Repair grout or install shower base?

2 years ago

last modified: 2 years ago

Our shower had mould issues around the base in the silicon etc that had been patched over the years. Upon removal I've realised in some areas they had even grouted over the silicon and the seal was non existent. Also the tiling job itself is poor with neither set of tiles going all the way to the wall or floor, leaving a cavity that's impossible to reach with traditional grout behind it. No wonder the moisture in the walls around the shower was high and staining of the wooden floor boards by the door.I'm in the process of stripping out the remainder of the grout but want some advice on the best fix going forwards.I don't think grout is going to allow me to fill in the cavity behind and create a good seal. Especially if it shrinks as it dries.Silicone will be easier to fill in the cavity, but will I just have to replace it all again in a year or two?I hate the ledge into the shower, and it makes it hard for elderly/injured/disabled to get in and out. Should I just completely remove the ledge, try to find matching tiles and install a shower base over the floor tiles, which will help improve drainage and cover the poor joins in the tiles completely?Any advice on glass shower frames and bases that I could use in a spot like this. A glass door couldn't open out because it might get hit by the main door and break.

Featured Answer

bigreader

2 years ago

Tiles should not totally meet at the floor and wall to allow for movement. The gap should be sealed with silicone not grout. (Silicon does need maintenance over the years). However if your waterproofing behind the tiles has failed (or wasn’t there to start with) then it needs to be replaced. This is generally done by removing the tiles and starting again. To check if the waterproofing has failed you can use a moisture metre in the adjacent rooms to see the % and how high on the wall the problem goes.

You could remove the hob. It looks like it went in after the floor tiles but I doubt the floor has the required fall for the water to flow towards the drain. So you’ll gain easy access but end up with a wet slippery floor.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

Gemma B
Original Author
2 years ago
Gemma B
Original Author
2 years ago
Related Discussions
Caesarstone on shower walls instead of tiles?
Q
Comments (10)
Hi Jennifer, this would be a very very costly exercise - plenty of our clients have achieved a similar look with rectified tiles, utilising a minimal grout line - making the cleaning aspect easier, ultimately you are left with a 1/2mm grout line. It is very minimal! Porcelain panels can also be very expensive too - and there will be added costs involving transport + delivery, as they are heavy and in large sheet sizes. It depends also whether you are building from new, or just renovating - as it may be a bit more difficult to maneuver the large panel into an exiting home. Certainly do your research though - there are lots of options out there - best of luck!
...See More
Flat shower trays
Q
Comments (17)
Hi Macymacmaples, I would go for a 120cm to be sure that you are not splashing water everywhere. The latest trend is these single panel showers but they do come with their own challenges that need to be addressed by a professional. A shower tray with proper drainage is a great way to start. The most common errors we see in renovations with such showers is that the drainage has not been thought through - so the water runs everywhere. This makes keeping a clean bathroom impossible. If you want to ensure that water splashing/running is not an issue, I always recommend a properly water-tight shower box. But the decision depends on practicality VS aesthetics and the advice of your builder.
...See More
Free standing bath next to shower
Q
Comments (5)
@bigreader i'm not a fan of built in or back to wall baths. Functionally i get why they are used but i just don't like the look of them.   @Ken Evers Thanks this is what i'm after some practical experience with people who have lived with this setup. As it seems to be a mixed bag, people who has said yes it's an issue but are guessing having no lived in this setup and some people who have lived with it and said not a big issue, but sometimes they are defending their choices lol. The existing bath has a drain that sits close to the wall at the same end as the shower due to the curve of the new bath this could be utilized as it would not be blocked but it would be hidden the idea was to use this as an additional drainage point with no additional plumbing. between the shower / bath section and the rest of the bathroom there will be a floor to ceiling screen approx 1000mm in length, where the current shower is that waste will also be used in addition as this will sit neatly under the floating vanity that's going in. In regards to the tiler i have used him previously and was very happy with his work, that said outside of waterproofing your right, How the water flows is a quick way to kill a good looking bathroom. The biggest concern i had was on the far side of the bath between the wall and long side. So for example against that wall? Idea is to have it slightly raise as per this photo gradient for a lineal drain. A small waste is already in this location so it was going to be used for additional drainage with something like this which is sitting under the floating vanity and in the gap between bath and wall. @Kate Yep there is some compromise we are just trying to determine how much of an issue this is for people who have actually had this layout?
...See More
Bathroom renovation begins - Seeking opinions on selections please
Q
Comments (34)
Yes, siriuskey. You are right again. It would be smart to invest in having a professional draftsman draw it up. But on face value, I really think oklouise's plan works. I have sort of drawn it out on the floor. I love that she is using standard size vanities with only a custom made top, and the towel shelves are now 450 instead of 250 wide, which is much better. The little odd-shaped infill at the end of the bath provides a spot for the lovely jug and bowl set my mother made for me. (I used to use the jug to pour water over the grandchildren's heads when I washed their hair, and now it's just a lovely decorative item with deep sentimental value) and there is space beside the bath for the urn filled with decorative soaps that was a gift from a son-in-law on his first visit to our home. I really think the bath needs to come back to 1500 long, but that's not an issue at all. I found a really nice shaped oval tub at 1500 x 760 that I like and is quite inexpensive. I don't need to worry about towel rails because I have a lovely timber free-standing towel rack that will fit nicely at the end of the shower if the shower door is placed on the side. It looks like the vanity drain can run under the drawers and into the bath outlet and the WC vanity will run under the wall into the shower drain, and all other plumbing stays the same except I'll ask the plumber to chase the shower tap and rose into the exterior wall rather than have it on the side, OR there is room for a false wall in front of the exterior wall to hide the plumbing if that works out better. The niche can go in the new wall behind the WC vanity. I'll be really surprised if this isn't a feasible plan, but I will take your advice, siriuskey, and get a pro to draw it up so I can be totally confident it works. Can't thank you enough, oklouise - and you, siriuskey, for all your efforts which, I think, contributed by generating new ideas and flushing out the important issues.
...See More
C P
2 years ago
Full bathroom reno??
Gemma B
Original Author
2 years ago
Not on the books at the moment. Long term yes.
macyjean
2 years ago
"No wonder the moisture in the walls around the shower was high and staining of the wooden floor boards by the door."

It's not just about the tiles, grout and silicone. There needs to be waterproofing underneath those, as Bigreader said, and if moisture is getting through then you need more than a cosmetic fix.
Gemma B thanked macyjean
Gemma B
Original Author
2 years ago
@bigreader The shower hasn't been used in months so I don't think I'll get an accurate moisture reading now. And I'm not keen on turning on the water now that it's been stripped of silicon and grout. Good to know that the gap is normally plugged with silicone. I think all the damp was at floor level. No evidence of paint damage on walls behind the shower cavity.

If we remove the hob, the tiles don't go under it, so would have to install a slab type shower base over it. And I'm not keen on the shower curtain so would want a glass frame around it.
bigreader
2 years ago
Are you sure the tiles don’t go underneath? But either way having nothing there isn’t the solution you want. Have you searched for a shower base of the size you need? What are the measurements?
dreamer
2 years ago
Are your floors a concrete slab or timber ? My previous home had a similar problem, but was on a concrete slab, And we had wall damage in the hall.
A company like Megasealed will come and fix this in a day. They will remove the existing tiles, re water proof, and relay tiles. And also regrout the entire shower recess.
If the paint in the hall is not bubbling, then you may be correct that the damage is in the floor, not the walls. And since you have not used the shower recess for a time, then it is the ideal time to get a professional in to redo the shower base.
With reference to removing the hob, this may be making the job an expensive full renovation. As the hob would be built up from the floor, the tiles would not be underneath, therefore you would be having to take up that hob to the concrete/timber base, then the domino reaction may take into effect. New floor tiles, new levelling of floor etc etc.
macyjean
2 years ago
"If we remove the hob, the tiles don't go under it, so would have to install a slab type shower base over it."

As Dreamer said, the hob comes up from the floor, the tiles are not underneath it. There's a structure which forms a shallow tank, then a waterproofing material over the inside of that, then the tiling over that.

I'm not sure why you think you need a "slab type shower base"? You can tile either way. However, for a hobless shower the whole bathroom floor is supposed to be waterproofed, with a waterstop angle at the edge of the shower floor. So yes, changing from a style with a hob to a hobless gives you a lot more to think about.

Repair grout or install shower base?

bigreader

Comments (10)

Gemma B
Original Author

Gemma B
Original Author

Related Discussions

C P

Gemma B
Original Author

macyjean

Gemma B
Original Author

bigreader

dreamer

macyjean

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Repair grout or install shower base?

bigreader

Comments (10)

Gemma BOriginal Author

Gemma BOriginal Author

Related Discussions

C P

Gemma BOriginal Author

macyjean

Gemma BOriginal Author

bigreader

dreamer

macyjean

COMPANY

EXPLORE HOUZZ

CONNECT WITH US

Gemma B
Original Author

Gemma B
Original Author

Gemma B
Original Author

Gemma B
Original Author