GB2322644A

GB2322644A - Seal between a vertical and a horizontal surface, e.g. wall and shower tray

Info

Publication number: GB2322644A
Application number: GB9709991A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gerard Francis Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-02-28
Filing date: 1997-05-19
Publication date: 1998-09-02
Also published as: GB9709991D0

Abstract

A sealing assembly allowing for differential movement between a horizontal and a vertical surface comprises a combination of "wall trim" members (10) and "side trim" members (20), angled comer connectors being provided for the members (20). A horizontal flange (6) of the member (10) is sealed from the horizontal surface by a preformed strip (40) or by a sealant material pumped into the gap, and sealant is also applied in a recess (37) at the top of the vertical flange (5). The member (20) is snapped into position between a downwardly-angled rib (56) and a channel (51), after any necessary corner connectors have been similarly snapped into position.

Description

RECEPTACLE SEAL The present invention relates to a seal for sealing the junction between two contiguous surfaces disposed at an angle to each other, such as but not limited to the junction between a tiled wall and a shower tray.

The main prior art methods of sealing the junction of tiled walls and horizontal surfaces (such as shower trays and worktops) which are subjected to regular soaking are as follows: METHOD A: A semi rigid (typically uPVC) quadrant type sealtrim, has an inner upstanding perforated flange and a curved outer limb with a flexible bottom outer lip. This sealtrim is located over the junction. The flange is positioned against the adjacent wall and the bottom outer lip on the receptacle. The sealtrim is perforated to accommodate the trowelling of tile adhesive or sealant. Thus, the sealtrim is held in position through the flanges being sandwiched between the tiles and the wall, and sometimes, installers lay sealant inside the 'quadrant' cavity.

METHOD B: A semi-rigid (typically uPVC) dual purpose quadrant type seal trim has an upstanding flange with a flexible top lip, and a flexible bottom quadrant outer lip. This sealtrim is located over the junction. The sealtrim can be fixed (A) before or (B) after tiling. (A) When installed before tiling the inner face of the sealtrim flange is placed against the wall and a peel off adhesive fixing tape is laid along the outer side of the flange.

Thus, when the tiles are pressed over this fixing tape, the sealtrim is held in position through the flange being sandwiched between the wall adhesive and the tiles. (B) When installed after tiling, a peel off fixing tape is positioned along the inner face of the sealtrim upstanding flange. The sealtrim flange is pressed onto the tiles over the junction. The sealtrim is held in position through the adhesive qualities of the fixing tape.

METHOD C: A semi-rigid (typically uPVC) double lipped scotia type profile, or double lipped angular profile surface is located over the junction. The double lipped scotia type profile is fixed through a 'clip on' action over a frame (fixed onto wall or receptacle) hidden inside the cavity. The angular double lipped profile is fixed through the use of double sided adhesive tape fixed on the inner side of both flanges.

METHOD D: A quadrant type tile is laid over the junction, either onto the wall directly, or surface mounted over the existing wall surface, and grout or a sealant is used between the receptacle and the underside of the tile.

METHOD E: Recent solutions have attempted to solve this problem through the introduction of a 'rim' or an 'upstanding flange' integrated into or fixed onto the receptacle which would be overlapped by the wall covering.

METHOD F: The cavity between the receptacle and the adjacent wall is filled with a sealant.

There are numerous problems associated with the prior art sealing methods.

Most common and most frequent limitations to these methods are that sealants and grouts, and particularly under the rigours of shower activities, are not elastic enough to maintain a water tight bond in the event of the relative movement between horizontal surfaces and walls. Movement can occur due to timber stud partition shrinkage, timber floor joist shrinkage, structural settlement, movement under weight especially in acrylic baths and shower trays.

The sealtrims are dependent on that part of the outer sleeve that is flexible, remaining in contact with the horizontal surface. (a) The pressure exerted by the sealtrim at this contact point reduces with age and depreciation allowing water penetration. (b) The sealtrim at this contact point is not robust enough to prevent the lodging of debris that may occur through wiping or accident, which also results in water penetration.

If the sealant behind this contact point is not bonded continuously to the tray, water penetration will occur. If the sealant is not bonded to the sealtrim, moisture penetration will occur through capillary action and evaporation. The condition of this sealant inside the sealtrim is not visible. Water lodged permanently on the tray between the sealtrim and the sealant accelerates the deterioration process inside.

The wall tiles overhang the upstand of this sealtrim. This sealtrim detail relies on the bonding of materials together at this point, (tiles, sealant, sealtrim, grout and adhesive) to form a waterproofjunction. Sealant is used to surface fill the void between the tiletrim and the bottom porous edge of the tile. When subjected to the rigours of a shower enclosure over a period of time, the sealant is first to deteriorate and loose its bonding properties.

Water penetration occurs by way of capillary action along the porous edges and rear side of the tile, and the tile adhesive, and general deterioration follows across the adjoining tiles.

Once water penetration has occurred between the sealtrim and receptacle, biological deterioration is rapid. Re-sealing is impossible as the surfaces develop a scum, to which the sealant will not bond. The only method of re-sealing is to remove the tiles.

When the void between the wall and receptacle is fitted with a quadrant tile by means of tile adhesive and grout, any movement, often as a little vibration can break the seal resulting in water penetration.

When the void between the wall and receptacle is fitted with a quadrant tile by means of sealant, the effect under movement is often the parting of the quadrant tile from the walls, sometimes pulling the tile with it, as the bond the sealant creates between the receptacle and quadrant tile is usually stronger than the bond between the quadrant tile and wall tile.

The use of integrated tray 'rims' and 'flanges' have two problems. Firstly in the event of movement between the tray and the wall, the bottom tile is retained inside the protruding flange while the remainder of the tile is pulled with the wall. The result is water penetration through the tile joints and the tile/tray junction. Secondly the receptacle flange is positioned on the outer perimeter of the receptacle ledge. The tiles are located against this flange and rest the distance of a tile joint above this ledge. Water lodges on this ledge and clings onto this tile/tray junction. The problem that arises over time are those as detailed in the fourth previous paragraph.

Many sealtrims are dependent on that part of the outer sleeve that is flexible, remaining in contact with the receptacle. The problems with lips are as follows: (a) The pressure exerted by the sealtrim lip upon the receptacle reduces with age and depreciation. The lips rely on their elasticity to maintain the seal. Upon the initial installation the lips are 'fresh' and elastic and will retain this pressure for a period of time.

Through natural depreciation in a shower enclosure and the natural ageing process the lips harden up and loose this initial elasticity. This fatigue results in the lip 'resting' on the receptacle, and water penetration occurs.

(b) The sealtrim at this contact point is not robust enough to prevent the lodging of debris that may occur through wiping or accident, which also results in water penetration.

(c) When a sealtrim lip is applied against a tiled surface, such as an adjacent wall of a receptacle, the lip crosses the tile joints. The tile joints are generally grouted and recessed.

The pressure exerted by the lip across the face of a recessed joint is less than the pressure exerted on the tile face over the same width. Water penetration occurs between the lip and the grout.

(d) Lips, generally in contact with receptacles especially shower trays, experience a degree of ponding on the ledge. Any imperfection between the lip and ledge will be subjected to this ponding. The mitred corner joints are particularly vulnerable to this effect, and often become an inlet for water.

(e) When breakdown has occurred water lodges inside the quadrant or scotia cavity, or behind a lipped flange. When sealant is applied retrospectively into this cavity in an effort to re-seal this junction, it does not bond, but continues to open up the seal more.

(f) In an effort to alleviate the problem of 'lip breakdown', some installers apply a continuous strip of sealant into the cavity and onto the receptacle ledge. If the sealant behind the lip contact point is not bonded continuously to the receptacle and the inside of the sealtrim cavity, moisture penetration will occur through evaporation and capillary action.

(g) If the sealant squeezes out between the lip and the receptacle, the lip does not remain in contact with the receptacle. The condition of the sealant inside the sealtrim is not visible. Water lodged permanently on the tray between the sealtrim and the sealant accelerates the deterioration process inside.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacle seal and installation method which will overcome and substantially reduce the aforementioned problems.

The present invention provides a sealing assembly adapted to maintain a sealed joint between relatively vertical and horizontal surfaces, being either straight or corner joints, whereby the vertical and horizontal boundaries defining such joints are subject to differential movement, creating joint expansion, the sealing assembly comprising a first seal member being a wall trim adapted to be fixed and/or sealed to relatively vertical and adjacent horizontal surfaces, second and third seal members being side trims and side trim mitre pieces adapted to sealingly engage the wall trims, and sealingly engagably connect two wall trims together respectively, and while remaining sealingly engaged to the wall trim, are sealingly elongatable together, whereby all three seal members sealingly cooperate to compensate for vertical movement by acting in a "curtain", "rail" and "pelmet" like manner, wherein the upper boundaries of the wall trims act sealingly as a "pelmet", the complementary engagement points acts as a "rail", and the side trim and side trim mitre pieces combine to act telescopically as wrap around as an overlapping "curtain" to sealingly telescopically elongate as differential vertical, movement in the wall trims dictate with an elastic horizontal sealing material being located between the wall trim and the horizontal surface to sealingly elongate to compensate for differential horizontal movement.

Advantageously, a fourth seal member being a side trim coupler is adapted to be engaged and remain recessed in the wall trim behind the straight joint of two meeting side trims.

Advantageously, a fifth sealing member being a left and right end cap/universal end cap is adapted to engage the seal caps.

Advantageously, a sixth sealing member being a top trim (with optional tile support element) is adapted to engage the upper most boundary of the wall trim.

Advantageously, a seventh seal member being a top trim mitre piece (with additional tile support element) is adapted to engage both the uppermost boundary of two meeting wall trims and two top trims maintaining a sealing barrier thereon.

Advantageously, a seal fixing tool is adapted to insert a preformed length of highly flexible material between the wall trim outer second limb face and second surface.

Advantageously, the sealing member is an extrudable highly flexible self curing adhesive type compound or a pliable preformed rubber taped type adhesive compound or a preformed length of highly flexible material, or part/combinations thereof.

Advantageously, the wall trim is a relatively linear triangular shape in section through the provision of having substantially a first upper limb and a second lower outer limb, whereby both limbs have an inner and outer face, to which inner face(s) additional parts being flanges may extend from/to, be attached or connected, said inner faces or parts thereof.

Advantageously, the wall trim is a relatively linear L-shape in section through the provision of having substantially a first upper limb and a second outer limb with no adjoining structures.

Advantageously, the outside face of the first limb has a plurality of ridges which contact the generally vertical surface and/or a rebate, to act as a reservoir for adhesive/sealant, and/or the outside face of the second limb has a plurality of ridges or be otherwise adapted to contact and grip the sealing material.

Advantageously, the wall trim first and second limbs, or part flanges there to attached, are adapted to sealingly releasably engage at least once with other seal members.

Advantageously, the wall trim first and second limbs and extensions thereof are adapted to drain off water that may fall thereon between the lower inside face of the side trim and side trim corner mitre piece and the horizontal sealing material thereto under attached.

Advantageously, on the wall trim to drain off water, the flanges attached to the inside face of at least one limb extend to outside the outer boundary of the said limbs to form a series of drain channels between said flange wherein the said flanges support the side trim and side trim corner mitre pieces off the wall trim limb to set and provide a drain gap between the said lower limb and lower inside face of the side trim and side trim corner mitre piece.

Advantageously, the second limb of the wall trim is provided with at least one channel to the outer boundary and/or at least one drain hole thereon to drain off water.

Advantageously, on the wall trim, there extends outwardly and downwardly across the upper most boundary of the first limb, a limb adapted to drain off water that may fall thereon and/or to engage with other seal members.

Advantageously, on the wall trim may be a two part detached seal member wherein the first part is fixed to a first relatively vertical surface and second part fixed to a relatively horizontal surface.

Advantageously, on the wall trim there extends below the first and second limb a removable limb, adapted to if required, set a pre-determined space between the outside face of the second limb and the generally horizontal surface.

Advantageously, on the wall trim, the inside face of the first limb is adapted to assist fixing through the provision of a drilling guide line and/or holes and/or pilot holes.

Advantageously, the engagement locations on the wall trim, for the side trim and side trim mitre piece, are adapted to allow for any necessary lateral elongation of the side trim and side trim mitre piece when engaged thereon, that may occur through movement of wall trim with the wall.

Advantageously, the wall trim is adapted to maintain a sealed engagement with the side trim and side trim mitre piece during the event of telescopic elongation of the side trim and said mitre piece.

Advantageously, the wall trim second lower limb is detached from the first upper limb.

Advantageously, the engaging arm extending from the side trim is adapted in length to determine the drain gap between the wall trim second limb outer boundary and the lower inside boundary of the said side trim.

Advantageously, at least one side trim engagement arm is adapted to snap off if required.

Advantageously, the central portion outer profile of the side trim and side trim mitre piece may be substantially concave, convex or planar.

Advantageously, the side trim is adapted to remain sealingly telescopically engageable with at least one other seal member.

Advantageously, a third seal member being a side trim mitre piece is adapted with at least one projecting arm engageable with at least one complementary attachment point on the wall trim, whereby the side trim mitre piece may be sealingly pressed into releaseable engagement with the two meeting wall trims.

Advantageously, a side trim mitre piece is adapted to be surface mounted, through the provision of a recessed flange extending out from below each arm, from the upper boundary to the lower boundary, whereby each flange is overlapped by a side trim to provide a sealed elongatable flush butt joint when engaged on the wall trim.

Advantageously, a side trim mitre piece is adapted to be recessed, through the provision of being wholly recessed behind and overlapped by two side trims, to provide a sealed elongatable flush side trim butt jointed corner when engaged in wall trim.

Advantageously, the engaging arms of the side trim and side trim mitre piece and their respective engagement points on the wall trim are adapted to co-operate together and allow for a sealed telescopic elongation of the side trim with the side trim mitre piece when engaged with the wall trim.

Advantageously, the lower boundaries of the recessed side trim mitre piece and/or the recesses flange of the surface mounted side trim mitre piece are accommodated in the drainage gap between the wall trim second limb outer boundary and the lower inside face of the side trim.

Advantageously, while upon the wall trim the side trim and side trim mitre pieces are sealingly engageable and releasably elongatable with said wall trim.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example only, an embodiment of a seal according to the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is an exploded side view showing the principle components of the seal assembly, namely wall trim, side trim and sealing material; Figure 2 is a side view of the wall trim; Figure 3 is a side view of the side trim; Figure 4 is an isometric view of the wall trim; Figure 5 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the seal assembly fitted in a semi-recessed detail; Figure 6 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the wall trim and corner mitre piece in the semi-recessed detail; Figure 7 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a wall trim and side trim cross mitre pieces in a surface mounted detail; Figure 8 is a perspective view of the side trim corner mitre piece; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a side trim recessed corner mitre piece; Figure 10 is a perspective view of a side trim recessed coupler; and Figure 11 is a perspective view of left hand side end cap.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figure 1, the seal consists of four main components, a wall trim 10, a side trim 20, and a length of sealing material 40.

The wall trim 10 has a first outer face 11 for contacting a vertical wall surface A. The first face has a series of ridges 12 for gripping the wall surface. A rebate 37 is provided to accommodate sealant. The inner surface of this rebate 37 is splayed with a ribbed surface 16. The ribbed surface ensures strong adhesion of sealant, the splay acts as a retainer for sealant in contact with the surface (see Figures 5 to 7).

The lowermost point of this face 11 is a seal spacing flange 38, which sets the gap for the wall trim under side face 17, will be fixed above the receptacle. This seal spacing flange 38 may be removed if required by snapping off. The second face 17 extends at approximately right angles to the first face 11 and has a plurality of serrated projections 18 for gripping a length of preformed sealing material 40, or for ensuring the strong adhesion of an alternative mastic type sealant.

Extending outwardly and downwardly from the uppermost point of the vertical limb 5 of the wall trim is a side trim holding toe 56, to which the side trim is engaged.

At the lower edge of the horizontal limb 6 of the wall trim 10 is an elongate channel 51 extending from which at intervals are a series of side channels 52 which drain off any water falling into the channel 51. The channel acts as a side trim retaining channel.

A stepped region 35 is provided on each arm of the mitre piece so that a portion of side trim 20 (with the corresponding length of fixing section 22 broken off) can lie over the stepped region. Thus, if one wall moves, the stepped region 35 of the side trim mitre piece 30 can move relative to the side trim )0 and yet maintain the seal. A separate fixing section 32 is provided on the mitre piece 30 to engage with the channel 51. Similarly, the recessed mitre 45 can move relative to the side trim 20.

Figure 5 is a cross section of the assembled seal, showing the wall trim 10 fixed to the wall by means of a screw 11 and the side trim 20 engaged with the wall trim 10 by means of the fixing section 22. A draining space 28 is located between the end of the horizontal limb 6 ofthe wall and the skirt 25.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the assembled seal through the wall trim 10 and wall of the mitre piece 30. The depth of the fixing section 32 is shorter than the fixing section 22 of the side trim 20. Figure 7 shows a similar view to Figure 6 but shows a surface mounted detail.

The side trim 20 has an elongate main face 21, an angled uppermost point 24, and a depending skirt 25 at its lower edge. On its rear face is attached an elongate fixing section 22. The side trim 20 is fixed with the wall trim 10 by locating the angled top edge 24 into the side trim retaining channel 55 and snapping the fixing section 22 over the flange holding toe 51, leaving a cavity between the diagonal upper edge and the underside of the side trim 59.

Figure 8 illustrates side trim mitre pieces 30 which is a surface mounted side trim mitre piece, where the top 31 is offered into the side trim retaining channel 55 of the wall trim and the retaining section 32 is pressed into engagement with the retaining channel 51.

Figure 10 shows a side trim recessed coupler 47 for connecting two contiguous wall trims 10 running along a wall.

Figure 11 illustrates a left hand side end cap 70 in which fixing flanges 71 (in dotted view) fit into the seal cavity between the wall 10 trim and the side trim 20 to hold the end cap 70 onto the seal assembly. It has a retaining section 32 to engage with the retaining channels 51.

Typical locations for this seal in a recessed, surface mounted, or replacement installation are the sides of a shower enclosure in which the seal is fixed longitudinally over the tray/wall junction or the sides of a bath in which the seal is fixed longitudinally over the bath perimeter/wall junction. In a replacement installation the existing seal and sealant materials should be cut away and removed, and the tiles and receptacle ledges cleaned using methylated spirits.

The wall trim 10 is fixed over the receptacle ledge onto the wall on all sides to be sealed, either mechanically through pre-punched screw holes with non-corrosive screws, or by means of a moulded pliable adhesive. Where the wall trim is meeting in the corners, they are mitred.

The spacing flange sets a sealing gap between the underside of the outer limb of the wall trim and the receptacle ledge. A sealant material such as silicone may be pumped into the gap to seal same after wall trim is fixed. Where this spacing flange is not required, as may be the case with the moulded ledge of some baths, it may be removed to suit requirements.

An alternative method of sealing the wall trim to the receptacle is to remove the spacing flange and mark with a pencil, the outer boundary of the wall trims on the receptacle, and lay a continuous layer of a pre-taped moulded pliable adhesive just inside this line. The wall trim will be pressed onto this adhesive during fixing onto wall to seal same.

A rebate is provided on the top boundary of the upper limb of the wall trim to accommodate a sealing material (typically silicone) between it and the wall. Masking tape or the like is laid onto the wall and the upper outer boundary of the wall trim to avoid smearing when pumped sealant material into this rebate, and removed thereafter.

The side trim mitre corner pieces are fitted first, then the end caps, and finally the side trim length, measured, cut and fitted in between. In each corner, the upper boundary of side trim mitre corner piece is inserted under the top retaining arms of the two wall trims, and snapped on to the outer lower limb toes of the two wall trims. The end caps are then sealed and inserted onto the each end of the wall trims. The distance between the mitre pieces and end caps are measured and the side trims cut accordingly. The side trim fixing arm is removed where it overlaps the recessed section of the mitre piece. The side trims are fitted onto the wall trim in a like manner to the mitre pieces.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A sealing assembly adapted to maintain a sealed joint between relatively vertical and horizontal surfaces, being either straight or corner joints, whereby the vertical and horizontal boundaries defining such joints are subject to differential movement, creating joint expansion, the sealing assembly comprising a first seal member being a wall trim adapted to be fixed and/or sealed to relatively vertical and adjacent horizontal surfaces, second and third seal members being side trims and side trim mitre pieces adapted to sealingly engage the wall trims, and sealingly engagably connect two wall trims together respectively, and while remaining sealingly engaged to the wall trim, are sealingly elongatable together, whereby all three seal members sealingly co-operate to compensate for vertical movement by acting in a "curtain", "rail" and "pelmet" like manner, wherein the upper boundaries of the wall trims act sealingly as a "pelmet", the complementary engagement points acts as a "rail", and the side trim and side trim mitre pieces combine to act telescopically as wrap around as an overlapping "curtain" to sealingly telescopically elongate as differential vertical, movement in the wall trims dictate with an elastic horizontal sealing material being located between the wall trim and the horizontal surface to sealingly elongate to compensate for differential horizontal movement.

2. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a fourth seal member being a side trim coupler adapted to be engaged and remain recessed in the wall trim behind the straight joint of two meeting side trims.

3. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a fifth sealing member being a left and right end cap/universal end cap adapted to engage the seal caps.

4. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a sixth sealing member being a top trim (with optional tile support element) adapted to engage the upper most boundary of the wall trim.

5. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a seventh seal member being a top trim mitre piece (with additional tile support element) adapted to engage both the uppermost boundary of two meeting wall trims and two top trims maintaining a sealing barrier thereon.

6. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in combination with a seal fixing tool adapted to insert a preformed length of highly flexible material between the wall trim outer second limb face and second surface.

7. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the above claims, wherein the sealing member is an extrudable highly flexible self curing adhesive type compound or a pliable preformed rubber taped type adhesive compound or a preformed length of highly flexible material, or part/combinations thereof.

8. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall trim is a relatively linear triangular shape in section through the provision of having substantially a first upper limb and a second lower outer limb, whereby both limbs have an inner and outer face, to which inner face(s) additional parts being flanges may extend from/to, be attached or connected, said inner faces or parts thereof.

9. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall trim is a relatively linear L-shape in section through the provision of having substantially a first upper limb and a second outer limb with no adjoining structures.

10. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein on the wall trim, the outside face of the first limb has a plurality of ridges which contact the generally vertical surface and/or a rebate, to act as a reservoir for adhesive/sealant, and/or the outside face of the second limb has a plurality of ridges or be otherwise adapted to contact and grip the sealing material.

11. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall trim first and second limbs, or part flanges there to attached, are adapted to sealingly releasably engage at least once with other seal members.

12. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall trim first and second limbs and extensions thereof are adapted to drain off water that may fall thereon between the lower inside face of the side trim and side trim corner mitre piece and the horizontal sealing material thereto under attached.

13. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein on the wall trim to drain off water, the flanges attached to the inside face of at least one limb extend to outside the outer boundary of the said limbs to form a series of drain channels between said flange wherein the said flanges support the side trim and side trim corner mitre pieces off the wall trim limb to set and provide a drain gap between the said lower limb and lower inside face of the side trim and side trim corner mitre piece.

14. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second limb of the wall trim is provided with at least one channel to the outer boundary and/or at least one drain hole thereon to drain off water.

15. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein on the wall trim, there extends outwardly and downwardly across the upper most boundary of the first limb, a limb adapted to drain off water that may fall thereon and/or to engage with other seal members.

16. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, whereby the wall trim may be a two part detached seal member wherein the first part is fixed to a first relatively vertical surface and second part fixed to a relatively horizontal surface.

17. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein on the wall trim there extends below the first and second limb a removable limb, adapted to if required, set a pre-determined space between the outside face of the second limb and the generally horizontal surface.

18. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein on the wall trim, the inside face of the first limb is adapted to assist fixing through the provision of a drilling guide line and/or holes and/or pilot holes.

19. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engagement locations on the wall trim, for the side trim and side trim mitre piece, are adapted to allow for any necessary lateral elongation of the side trim and side trim mitre piece when engaged thereon, that may occur through movement of wall trim with the wall.

20. A sealing assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the wall trim is adapted to maintain a sealed engagement with the side trim and side trim mitre piece during the event of telescopic elongation of the side trim and said mitre piece.

21. A sealing assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the wall trim second lower limb is detached from the first upper limb.

22. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engaging arm extending from the side trim is adapted in length to determine the drain gap between the wall trim second limb outer boundary and the lower inside boundary of the said side trim.

23. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one side trim engagement arm is adapted to snap off if required.

24. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the central portion outer profile of the side trim and side trim mitre piece may be substantially concave, convex or planar.

25. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the side trim is adapted to remain sealingly telescopically engageable with at least one other seal member.

26. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a third seal member being a side trim mitre piece is adapted with at least one projecting arm engageable with at least one complementary attachment point on the wall trim, whereby the side trim mitre piece may be sealingly pressed into releaseable engagement with the two meeting wall trims.

27. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a side trim mitre piece is adapted to be surface mounted, through the provision of a recessed flange extending out from below each ann, from the upper boundary to the lower boundary, whereby each flange is overlapped by a side trim to provide a sealed elongatable flush butt joint when engaged on the wall trim.

28. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a side trim mitre piece is adapted to be recessed, through the provision of being wholly recessed behind and overlapped by two side trims, to provide a sealed elongatable flush side trim butt jointed corner when engaged in wall trim.

29. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the engaging arms of the side trim and side trim mitre piece and their respective engagement points on the wall trim are adapted to co-operate together and allow for a sealed telescopic elongation of the side trim with the side trim mitre piece when engaged with the wall trim.

30. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lower boundaries of the recessed side trim mitre piece and/or the recesses flange of the surface mounted side trim mitre piece are accommodated in the drainage gap between the wall trim second limb outer boundary and the lower inside face of the side trim.

31. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein while upon the wall trim the side trim and side trim mitre pieces are sealingly engageable and releasably elongatable with said wall trim.

32. A sealing assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second outer limb of the wall trim, whether attached or not to the first limb, is adapted to move with the horizontal surface, and in such movement the wall trim is adapted to maintain sealed engagement with the side trim and side trim mitre piece.

33. A sealing assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the side trim and side trim mitre piece is adapted to remain in sealed engagement with the wall trim in the event of horizontal movement with the second limb of the wall trim.

34. A sealing assembly as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the first limb upper boundary inside faced flange is adapted to remain in sealed engagement with the side trim and side trim mitre piece in the event of the said side trim and side trim mitre piece moving with the second limb and horizontal surface.

35. A method of sealing joints between two contiguous disposed at an angle to each other with reference to accompanying drawings.