Is water wicking up grout normal?

[pgabriel]

Hi All,

I have just finished the tile job on my shower. This accomplishment has added to my "stud" factor (because my wife said so ) and it was all due to all your help. There is however, something I noticed that may be normal but it is driving me nuts.

Basic Problem...
The day after we used the shower twice, I noticed that the grout looked wet from the shower pan to about 3-6 inches up on most of the grout lines. And it stayed wet looking until this morning, nearly 3 days later. Is this normal or did I do something wrong causing water to be trapped between the flange/ledge on the shower receptor and the bead of caulking I placed between the tile and the receptor?

Background...

Cleaned old fiber stand-up shower down to the studs.
Installed new shower valve
Installed swanstone (plastic composite) shower pan which has a flange/lip around the top edge.
roofing felt over studs
Wonderboard
Taped and thin set the joints
8x8 glazed cermaic tiles w/ 1/8 joints
Home depot (polyblend) style grout
Sealed the grout with Aquamix sealer
Caulked around all changes in planes

[Shaughnn]

Hello Peter,
Along the sides, up near the front dam, of the shower pan you will see two indentations. These are the weep-holes and your caulking can extend up to, but not obstruct, them. If you've filled them with caulk, you can carefully trim it away to allow collected moisture to drip out.
Best of luck,
Shaughnn

[pgabriel]

Yes, I saw those... after I caulked right over them...



...will (carefully) remove.

[Acamar]

Is this a problem (weep-holes) with one-piece plastic shower insert? Because we just laid tile in the bathroom, and we have another day of wet-curing before I get DH to caulk. After taking out the quarter round that was down there, I don't see anything that looks like "weep holes" -- what should I look for? -- or is this not a problem with one-pieces?

Thanks!

[Shaughnn]

Hello Acamar,
Weep-holes are simply a depression in the rim of the shower pan which creates a low spot for water to run to and out of. Gravity draws moisture which penetrates the tile down through the setting bed, where it collects along the rim of the shower receptor. If the weep-holes are plugged, the collected moisture has no place to easily drain and so it must dissipate by evaporation, which takes much longer. If you don't have a noticable divit in the rim of your shower receptor, try laying a short level along the rim and see if it doens't have a built-in pitch which would draw moisture to one corner or another. At this low spot, make sure that the caulking is cleared away to the setting bed to allow drainage.
Best of luck,
Shaughnn
Shaughnn