Vent: Why I finally ditched the cheap caulk and went with the expensive stuff

I got tired of re-caulking my shower every 6 months because the cheap stuff would crack and mold up. Last month I decided to try the expensive silicone stuff from the hardware store, the one that costs like $12 a tube instead of $3. I figured what the heck, it's just caulk right? Wrong. That thick silicone was a pain to apply, took way longer to smooth out, and I messed up the first bead bad. But after it cured? It's been a month and it still looks perfect, no cracks, no mold starting. My old caulk would have yellow spots by now. The real test came when I had to redo a corner near the faucet - the expensive stuff stuck way better than the cheap stuff ever did. Has anyone else made this switch and found it worth the extra hassle? Or am I just bad at applying caulk?

2 comments

2 Comments

jakegarcia2d ago

It sounds like you went through the same learning curve I did with my own bathroom. That thick silicone is definitely a pain to work with, but once it sets, it's like a whole different product. I noticed the same thing with mine - the cheap stuff would be peeling at the edges after a few months, but this stuff holds tight even around the faucet where water hits it all day. You're not bad at applying it, it really is just trickier to get smooth.

parkerk562d agoTop Commenter

Have you ever tried using one of those little silicone smoothing tools? I was skeptical at first but my buddy lent me his and it made a huge difference with that thick stuff. @jakegarcia is right though, the cheap stuff always gives up around the faucet after a few rains. I did my whole shower pan with the good stuff last summer and it still looks like day one, no joke.