Fill the joint with backer rod then caulk with 100 silicone.
Backer rod around tub.
Probably the simplest way is to caulk the gap with 100 silicone or a urethane sealant.
The backer rod helps before caulking use the md building products 1 2 in.
In these photos i used a hydro ban.
Fill the gap between the tile and the tub with caulk.
That s the by the book way of treating that joint.
Then apply a generous amount of thin set to the bottom bathtub tile and position it 1 8 in.
The proper way is to leave a 1 8 inch gap between tile tub.
Remove old sealant with caulk remover.
Caulk backer rod to help fill gaps and openings in pavement cracks wall joints foundations sidewalks and driveways.
There are many places around your house where energy is wasted.
Any gaps that are wider or deeper than this should use backing material such as this caulk backer rod available on amazon to fill in the gap and allow the caulk to sit securely across the.
In some cases you may need an l shaped tub flange to fill in a gap between the wall and your bathtub.
The best approach when installing cement board or other tile backer around a tub is to keep the cement board out of the lip area.
Backer rods are flexible foam tubes of different densities.
The silicone joint is supposed to be twice as wide as it is deep.
They can be made of several different materials.
Apply it to the wall with the bottom edge about 1 4 in.
After you have pushed the backer rod into place apply caulk on both sides of the rod to secure it in place.
Make sure to buy one that is made for wet areas and that is nonporous so it will not.
This is based on the joint being deep enough so you can apply between a 1 8 to 1 4 thick sealant on top if allowed by the sealant manufacturer.
Use a putty knife to.
Based on your description that when the tub is full of water the joint is less than 1 4 wide i would put in the 1 4 backer rod with the tub full of water and apply the sealant without water in the tub.
First you would waterproof with your favorite liquid waterproofing membrane of choice.
How to use backer rod caulking material step 1.
Doors and windows are not the only places where heat and conditioned air leakage occurs.
Use a cloth and water diluted detergent to scrub.
Clean all surfaces to you want the caulking material to adhere.
The vertical portion of the flange will point towards your ceiling while the horizontal part will attach to your tub s edge.