PLEASE HELP! grout or caulk???

[missmary]

hi everyone...
i am very confused about what to use for this problem i have in my bathroom.
trying to make this short...i didn't get much help at lowes or home depot so i've been googling this for days now. problem is i don't know what to use to fix the cracks in the bathroom counter and floor...some are like hairline thin but i want to take care of this. a worker at lowes told me i can use 100% silicone to fill in the cracks and that i would be able to paint over it. it took me over 6 hours to finish...but now a friend said i wasn't suppose to use silicone! CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!:crazy:

here are some pictures (i'm still trying to remove all the silicone...lol :crazy:
pix 1...corner and side of counter
pix 2...underneath left side of sink (maybe they forgot to seal it???)
pix 3...gap where tile floor meets the cabinet
pix 4...cracked between wall and cabinet...i poked at it and its kind of soft like silicone..??

okay so i went back to home depot...they said for me to use keracaulk s sanded acrylic caulk...then after 72 hrs...seal it with 100% silicone (clear)

please help.....thanks

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[LAN1870]

You need to only use caulk at expansion joints. You cannot use grout.

Dig out the remaining grout as best you can and fill it in with a color matching caulk or silicone.

[doitright]

Hi Mary :)

I'm a little confused. It sounds like you did use silicone (over what we see)?

If so, the silicone and cracked grout needs to be removed. This can be a very tedious procedure. You'll also need a silicone digester to prepare for recaulking.

Both Laticrete and TEC have some excellent colored silicone sealants available. I would start by procuring their respective grout charts, and select what blends the best with your stone. If you still don't find a nice complimentary caulk, let us know and we'll give you more suggestions. It appears that is a white sink. If so, I suggest using white caulk at the perimeter.

Before you recaulk, it may help to tape the areas off first.

Do not used sanded acrylic caulk as the HD rep suggested. If the gaps are too deep or too wide, I suggest using caulking backer rod behind the caulk.

[gsr]

Mary,

What John said.

Paint does not like to stick to 100% silicone. Paint will stick to acrylic or siliconized acrylic caulk. Acrylic caulk will change color and/or mildew unless it's got paint over it. So...

Use 100% silicone on areas which don't need paint such as around the sink. Use acrylic/siliconized on areas which get painted such as the cabinet/wall joint or the baseboard/floor joint.

The corner and side of the counter probably need a color matched caulk of some kind. Silicone is probably best but acrylic would work, just be aware that the acrylic may change color over time.

Hope this helps.