LorriB's Profile

The reason we recommend filling the tub first is to add weight. Modern tubs are usually acrylic and can flex when the weight of a person is added. You want weight in the tub or shower so that the space where you are going to caulk is at it's widest point. Filling the tub is just the easiest way to add that weight. While silicone creates a flexible joint, it is NOT elastomeric. It can't adjust back and forth for people of differing weights. The theory behind it is if the joint to be at it's widest point when you silicone it, it's less likely to stretch and separate on occasions when the tub or shower pan flexes more than usual. Note: It's important to remove every trace of the old silicone as the new silicone will not bond well, if at all to the old silicone.
Silicone caulking should not be considered as a permanent thing. Bathrooms have issues that other rooms don't - moisture, humidity, poor ventilation just to name a few. If you make cleaning and re-siliconing part of your annual bathroom maintenance, like resealing your tile's grout, you'll be able to keep check and hopefully prevent future issues.

My girlfriend, who's an avid knitter, made several for the dining chairs in her home. She showed them to me and asked what I thought they were for. My first thought was "dick warmers". Needless to say, after revealing my thoughts to her husband's friends on their annual winter camping trip, she had several requests for her "dick warmers". Not sure how she determined the measurements but I'm ASSuming it's like Vegas - What happens at camp sites, stays in campsites...