Caulk and Grout FAQ

Caulk and Grout Questions, Answered

How long caulk should last, why it fails early, and what keeps grout from cracking. Straight answers to the caulk and grout questions Montgomery County homeowners ask us most.

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Caulk and Grout, Asked and Answered

Quality caulk in a bathroom lasts five to ten years with regular cleaning. If it is cracking, molding, or pulling away from the surface, it is time to replace it regardless of age.
No. Old caulk gets removed completely before new material goes on. Caulk applied over old caulk never bonds properly and always fails early. It is done right or not at all.
The right product for each spot: silicone for wet areas like tubs and showers, paintable acrylic latex for trim and windows, and exterior-grade sealant for outside joints.
A standard bathroom re-caulk runs one to two hours. Multiple areas or full window caulking can take two to four.
Yes. Failed caulk around a tub or shower lets water get behind the tile and into the subfloor. We have seen serious water damage that started as a small caulk failure someone ignored.
Press on the tile around the tub and shower. If it flexes, feels soft, or sounds hollow when tapped, water has likely gotten behind the surface and the issue is bigger than caulk. The substrate gets checked before any work starts.
Usually because new caulk went over old caulk, which never bonds. Removing all the old material, prepping the surface dry, and using the correct product for the application is the difference between caulk that lasts years and caulk that fails in months.
Yes. All the caulking locations get worked through in a single visit, each with the correct product: wet-area silicone for showers, paintable latex for trim and windows, and exterior-grade sealant outside.
Yes. The surface needs to be dry for at least 24 hours before new caulk goes on. Skipping the shower the night before helps, and the surface gets checked before starting.
Grout cracks from movement in the substrate, wrong joint sizing, or skipped expansion joints. Checking that the substrate is sound, using the correct grout type for the joint width, and installing movement joints at floor-to-wall transitions is what keeps it from coming back.

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