Shower Remodeling in Southwest Florida

Why Old Showers Fail

Most shower problems start out of sight. Grout cracks, a corner opens up, or water finds a gap around the valve. In an older shower built without a continuous waterproof layer, that water soaks into the wall or the floor and stays there.

Signs that a shower needs more than new grout include loose or hollow-sounding tiles, soft spots in the walls, grout that keeps darkening near the floor, a musty smell that does not go away, and stains on the other side of the wall. In a humid climate, a wet wall cavity does not dry out on its own.

What's Behind the Tile

A tiled shower is a system of layers, and each one has a specific job. Here is how a typical modern shower assembly is put together, from the studs out. Systems differ by manufacturer, and the exact build for any shower depends on the products chosen and their instructions.

• Framing: the wall studs and floor structure. They need to be straight, solid and blocked where a niche, bench or grab bar will go.
• Backer board: a cement or foam board fastened to the studs. It gives tile a stable surface that will not rot like drywall.
• Waterproofing membrane: a sheet or liquid-applied layer that stops water at the surface. Seams, corners, the drain and pipe openings are sealed so it is continuous.
• Thin-set mortar: the cement-based adhesive that bonds tile to the membrane. Full coverage behind each tile matters in a wet area.
• Tile: the finished surface. Porcelain is common because it absorbs very little water.
• Grout and flexible sealant: grout fills the joints between tiles. At inside corners and where walls meet the floor, a flexible sealant replaces grout so the joint can move without cracking.

Slope, Drains and Curbless Showers

A shower floor has to drain. The common guideline is a slope of 1/4 inch per foot toward the drain, enough to move water without feeling steep underfoot. With a center drain, the floor slopes from all sides. With a linear drain along one wall, it slopes in one direction, which allows larger floor tiles.

A curbless shower has no step at the entry, which makes it easier to use and visually opens the bathroom. On a concrete slab, getting the slope without a curb usually means recessing the shower floor into the slab, so it is a bigger job than swapping the tile. It needs to be planned early, before anything is ordered.

Tub-to-Shower Conversions

Replacing a tub that is rarely used with a walk-in shower is one of the most requested bathroom changes. The tub comes out, the floor is prepared for a shower pan, and the walls are rebuilt with backer board and waterproofing before tile.

Plumbing usually changes too: the drain moves or changes size, and the valve may move to a more comfortable height. Ask about plumbing during your estimate so the whole scope is clear from the start.

Niches, Benches and Glass

A recessed niche keeps bottles off the floor and out of the way. It works best when it is planned with the tile layout, so the grout lines run cleanly into and around it. Its bottom should slope slightly toward the shower so water does not sit.

A bench, built-in or floating, needs to be waterproofed as part of the same system as the walls. Glass enclosures are measured after the tile is finished, because the final wall surfaces decide the exact size.