Hi Folks. I have a very slow leak in our shower/whirl pool tub enclosure. While I bought the house about 15 months ago, the leaks appeared as small water stains on the marble floor tile that butts against the tiled deck sill plate.
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A sliding glass shower door/track rests on the small tiled deck measuring 59†x 8â€. I am 95% certain that water from the shower head falls on the tiled deck and penetrates the corroded/mildewed grout lines between the tub edge and tile. When I covered the deck with 2 mill plastic/tape, the floor stains disappeared in about two weeks.
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If I tap the tiles of the deck which the shower door/track rest on there is a hollow sound which leads me to believe that when the bathroom was remodeled in 1999 gypsum wallboard not cementboard was installed. There is a ton of mildew along the aforementioned corroded grout line so I have a strong suspicion the wallboard is wet as a sponge.
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So, here is my question. If I remove the sliding glass shower door/track and deck tile/mortar/wallboard underneath it, and then install new cementboard with a one piece slab of marble over it would this eliminate the problem or do I need to also tear out the tile and replace the wallboard installed along the side of the whirlpool tub? If possible I want to avoid this latter scenario because it would involve repainting wood trim and re- wallpapering a wall that rests perpendicular to the shower/tub enclosure (last spring we repainted/papered the entire bathroom).
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I tried my best to explain the problem but if anything is unclear I would be happy to snap a photo and post it here.
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Thanks for your time and advice.
Replies
Greetings Arnold, Yes, a photo always helps to define a question.
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.
Cheers
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
You'll get some excellent tile and waterproofing advice at http://www.johnbridge.com
Billy
Here are re-sized photos:
Did they tile over the rim of the tub ? From the pictures it looks like a regular tub curb at the door with tile on top.
That tub may not be the proper one for that type of installation.
Edited 2/17/2006 5:04 pm ET by arrowpov
Yes, it is tile over the tub rim and I agree that the framing/tile job is not appropriate for an alcove whirlpool tub. Do you have any suggestions as to how I might correct the problem? Frankly I would like to demo the tub/shower enclosure and build a big shower stall but I am not willing to sink the money into this house since my family is growing and we are looking at moving in a few years. I would like to fix the problem if possible.
That's a tough one. Usually the tub would have a flange or lip that the vertical surface would meet. Or the tub would have a rim that sits on top of a tile deck. The present installation does not lend itself to a permanent water resistant solution.
Caulk may be a short term temporary solution but it won't solve the problem. You might be able to remove the doors and the tile in front to restore it to the way it should have been, but someone may have put some screws in the fiberglass.
When you sell the house a home inspector may red flag the problem.
I agree. When we bought the house the inspector made a short note that the skirt (or what should have been a tub skirt) had a different color grout from the shower enclosure. Unfortunately he didn't elaborate or perhaps didn't realize that a drop-in whirlpool tub was installed instead of an alcove tub. We got burned and now have learned another hard lesson.
I am giving serious thought to ripping it out and building a new 3'x6' shower enclosure (no tub). Would it be possible to demo the shower enclosure only without destroying the rest of the bathroom or am I being unrealistic? Everything else in the bathroom is in good condition so I would save $ by renovating the shower only. I am pretty sure that the structural underside of the house is fine since I had a foundation company fix a few stringers last summer. Also, I think the only moisture problem area is at the tile curb/tub rim area.
Any demolition of a tub/shower will involve some of the rest of the room. If it is a small room it will be difficult to install the new stall without disturbing the toilet and/or vanity as they could get in the way of the shower base as you try to install it. I routinely remove the toilet and vanity/sink when installing a new tub/shower and frequently must remove plaster from the walls outside the tub just so that I can slide the new tub/shower in (they won't tilt in becasude of the wall studs). If this is the only bathroom with a tub you'll get less money for the house since most people want a tub. I'd work hard at correcting the problem the ways that have been suggested before I'd demo the whole thing especially if you've never done it before.God made fools so the rest of us would look smarter.
Hmmm, you raise a good point about resale value if the master bath doesn't include a tub. We do have two other full baths in the house so maybe it isn't as much of a negative. I'll check with a local realtor. This is a rhetorical question but who besides children really has time for a leisurely bath these days?<!----><!----><!---->
I agree with your point about pulling the fixtures b/c I have demo’d a full bath so I know that debris flies even with the greatest care. I suppose it would be almost impossible to drape in/shield the shower enclosure during the demo process. It would be tough to finesse.<!----><!---->
Instead of a one piece shower unit I am thinking of framing a new shower stall using mud or cementboard or perhaps even a Kerdi waterproofing system. I would like to fix it but arrowpov’s comments about the drop-in tub rim not having a flange also concern me. How long will the fix job last? Would it pass a home inspection a few years from now?<!----><!---->
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Since you have other full baths in the house, do whatever it takes to make you happy! Seriously, I've lived with a claw foot tub and brass rail shower curtain for 25 years. That may seem like no big deal until you realize I can't stand-up in the shower so I have a stool to sit on (which is great when you have a hang over. But my point is, if you want a large shower and not a whirlpool - DO IT. As a bathroom remodeler I've seen some very disappointed whirlpool owners. I agree a band-aid is a band-aid is a band-aid - heal thy self.
If it was my home I would do what it would take to make the job right. To make the current situation work is a band-aid solution. I don't see why you can't replace it with a walk in shower. If you do, follow all the industry standards, this is not a place to cut corners. You don't want what the last homeowner sold to you.
I agree. I experienced a few problems with the last house I sold and the folks here helped me correct them so I didn't stiff the home buyers (and enjoyed the house more while I was living there). I consulted John at johnbridge.com and he feels confident that I can tackle the project given my past experience demoing a bathroom. I went as far as putting up the cementboard on walls and new plywood/cementboard on the floors but then subcontracted the plumbing/elec/tiling to the pros. This time around I think I can successfully tackle any new framing and the tiling.