Gaps between shower wall and drywall
Gaps between a shower enclosure and the surrounding wall or drywall are typically caused by poor installation and create vulnerabilities for water to seep behind surfaces. Trying to fix wide corners or missing backing with standard caulk often fails or requires tearing out tile, leaving homeowners unsure of how to seal the space safely without major demolition.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1taking baths only
- 2sealing with caulk
- 3calling a professional
- 4Applying grout
- 5Using DynaFlex 230 sealant
- 6Applying a dab of caulk in the void and caulking around the flange
- 7Cleaning the bathroom and noticing gaps
- 8Asking questions on a plumbing forum
- 9Using silicone caulk to keep its shape
- 10Dipping a finger in mineral oil to shape the silicone bead smoothly
- 11Stuffing backer rod into the gap before caulking
- 12Filling the tub with water before caulking to prevent pulling apart later
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Wife and I bought our first home and keep noticing stuff like this. We have a plastic tub/ shower and it looks like it was installed poorly because there are gaps between the shower walling and drywall, is this normal?”source ↗
“Should we correct this with caulk, the corners have really big gaps, or should we only take baths? lol”source ↗
“Just noticed this little gap next to the shower valve trim. Looks like there isn’t really anything behind that spot for the tile/grout to grab onto.”source ↗
“What’s the right way to fix this without pulling tile?”source ↗
“I did want to ask- should these gaps be sealed?”source ↗
“They said they were fully finished so there’s no other work to be done according to them.”source ↗
“I didn’t see these gaps until I was cleaning the bathroom- they are on the left and right sides, where I assume the different panels were put in.”source ↗
“Caulk was already applied previously (and poorly done), I just cleaned it up a bit and now I am not sure how to best reapply.”source ↗
“I have looked at help videos and most bathrooms I see do not seem to have grout lines as large as this bordering the tub.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 6Best way to seal gaps around pipes under the sink?
- 2How to temporarily waterproof a shower wall missing tiles
- 4How to seal a gap under a glass door
- 6Should I put caulk over missing grout in shower corners?
- 18Should I use foam or caulk to seal gaps in exterior walls?
- 2How to seal window gaps around an air conditioner against insects