Visiting from Cooks’ Talk for some advice.
The master shower in my home has a lovely steam shower for two (the steam generator doesn’t seem to work, but that’s beside the point). The floor is tiled in 1-inch square tiles. There’s a small area (maybe six or ten tiles’ worth) near the drain (not all around it – just on one side) where the grout has cracked and there’s clearly a small amount of give in the tiles, which have, no doubt, come loose from the subfloor or whatever is underneath them. It’s also clear that water has gotten through the cracks in the grout as I can hear some “squishing” when I step on those tiles.
What’s the best way to fix this situation? I’m concerned, for obvious reasons, about water damage underneath the tiles. The previous owner left behind some grout and tiles, so I have matching materials for a fix.
Thanks for your advice.
Maybe we’ll find direction, around some corner, where it’s been waiting to meet us.
Without coffee, chocolate, and beer, in that order, life as we know it would not be possible
Replies
1st or 2nd floor???
is there any way you can view this are from below????
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Second floor. Not easy to get underneath the shower floor but possible through the garage ceiling I suspect.Maybe we'll find direction, around some corner, where it's been waiting to meet us.
Without coffee, chocolate, and beer, in that order, life as we know it would not be possible
that didn't make sense but then again I just got off the phone with the building department...
do you know what kind of shower pan ya have???
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Not sure what didn't make sense. The house is a raised ranch. The master suite and its bathroom were an addition done, I believe, in 1992. I bought the house in 1999. The master bath is over the garage.
I definitely wouldn't know what kind of shower pan was used. I haven't done anything to fix the problem yet as I'm a bit concerned about what I'll find when I start cutting the grout and removing the tiles.Maybe we'll find direction, around some corner, where it's been waiting to meet us.
Without coffee, chocolate, and beer, in that order, life as we know it would not be possible
now I got it...
1. you willing to open the garage cieling???
2. can you carefully remove the tiles in question and politely dig down to see what you hace and give us details...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
Edited 7/27/2009 10:57 am by IMERC
1) I'd prefer not to, but I'll do whatever I have to.
2) This will take a while (days, maybe a few weeks). I'll report back.Maybe we'll find direction, around some corner, where it's been waiting to meet us.
Without coffee, chocolate, and beer, in that order, life as we know it would not be possible
DW is easy to repair....
exploration it is then...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
"Some days it's just not worth chewing through the restraints"
I think you are going to find a mess when you finally get the thing open for inspection. The longer you wait, if you use this shower, the bigger the mess. And, pardon me for suggesting this, but since you have to be told to inspect the site in order to ascertain its condition, you may be in over your head. Perhaps you ought to call in a professional.
I didn't need to be told to inspect the site - I wanted to know what to expect from someone who'd done it before.
But you (collectively) have told me what I expected to hear:
1) It's probably a mess
2) It's probably a bad idea to use the shower
Not sure how DW is going to respond. But I can cite some experts when I tell her that we need to use the kids' shower.Maybe we'll find direction, around some corner, where it's been waiting to meet us.
Without coffee, chocolate, and beer, in that order, life as we know it would not be possible
Any sign of leaks in the garage ceiling?
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
No, no signs of leaks or water stains on the garage ceiling.Maybe we'll find direction, around some corner, where it's been waiting to meet us.
Without coffee, chocolate, and beer, in that order, life as we know it would not be possible
Pick away at the loose tiles and any loose mud under those tiles.
Realize that below the mud there is probably a membrane, 40 mils thick. You do not want to nick/cut/puncture that membrane.
When you get a small section of the membrane exposed, try to push down on it. While the thickness of the membrane might have a little give to it, whatever is under the membrane should be solid. No give, no flexing. If what is under the membrane is mushy, then it might be time to consider rebuilding the shower.
If what is under the membrane is solid, then patch the deck mud and reset your replacement tiles, then grout.
Tangent:
Ideally you have your subfloor. On top of your subfloor is probably a slip sheet of tar paper or sheet plastic. Over that should be a sheet of expanded diamond mesh. On top of that should be a SLOPED layer of deck mud, "cement-like" in appearance if you could lay your eyes on it.
On top of that sloped deck mud is your 40-mil membrane.
On top of your membrane there should be another layer of deck mud, then the tile.
In an imperfect world the membrane is laying flat on your subfloor and there is a sloped layer of deck mud on the flat membrane, and the tile is on that sloped layer of deck mud.
P.S. tangent: Could you have some other type of construction? Sure. But this is my best guess for now.