Shower Tile Caulk Or Grout Corners

My tile installer recently told me that he wanted to use caulk in the corners of a tiled shower instead of grout is that necessary.

Shower tile caulk or grout corners.

This is largely because of the way grout binds with backer board the concrete material placed behind tiles. Tom meehan a second generation tile installer and co author of working with tile who lives and works in harwich mass responds. According to the tile council of north america anywhere a tile surface changes plane like an interior corner or meets an abutting surface against a wall or hardwood floor for example should be considered a movement joint. Still there are many tile installers who always grout around the base of a tile shower floor.

Simply put because of movement. Why does grout crack in the corners of showers backsplashes and against abutting surfaces. This area gets a lot of water and this are this is where the caulking will need to be replaced most often in a tile shower. The vast majority of showers that i ve tiled have had no problems when i use grout in the corners.

In the end it is the homeowners choice of whether to caulk or grout around the base of a tile shower floor.