How much old caulk to remove?

August 5, 2018 8:31 PM

I'm redoing the caulk in my bathtub/shower. I've removed the old caulk in the horizontal seams between the tub and the tiles. But what about the caulk in the vertical seams where the tile walls meet each other? Do I have to remove all the caulk up to the ceiling? It's in good shape, can I leave it? If I do, will this compromise the seal in the corners where the horizontal new caulk meets the vertical old caulk?
posted by christa to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I think you can leave it if it's in good shape.
posted by amanda at 9:02 PM on August 5, 2018

Cut the old good caulk at an angle, remove bad caulk. Apply new caulk so it overlaps at the angle. If it was wood it would be called a scarf joint.
posted by H21 at 9:15 PM on August 5, 2018 [1 favorite]

This is advice from a bungling amateur: When I did a similar thing, I had the same concern that the corner where the new horizontal and old vertical met was not only a weak point in the seal but also a spot where my tub likes to hold puddles of water. To that end, I removed and recaulked about 1-2" of the vertical to put the old/new joint well above the waterline.
posted by aimedwander at 7:22 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: If you are anything like me, you should remove all of it, even if you overlap old and new per H21's suggestion. Old caulk and new caulk look different and the meeting place will stare at you and call you lazy every time you shower.
posted by Dr. Twist at 9:05 AM on August 6, 2018 [1 favorite]