# Shower Sliding Door Leaking



## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

We have a Kohler glass shower sliding door that leaks under the track. It sits on top of the tub. At first we would only see water slightly leaking out of the outside corner where the track meets the sheetrocked wall. We fixed the sheetrock, removed all of the old caulk inside of the track where the track sits on the tub, and we recaulked there. It was ok for a couple of days, but we are getting more leaks! Not only in the outside corner again, but all along the outside of the track on top of the tub, from that corner down to the middle of the tub! HELP! Not sure what to do. Take the entire shower doors and track off? Then what? What goes under the track if we take it up, a glue or caulk? Thank you!!


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

Ok, did you put a bead of silicone under the track and a bead on either side of the tub corners before installing the track? Then you put a bead of silicone on either side of the track and a small bead in the track corners to seal any gaps. Note: you should be using kitchen and bath mildew resistant silicone.


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

No, we did not pick up the track so we did not put a bead of caulk under the track. The corners are already nicely caulked so we did not have to remove or redo them. We removed the old strip of caulk that ran on the inside of the tub/track... along the seam where the track meets the tub. Somehow water is seeping through under the track. I think my only solution at this point is to hire someone (who, a plumber?) and they will probably have to remove the track.
We remodeled the bathroom in 2003 -- that's when the new tub and glass sliding door was installed. So it's not that old!
Thank you for your help!!


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

This is a simple diy project you can do yourself unless this is beyond your skill level. Now you keep mentioning caulk? Is that what you are using or are you using silicone? 

Another thing came to mind, which way are you closing the shower doors? If you’re closing them with the gap facing the shower, then you will get water between the doors and thus leak down into the track.


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiqFbsdkdxc

have a look at this...


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

Yes, I guess this is something I can do. I am so ready to throw in the towel with this project! You are correct, I am using silicone (but calling it caulk).
Not sure what you mean about the "gap facing the shower". Would it help if I added a picture?


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

Yes it would, pictures are worth a thousand words… 
What I mean by the gap, is when you close your shower doors from the inside and you stand under the shower head looking at the door what do you see?


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

Thank you for the video. Yes, it should work that way. But if it is done like that and it still leaks, then what? That's kind of where I am right now. I am attaching 3 pictures. One of a close up of the problem corner from the outside of the tub. One of the entire tub from the outside. And one from the inside of the tub, facing toward the sliding doors (facing more toward the right side door -- but you can see the left door has that "lip"). Could the doors be on wrong? Maybe the door with the lip on the inside should be the door on the right rather than the left??


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

Outside corner...


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

From the inside, facing sliding doors (under shower head)...


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

Well I know that the glass is coated and uncoated. The uncoated glass should be facing outside. This is only for cleaning purposes. As I’m looking at your pictures I don’t see any caulking? I see something thick on the ends but nothing on the tube. Last picture shows the inside door away from the shower, that’s the gap I’m referring to. Pull that door towards the shower head and it will cover the gap. Turn on the shower and see what happens.


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

What's the tube? Are you saying that I should put silicone in the entire opening of the track? I put a bead silicone on the seam only, of the track and the tub. If we say the track is shaped like a "U" on its side, should I insert silicone inside the "U"?

Also, a couple of weeks ago I did test switching the placement of the doors so that the door with the lip was at the far end, and that actually did help. But it screwed up the placement of the handles (both handles end up in the middle rather than one at each end of the tub).


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

Sorry that was a typo, I meant tub. No you only put a bead of silicone in the inside corners of the “U” track. The video I sent you should show that. And as per your door alignment, that’s the way the door should be placed. If your handles interfere with this try switching them out so the handles are away from each other. But before you do that, feel the inside glass for a coating. You should feel a difference between the two sides. If that doesn’t work the installer never put a bead of silicone under the track.


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## arubatan (Feb 22, 2007)

OK, I'll pick up the track and try putting a bead of silicone all the way down. Thank you.


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

No problem, hope this fixes your issue. Let us know how it turned out…


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