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rmiriam

Caulk Above Tile on Wall?

8 years ago

We just finished installing new floor and wall tile in our bathroom. Any opinions on caulking the top of the tile wainscoting? It would just be for aesthetics - I have black caulk, which I'll also be using where the wall and floor meet. I was definitely planning on doing the top of the tile, too, but don't want to make a mistake if there's a reason not to. For some reason the black caulk intimidates me :)


Thanks very much for your thoughts!




Comments (18)

  • 8 years ago

    Love your floor.

  • 8 years ago
    The grout that is there is sufficient, I think. The bathroom is very cute. Have you looked into prettier plumbing for under the sink?
  • 8 years ago

    Thanks, guys! I had prettier plumbing for under the sink but due to a miscommunication it wasn't installed :(

  • 8 years ago

    just swap it out yourself, shouldn't be that difficult

  • 8 years ago

    That floor is exactly what I’m looking to do with mine! Tell me how/where pleeassse!!

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Cut your paintable black caulk tube tip very small. Dispense a small bead between the wall and tile, spray it with a gentle Windex mist, spit on your finger and wipe up the overspray immediately. See if you like the look before continuing.

  • 8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    Thanks, Joseph! I'll do that.

    @shayr, there are two ways to get a mosaic floor with the hex tile:

    1. The best way is to design one on the Daltile website, then order it from a local supplier. It's not that expensive - about $13 a square foot. I did not do that, because Daltile only makes hex mosaics in unglazed tile, which seemed like a bad idea in a bathroom used by two boys.

    2. I bought a black and white pattern, pulled a bunch of the white tiles off, and replaced them with blue hex tiles purchased separately (merola tile). I used Weldbond to attach the blue tiles to the mesh backing. It was a bit tedious, and also the blue tiles are thinner than the white and black tiles, although they're from the same company, so the end result is a bit wavy.

    Good luck!

  • 8 years ago

    Did you incorporate a tiling layout error in your floor? Here is a thread that I started some years back now:

    https://www.houzz.com/discussions/tile-folk-are-there-secret-traditions-dsvw-vd~2317207

  • 8 years ago

    Thanks, guys! I had prettier plumbing for under the sink but due to a miscommunication it wasn't installed :(

    I suggest that you get one of those 'push & seal' pop-up drains for the sink. Will eliminate a lot of that hardware beneath. I installed a cheap Phister one in the master bath are few years ago. Worked so well that I replaced the old style lever operated one in the main floor powder room this past spring. They work really slick, don't leak and are easy to clean out.

    I left the lever thing on the faucet body because I didn't want an uncovered hole. Just disconnected it.

  • 8 years ago

    No intentional errors, although that's a neat idea. Plenty of unintentional errors, though!

  • 8 years ago

    @rmiriam thankyou so much! That is exactly how I was thinking I would have to do it, I’m good with tedious if I get the same beautiful results as you!

  • 8 years ago
    I would only use silicone... not siliconized acrylic because that starts looking like crap before a year is even up and you'll wish you hadn't caulked at all.
    You can also use painters tape to get a nice, crisp caulk line... peel it up as soon as you finish smoothing the caulk out.
  • 8 years ago

    What I used in my bathroom at the edges of a clean long edge of modern flat tile was sanded caulk. It was something I got at Lowes, I think it was Mapei's caulk. It has a very even look and looks a bit like the thin set in texture. In my other bathroom I used color matched silicon Laticrete caulk. Both are working. I would not use clear silicone.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    You would have to put a paintable silicone. The reason you use silicone and not grout is when the building shifts or with humidity, the grout will crack so you will have to keep repairing it. Silicone is water resistant and flexible.

  • PRO
    8 years ago

    Silicone caulk that matches grout colors are available.

  • 8 years ago

    I love the combination of tile you put together, Miriam. I might just have to steal that for my laundry room!

    rmiriam thanked Sammy
  • 8 years ago
    Check out the blog Vivacious Victorian for a truly amazing mosaic bathroom floor, laid out teeny hex by teeny hex by the homeowner.
    I have to try the daltile floor maker thing - didn’t know it existed. There are two yucky bathrooms in my house that are ripe for renovation.