A thin bead of silicone does a big job. It keeps water out of the joints between baths and walls, showers and floors, sinks and benchtops. When it goes black with mould, peels away or cracks, water can get behind tiles and into walls and floors, where it causes rot, swelling and further mould. Replacing silicone is a quick, inexpensive job that protects your home. We remove and replace silicone and caulking across Pakenham, Officer, Beaconsfield and surrounding towns.

Common silicone problems we see in Pakenham homes

Black spots in the shower corners. This is mould growing into the silicone. It returns quickly after bleach because the roots are inside the bead. Replacement is the only lasting fix.

Silicone pulling away from the bath. Baths move when filled and when someone gets in. If the silicone was applied with an empty bath, the joint is stretched every time the bath is used. Sealing with the bath full reduces this.

Gaps behind the kitchen benchtop. Benchtops and walls move slightly with temperature and household loads. A cracked or missing bead lets crumbs and water down behind cabinets.

Yellowed or brittle silicone around windows. UV breaks down some sealants over time. Outdoor joints need UV-stable products.

Painted-over silicone that’s peeling. Most silicone can’t be painted. Where a joint needs to be painted, a paintable acrylic or hybrid sealant is the right choice.

Too much sealant. Thick, smeared beads collect dirt and look messy. A neat, tooled bead of the right size works better and looks better.

The full process in a shower

A typical shower re-silicone job runs like this:

1. Inspect the existing joints, grout and tiles for signs of leaks or loose tiles.

2. Cut out the old silicone with sharp blades, taking care not to scratch glass, acrylic or enamel.

3. Use a silicone remover to soften and clear residue that blades miss.

4. Scrub the joints clean of soap scum and body oils, which stop new silicone sticking.

5. Treat any mould in the joint and let it dry.

6. Dry the joint fully. Silicone applied to damp surfaces won’t bond properly.

7. Mask edges with tape where it helps achieve a crisp line.

8. Apply sanitary silicone in a continuous bead.

9. Tool the bead to a smooth concave finish and remove the tape.

10. Leave the shower unused while it cures.

Movement joints

Tiling standards call for flexible joints, rather than rigid grout, at changes of plane such as where walls meet floors, at internal corners, around baths and where tiles meet other materials. Grout in these locations tends to crack as the building moves. We rake out cracked grout from these joints and replace it with silicone where that suits the installation.

Kitchens and laundries

Kitchen sinks, especially undermount sinks in stone benchtops, rely on sealant to keep water out of the cabinet below. A failing seal can cause the cabinet base to swell. See kitchen cupboard repairs. Laundry tubs and their cabinets are another frequent spot for failed seals, often with swelling panels beneath.

For natural stone benchtops, we use neutral cure products that won’t stain the stone.

Outdoor sealing

Outside, sealants protect gaps around window and door frames, where cladding meets brickwork, around pipe penetrations and on joints in concrete. We use exterior-grade products designed for UV and movement. On homes in bushfire-prone parts of Beaconsfield Upper and Pakenham Upper, sealing gaps where embers could enter is part of good preparation, though some gaps need specific fire-rated products or mesh rather than standard sealant.

Painters caulk inside

Before painting, gaps between skirting and walls, around architraves and along cornices are filled with acrylic caulk so the finish looks seamless. It’s a quick job that makes a big visual difference. See painting touch-ups.

How long silicone lasts

In a well-ventilated bathroom, good silicone applied properly can last several years. In a damp, poorly ventilated shower, mould may appear much sooner. Keeping the shower dry after use, running the exhaust fan and wiping down joints all help.

Choosing a colour

White silicone suits most white tiles and baths and looks crisp, but it shows mould and dirt sooner. Clear silicone is less visible against coloured tiles but can look cloudy over time. Grey, beige and charcoal options can blend with coloured grout and stone. We’ll suggest a colour that blends with your grout and fittings so the joint looks deliberate rather than patched.

Silicone and grout working together

Grout fills the joints between tiles on a flat surface. Silicone handles the joints where movement is expected. When the two are mixed up, problems follow: grout cracks in corners, or silicone smeared over grout lines looks messy and traps mould. We make sure each material is in the right place. In many showers, a combined visit to regrout the floor and re-silicone the corners gives the best result. See tiling and regrouting.

Ventilation tips to keep silicone clean

• Run the exhaust fan for at least fifteen minutes after showers.
• Leave the shower screen door open to let the recess dry.
• Use a squeegee on glass and tiles.
• Wash bath mats and towels regularly so damp isn’t held in the room.
• Clean joints weekly with a mild cleaner rather than harsh bleach, which can degrade silicone.

If your bathroom has no exhaust fan, or the fan doesn’t vent outside, a licensed electrician can install or upgrade one. Good ventilation also helps prevent mould on ceilings and paint.

When to call us

Book a re-silicone when you see mould spots that won’t wipe off, gaps between the silicone and the surface, cracks or splits in the bead, or water pooling at the edges of the bath or shower. Doing it early protects the waterproofing underneath and avoids bigger repair work later.

Silicone in rentals and new homes

Silicone in newly built homes often needs attention within the first couple of years as the building settles. It’s a common item on maintenance lists in the newer estates around Officer and Pakenham East. In rentals, fresh silicone is one of the cheapest ways to present a clean bathroom to new tenants.

What to tell us when you request a quote

A photo of each joint, the number of areas (for example one shower, one bath and the kitchen sink), the surface types such as acrylic bath, stone benchtop or tiles, and the colour you’d like all help. Let us know if you’ve noticed leaks, loose tiles or swelling cabinets. With those details we can plan the visit, bring the right sealants and tell you how long each area must be left to cure before you use it again.

After the job we’ll explain how long to leave each joint untouched and how to clean it so the new bead stays bright and mould-free.

Where we replace silicone and caulking

• Shower bases, screens and corners
• Around baths and spa baths
• Kitchen benchtops and splashbacks
• Sinks and basins
• Bathroom vanities
• Laundry tubs and cabinets
• Toilet bases (where appropriate)
• Windows and door frames
• Skirting and architrave gaps (painters caulk)
• Cornice gaps
• External joints around windows, doors and cladding

Why silicone fails

Silicone usually fails because of:

• Mould growing on and into the bead in damp, poorly ventilated bathrooms
• Movement between surfaces, such as a bath that flexes when filled
• Poor adhesion from being applied over soap scum or old silicone
• Age and UV exposure on outdoor joints
• Harsh cleaning products breaking it down

Mould stains under the surface of silicone can’t be cleaned off; the only fix is to remove and replace it.

Doing it properly

The difference between silicone that lasts and silicone that fails within months is preparation. We:

1. Remove all old silicone completely with blades and removers

2. Clean the joint of soap scum, mould and residue

3. Treat mould and allow the area to dry thoroughly

4. Fill baths with water before sealing, so the joint is sealed at its loaded position

5. Use mould-resistant sanitary silicone suited to wet areas

6. Apply an even bead and tool it to a smooth, neat finish

7. Leave the area to cure before use, usually around 24 hours

Choosing the right sealant

• Sanitary silicone for wet areas such as showers, baths and sinks
• Neutral cure silicone for windows, stone benchtops and some metals
• Acrylic painters caulk for gaps that will be painted, like skirting and cornices
• Polyurethane sealants for some external joints and concrete

We choose sealants by location and material, and colour-match to white, clear, grey or other shades.

Signs of a leak

If we remove old silicone and find wet, crumbling grout, loose tiles or soft walls, there may be a waterproofing failure. Re-siliconing won’t fix a leaking shower if the waterproof membrane underneath has failed. We’ll show you what we find and suggest a waterproofing specialist or plumber where needed.

Preventing mould

Bathrooms in newer Officer and Pakenham homes are often compact with small windows. Using exhaust fans, opening windows after showers and wiping down screens all help. Fresh silicone stays clean much longer in a well-ventilated room.

Rental and pre-sale refreshes

Mouldy silicone is one of the most noticeable issues at rental inspections and open homes. Replacing it is a quick way to make a bathroom look clean and cared for. See end of lease repairs.

Silicone and caulking across our service area

We replace silicone in Pakenham, Officer, Officer South, Beaconsfield, Beaconsfield Upper, Pakenham Upper, Nar Nar Goon, Garfield and Bunyip. It pairs well with tiling and regrouting. Request a free quote with photos.

Frequently asked questions