Shower floor / wall

[Bob_T329]

We just purchased a 2021 Grey Wolf 20RDSE, I see no caulking around the shower base where the shower walls meet. Would adding caulking here be advised?

[eye95]

I see an air gap for water to get in, go heaven-knows-where, and ruin heaven-knows-what.

Yes, fill that gap!

[NECamper]

We have the same poor fitment issue on our Alpha Wolf 26dbh. We asked the dealer service department and they told us not to seal or caulk it. We’re not convinced that’s the proper answer and my later interactions with that particular service writer further my suspicions that he’s just lazy rather than intelligent.

I’m very interested to learn if you get an official response from your dealer or Forest River.

[Thurman]

That shower pan has a 2 1/2" - 3" vertical lip on it on the three (3) sides that the walls fit on to. No need to caulk this area as the probability of water running uphill that high is almost nil.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Thurman

That shower pan has a 2 1/2" - 3" vertical lip on it on the three (3) sides that the walls fit on to. No need to caulk this area as the probability of water running uphill that high is almost nil.

Ours too. Don't caulk it.

[B and B]

No Caulk x3. That would make it worse as this allows air to vent behind lessoning Black Mould developing.

[Jfkmk]

Originally Posted by Thurman

That shower pan has a 2 1/2" - 3" vertical lip on it on the three (3) sides that the walls fit on to. No need to caulk this area as the probability of water running uphill that high is almost nil.

This.

[NXR]

Be certain to not caulk the base to the bathroom floor. If you get a leak under the shower your first indicator will be water running into the bathroom.

Ray

[eye95]

The opinions counter to mine sound eminently reasonable.

[cboss]

Originally Posted by eye95

The opinions counter to mine sound eminently reasonable.

Like I also say...I learn something new everyday here!'

But I did have to lookup "eminently"....lOL

[Bob_T329]

Well I’m glad I ask! Will not caulk.
Thanks for the replies!

[skreps]

Our dealer told us this during the walk through- meant for drainage and to allow for flexing

[MilCop4523]

do not seam seal it. it will trap the condensation between the wall and the tub surround. you would be better off ensuring the top is sealed and leave the bottom alone.

[dmayo32]

I have a 2019 of this same model. The shower as stated by others is not a problem but my advice applies to most any travel trailer. I'd worry more about leaks around windows, wiring, hatches, and doorways. I found waterstaining in ours around the base of the floor under the dinette and water puddled after washing it. I found a gap in the sealant across the top of the dinette window outside. I also found a sizeable gap in the sealant around the awning wiring by the front door. And no, we shouldn't have to worry about those kinds of things but unfortunately that's the nature of this industry.

[NMWildcat]

On most of my RVs, I never sealed that bottom seam due to all the facts about the overlap explained above.
BUT, my current RV is a different story. It has glass panels in an aluminum frame that butt up to the shower panels. I would always get leakage on the outside edge of the panel bottom/corner where the glass frame meets the panel. I sealed everything from the top of the shower panels, the nylon button rivets in the panels, and the glass/aluminum panels themselves. Nothing stopped the small leak until I got fed up and caulked the shower panel bottoms. Guess the water was wicking up the overlap and behind/around where the glass frame met the panel.
We don't have much condensation in NM, so I'm not worried about mold. And if there is any, I won't see it

[The Newsoms]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

Nothing stopped the small leak until I got fed up and caulked the shower panel bottoms. Guess the water was wicking up the overlap and behind/around where the glass frame met the panel.

I have that exact same leak and have come to that same conclusion but I have fixed mine yet. It’s on my list.

[markb422]

Originally Posted by The Newsoms

I have that exact same leak and have come to that same conclusion but I have fixed mine yet. It’s on my list.

Same design on our shower with the curved sliding glass door and did not have an issue, I thought, until one time the wife took a shower (I take Navy Showers). Water leaked from under the shower pan. I looked in the access and I could tell it was not the drain. And as others have written I knew the shower wall and pan overlap 2-3" on three sides so I figured that the leak had to be in the supply or faucet. Removed the plumbing access for the back of the faucet and no leaks. So, what I found was the track that the sliding glass door rides in on the bottom is not caulked at the ends where it meets the side walls of the shower. I filled the ends of the track with silicone caulk and no more leak.
One more thing I did was I replaced the plastic access doors that screw to the paneling outside the shower with louvered vents the same size so it will allow some air to flow through the plumbing chase. There is one at the bottom of the wall and one half way up for access to the back side of the shower faucet. So the air will move in the plumbing chase and hopefully prevent condensation or freezing.

[Daniel.mullins4]

YA, I better tear off that sealant I put on there, never too late to do so.