The problem is that there is still only one layer of adhesive that keeps water from getting behind the niche regardless when its mounted. This of course assumes that you will be adequately fortifying the structure in this wall. Repair options: If your shower niche has already become warped, there are several repair options available. Thank you for commenting! To begin, it is important to clean and prepare the surface of the niche thoroughly. The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Really appreciate the info on the structural issues with long niches. Are you tired of constantly replacing your old shower curtain or cleaning your shower door? By understanding the, Are you looking for a luxurious way to unwind after a long day? It usually starts out as very fine cracks at the corners that cant easily be seen. The shower is tiled in plain white subway tiles and this is what is bordering the niche. not a great look. Do you have any suggestions? A properly installed niche will be less prone to water damage, warping, and other problems, and will provide a long-lasting and functional addition to your bathroom. Sorry I didnt get back to you sooner. If you decide to install a pre-manufactured, or finished shower niche instead of a custom built one, you can avoid another shower niche install mistake by making sure that you never install a retrofit shower niche. felizlady. I would only try this if you DO NOT have a waterproofing membrane beneath your tile. Recently my bathroom was remodeled with a niche installed. Thank you for your comment! Importance of proper installation: Proper installation is critical for ensuring that your shower niche functions properly and provides a safe and attractive space for bathing and showering. Im assuming that the edges of the tile are exposed around the perimeter of the shower niche. The work was done by a licensed tile company who does impeccable work. I have consulted experts (Underwriters Laboratories Architectural Division) who say that thinset mortar and porcelain tile is naturally fireproof anyways, so that should meet or exceed the walls fire rating. The eye level of an adult is 44 inches from the floor level. Most ceramic and porcelain tiles have glazing that gives the face of the tile a different sheen and sometimes a different color than the rest of the tile. layer of mortar in the bot-tom of the niche, and use a level to make sure it has a slight pitch. There were so many things done that we now realize were probably not done well/correctly. Also, being a full 5.5 away from the shower head, it is basically the driest part of your shower. When you know the issues with shower niches, you can make sure to avoid them when installing your shower. Let grout cure according to manufacturer's directions. Mix the grout with Grout Boost and use a small grout float to push the grout into the spaces around the tile. Upvotes: 1,655. These horizontal niches are the epitome of opulence, sometimes spanning the entire shower wall and offering a huge area for storage. And if left for any length of time it might get moldy. Additionally, cleaning the niche with a mildew-resistant cleaner can help to keep it free of mold and mildew. Assuming this is correct, I would suggest that you install the shelf before the tile. Also a number of the hinge screws were not flush but angled and they claimed it was to give it strength. If there is no membrane, it could already be a problem. The Guide To Your Bidet Shower, Reviewed: 6 Best Electric Portable Bidets For Travel, The Best 5 Bidet Sprayers aka Bum Guns For Your Butt, Top 4 Toilet Bidet Combos for a Spa-Like Bathroom Oasis, What to Do When Toilet Flushes but Poop Stays. I was even thining if it was perhaps we could use small steel beams to support the weight. For a shower remodeling project in Northeast Ohio call Cleveland Design and Remodeling at 216-658-1270 or The Bath Doctor in Columbus at 614-252-3242. You can find more details in my Shower Niche Install Mistakes post. This installation is often a BIG shower niche install mistake because moisture can easily condense behind your niche if you dont do this install correctly. Best materials for shower niches: The best material for your shower niche will depend on a variety of factors, including your budget, the style and design of your bathroom, and your personal preferences. The shower wall tiles would then be installed. Im super happy that I could provide you with some helpful advice! If so, youre likely considering a steam shower. This is Steve from SKG Renovations with a few tips you must know to avoid the 5 BIG shower niche install mistakes during your next shower remodel. If Im understanding you correctly, it is a very typical alcove style shower with a 6 back wall (outside wall) and two 46 side walls, one of which is the valve wall. Because standard wood and metal framing materials are not great to use in niche construction, might I suggest that you instead construct it out of Kerdi Board or some other brand of foam board? Because the Schluter prefabricated shower niche is made of foam board, I would not recommend pulling the tile. Because of the poor workmanship that you have noticed with the tiling and niche installation, there is a pretty good chance that your shower niche has been compromised and moisture has already been leaking into the stud wall. You should keep in mind that the niche must be attached to the shower wall before the acrylic/glass/stone panel is installed so that it can overlap the mounting flange (M-block flange) and bond to it via a sealant. Yes, but also no, Shower Water Pressure Low? The only safe way to do this is to build a new wall adjacent to the brick wall. I asked the clothes if they mind, they dont care). Additionally, it is important to choose materials that are resistant to water and wear, such as acrylic or fiberglass. Cleaning and remediation options: If mold and mildew have already begun to grow in your shower niche, there are several cleaning and remediation options available. Wipe away the excess grout with a clean, wet sponge. Corner shelves are easier to tile. Do Shower Filters Work? Carefully! If Im understanding your situation correctly, there are a few problems with this installation, needless to say. I am happy to help! Can I add a shower niche after my shower has been installed? This includes ensuring proper ventilation in the bathroom, using waterproof materials, and cleaning the shower niche tile regularly. Good luck with your niche install, and let me know if you need anymore info! We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. Depending on the cause of the leak, the repair may involve replacing the niche, applying a new coat of waterproofing sealant for a waterproof shower niche, or re-tiling the niche. The company that we are considering for the repairs plans to just caulk over the grout, including the space where the grout has broken out. It is the area one would usually step into to wash themselves, away from the water stream. I have installed this niche a few times and it seems like a solid product. What do you suggest? I would even buy a can of spray foam so you can spay around it and use it to set the niche into. Their angled screws into marble caused the front edge of the hinge to pull away (walk back from the tile face). Is attempting to pull the tile and replace it the best idea? Either way, cutting a horizontal swath out the structural members of this wall to make room for a niche is a problem. This would also assume that the wall tile could still be continued seamlessly around the niche and into its interior. When you compare this price with the other alternative of this tool . what about a niche the full length of a 5 foot shower. Unfortunately, Im not really qualified to say what your HOA may do in this situation. Shulter has two niches that are longer, both of which have an adjustable 2" dividing shelf to customize your required size. Is Drano Ok? And please let me know if you need more help, and good luck with your project! This just introduces a condensation surface into the wall and you dont want that. 1/2 thick) acrylic solid surfacing materials? Will Your Toilet Eventually Unclog Itself? Modern construction at its best. In some cases, it may be possible to sand down and re-shape the niche. The tiling flange that surrounds the niche, is designed to extend out from the mounting surface a full 1/2 so that you can surround the niche with tile as thick as 3/8, but you can also surround the niche with an acrylic, stone, or glass shower panel if you like. You can read about how I install tile into the niche here: Building a niche for your shower Part 4. Steve, I originally planned to put two of the N1014 stainless niches stacked vertically a few inches apart on the rear wall of a tub shower combo (opposite the shower head). To test this, you can let the shower dry out for a few days and test that back of the niche with a good quality moisture meter. The niche is placed into this hole, and the outer flange on the niche is pressed against the tile. The tile company that did the work used Kerdi-board backing and appropriately waterproofed everything prior to tile-setting. You are correct that it is designed to be a tile ready niche, not a finished niche. We are new homeowners and the bathroom is our favorite room. Wipe off any excess sealant. Here is a link to my shower waterproofing post if you would like to read more on the topic. Im a tile contractor. Tile Ready brand products by Tile Redi: shower pans and shower bases, recessed niches, shower benches, shaving ledges, and decorative shelf kits. I am an engineer and have never heard such a thing. The shower environment is harsh due to its constant exposure to water and fluctuating temperatures. When it comes to tiling substrates, it is always better to take this approach because you do not want this assembly to flex or your grout lines will eventually crack. Bathroomaholic.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. It will also be difficult to get these tiles off without breaking them so you need some spares that you can use as replacements. I would use the 5/8 or 3/4 thickness for extra structural stability, cut to size and glued together with a polyurethane sealant like Dap polyurethane sealant. This can cause mold to grow here which is not disastrous but it doesnt look very nice. The general rule is to install the horizontal finished surfaces in the shower before the vertical. Maybe you should read over my Shower waterproofing post to find out more about waterproofing a shower niche. This would be a VERY difficult procedure even for the most skilled tile installer, and it would really only be possible with ceramic tile. The price of the Wedi shower system ranges between $800-$1300. I am not a big fan of most PVC (plastic) tilable shower niches. So now Im contemplating what to do. Steam showers have been praised for their many benefits, including relaxation, stress relief, improved circulation, and respiratory health. In some cases, the shower niche may not be compatible with the materials used in the shower, leading to water infiltration and leaks. The best type of sealant to use will depend on the specific needs and conditions of your bathroom and shower niche, as well as the materials used in the niche itself. Thank you for your comment! We will be using Laticrete Hydroban board to waterproof the shower including the niche cavity. Besides this problem, the angle is terrible and things often slide off the shelf. Its was a perfect job except when the frameless glass was installed, the installers drilled the glass for the towel bar and handle at a whopping 56 above the ground. The EZ niche is PVC plastic so it has a relatively low permeability but the niche and rest of the wall assembly, will always transmit some moisture into the shower wall. In our case, there would be a good 6 inches distance between the shower wall and the rest of the bathroom wall that is facing outside. If you have yet to install your shower niche, make sure that there is a slight slope toward the shower so the water doesnt collect on the bottom. It is a rental property and we could just warn tenants not to hang anything there, but in our experience that usually never ends well. These options offer similar storage and organizational benefits to a shower niche but do not require cutting into the shower wall.Shower caddies and baskets can be hung from the showerhead or shower rod, while shower shelves can be installed on the wall using brackets or adhesive. Slant the bottom of the niche just enough so that water flows out of it, but not so much that bars of soap and bottles of shampoo slide out. We also ran lighting by philips Hue strips in the niche. for pricing and availability. You can absolutely do this as the writer mentions if done correctly. wedi. Causes of poor installation can include using substandard materials, insufficient preparation of the shower wall, and failure to follow proper waterproofing membrane installation procedures. Thank you for your comment and Congrats on your new home! The difference is that this niche must be mounted on the framing instead of the backer board surface, so that its 1/2 flange can be flush with the 1/2 thick tile backer board that surrounds it. Wedi has a niche with the inside measurement of 13 X . If there are hairline cracks here (there often are after the grout has broken away beneath) moisture can infiltrate and pool over the silicon bead. Maybe I am not understanding your situation correctly, but if you wanted a finished niche and you want it to be completely waterproof, Im just wondering why you didnt purchase one thats designed to integrate with the waterproofing membrane. First time dealing with contractors, we really need . A steel beam would be great, but its not really necessary. The SN-2412 rectangular shower niche available in polished stainless steel brushed stainless steel and matte black stainless steel is made from premium 304-grade stainless steel, the ultimate material for enduring rust, stains, scratches, and corrosion. Getting back to your question Yes, installing a Schluter foam niche will be better than installing the diy niche you described. Make Sure It Integrates with the Waterproofing Membrane, Shower Membrane Waterproofing The Definitive Guide, waterproofing membrane has been installed, a very low perm rating like the Durock sheet membrane or Wedi Subliner Dry, Installing porcelain tile on the shower wall instead of ceramic, https://www.custombuildingproducts.com/media/59976485/mbp_ss129_114.pdf.
shower niche problems