Shower enclosure sealing

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dufferDave

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Sep 11, 2018
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We bought a 2003 Fleetwood Jamboree GT (if that means anything to anybody) and we (I) are reworking much of the interior. I took apart the shower door and frame to chase down a water leak and repair the wall below it but now I am wondering about how I should re-seal during reassembly.

The door threshold plate had a very liberal layer of goopy, still soft, sticky, thick gray stuff. It does not feel like any sort of latex or silicone caulk that I have ever used so I am wondering if it is butyl or something?  It's my guess that this gray goop is from original manufacture, 15-plus? years ago. Realizing all this is still a poor description, I am asking anyway, can anyone guess what this stuff is? Was there a sealant that was usually used for this application, way back then?

And should I apply something in these joining surfaces as I reassemble, to wake up and re-seal these joints?

Thanks ahead of time for your help!

 
Goopy gray stuff does indeed sound like butyl, but it is not typically used on shower enclosures or anything indoors.  It is mostly used between surfaces rather than as an external bead, but butyl in a squeeze tube is used on metal gutters and such. I seriously doubt if it was used at the Fleetwood factory, though. I had a 2004 from Fleetwood and it had nothinglike the goopy stuff you described.

There are many "kitchen & bath" sealants/caulks that would be suitable. This article has some recommendations:
https://homerepairgeek.com/bathtub-plumbing/bathroom-caulk.html
 
dufferDave said:
We bought a 2003 Fleetwood Jamboree GT (if that means anything to anybody) and we (I) are reworking much of the interior. I took apart the shower door and frame to chase down a water leak and repair the wall below it but now I am wondering about how I should re-seal during reassembly.

The door threshold plate had a very liberal layer of goopy, still soft, sticky, thick gray stuff. It does not feel like any sort of latex or silicone caulk that I have ever used so I am wondering if it is butyl or something?  It's my guess that this gray goop is from original manufacture, 15-plus? years ago. Realizing all this is still a poor description, I am asking anyway, can anyone guess what this stuff is? Was there a sealant that was usually used for this application, way back then?

And should I apply something in these joining surfaces as I reassemble, to wake up and re-seal these joints?

Thanks ahead of time for your help!

If, as you say, it is goopy, it is in fact Butyl Caulk.  Butyl never cures as most other caulks or sealants.  This is ORIGINAL to this assembly, as butyl was used under thresholds -- and still is to this day.  It is mainly used as an air stop only, but can be used to prevent water from leaving the shower area.  It is not recommended that the butyl be used exposed as it will smear as it is 'goopy' ;D.  If you are able to post a pic of this area, I will be able to recommend a product to use when reassembling your shower. 
 
Murphcrud said:
If you are able to post a pic of this area, I will be able to recommend a product to use .....

Well, this is my first pic post on this forum. I hope it works.

This is a view straight down on the shower door threshold that I took to highlight the water-damaged bulge in the wall below. But you can also see the area where the gray goop was applied; this pic was taken after I scraped out about half of it so I could work on the area (the stuff was getting all over). Now I am wondering if I should have not scraped it out.
 

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There was a flat cover directly over the wall framing and the layer of gray sealing goop, and then there was a channel-shaped frame for the shower door attached on top of that cover. The right-hand end of the cover was where my water leak went into the wall.
 
Here is the orig pic showing all the pieces for the bottom of the shower door & frame

And if butyl is supposed to be there then I will re-seal with more butyl. I just want to know what works best for this application (I don't want to have to take this mess apart again if I can help it)
 

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dufferDave said:
Here is the orig pic showing all the pieces for the bottom of the shower door & frame

And if butyl is supposed to be there then I will re-seal with more butyl. I just want to know what works best for this application (I don't want to have to take this mess apart again if I can help it)

Gary previously asked if there was a cover of it and did receive a reply.  I was away and didn't get back to you before with my recommendation.  Unfortunately, you probably have reassembled your shower but if your concern was only what I see in the photo (I was going to ask for clearer more photos) it looks like butyl was used and should be used again.
 

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