hard to tell but at the shower end the gap looks a bit big for sealants. It may need a self adhesive type of sealing strip.
> Leaving a gap between the wall and tub is absolutely absurd, should be rectified by the builder.

  Can anyone link to example of such a product? How reliable are they? 
Follow-up question: assuming the sealant is applied down both top edges of the bath that butt up against the walls, and down both vertical corners that touch the walls, are the bottom edges left unsealed? I would assume so, so that any moisture that does find its way under the bath can still evaporate or drain out. I assume a little bit of fall in the floor under the bath, toward the floor waste, is still required. I'll ask my tiler and plumber these questions, but interested to hear opinions here. 
Cheers!

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## havabeer

I would have just slapped some bathroom/wet area silicon on all those edges

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