Tiling Shower And Seat

rbeck3@ec.rr.co

this is supposed to be steam shower. I'm thinking this thing is taking on a life of its own and very much considering on subbing out.
with all the different views on this beast, how should it be installed? dammit, I should have put in plastic shower and been done with it

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passingwindII

ChrWright

With all due respect... A steam shower requires the highest level of materials and craftsmanship that an experienced tile artisan can muster.

There are MANY layers of prep that ALL have to be installed properly in order for the entire shower to be vapor tight. The cost of a mistake doesn't just mean a few tiles need to be replaced--it usually means the whole thing needs torn to the studs and started over.

Are you willing to take that risk?

You would do well to find someone experienced with steam showers and work with them to compete this project.

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Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here

genecarp

There are many different ways to build a steam shower, different products, different approaches. the people that claim there is only One way to do it and disregard all other options, simply have not been around. that being said, at the point you are at, i would rip out the poly (liner). then find who you would like to use, to complete the job, so far you have lost very little, if you proceed on the path that you are currently on, the costs will be significant , G

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Tileworks

A steam shower is a whole 'nother ball game, son :-)

There should be a pre pitched mortar bed under that liner on the floor. If there is not, remove the liner and get a new one installed after the pre pitch has been done. The new liner should extend higher, and over the top and sides of the curb.

I often use wedi board for steam showers. But if you use anything else, the entire thing has to be vapor proofed. In a steam shower, you are not just dealing with water coming down with the aid of gravity. The entire room is under pressure, and water is a vapor and going every direction, looking for a way out.

You have to have a proper glass door, vapor proof lighting inside, etc.

Custom Building Products has a Steam Shower method using their Red Gard product.

Schluter Systems has a good one also using Kerdi I believe (I am not a schluter man).

Noble Company has a sheet membrane that you adhere to all the walls, ceiling, bench, etc. Give them some serious consideration.

And then there is WEDI. Expensive, but you can sleep at night :-)

- Bob

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Classic Tileworks
http://www.classictileworks.com
Ohio Tile and Stone Installation Contractor in the Akron area serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, & Cuyahoga counties in Northeast Ohio

genecarp

Wedi is an excellent example of a product that is superior, and many guys just after seeing it would dismiss it and revert back to there older style of building a steam shower!!!

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rbeck3@ec.rr.co

thats it.....im subbing it.
after the lot that i have read i no longer feel comfortable with this project.I am at this time bowing out gracefully.
I also read that the ceiling should have a pitch on it as well to keep condensation from dripping on a person. Has anyone else heard that?
Lots of good points and welcomed comments. thanks all. last thing i want is to do it again in a years time. TY

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passingwindII

genecarp

no cieling pitch required, i am sure if you keep reading about steamshowers someone will tell you the doors need windshield wipers... i will tell you a little trick for the shower door glass, RAINX... they do offer a glass that has a special coating to minimize waterspots etccc, but RAINX does a great job!!!!

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Tileworks

Yes, a ceiling pitch IS required for the very reasons you cited. The proper pitch, according to the TCA Handbook (Tiler's Bible) is 1/4" per foot.

- Bob

__________________
Classic Tileworks
http://www.classictileworks.com
Ohio Tile and Stone Installation Contractor in the Akron area serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, & Cuyahoga counties in Northeast Ohio

ChrWright

Actually the spec for the ceiling pitch of a steam shower is 2" per foot--for commercial I wouldn't build it any other way.

For residential steam showers, it's sometimes hard to make that look decent so I usually end up building them closer to 1" per foot.

__________________

Christopher Wright, CR: President @ WrightWorks, LLC/President @ Central Indiana NARI, Named to the 2010 REMODELING Big50
www.WrightWorks.net - Facebook - Twitter - Carmel Remodeling
Indianapolis Kitchen Remodeling Contractor - You Can Get There From Here

R&D Tile

The ceiling needs to be pitched, unless you enjoy cold water raining down on you while using the steam shower.

Wedi IS a great product, but still shouldn't be used for the walls alone in a steam shower without waterproofing the joints and nail holes from their nice washer system.

But one thing is for sure, it needs to be 100% water and vapor proof.

As stated already, there are many products that meet specs for a steam shower, I Kerdi the ones I do, think it's the best system out there.

One layer of mud needed and no fuss with pre-slopes and liners.

If subbing this out now, ask a lot of questions to make sure your tileman knows what has to be done.

rbeck3@ec.rr.co

lets pile up a list of questions shall we.... ty

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passingwindII

R&D Tile

Just start by asking how they plan to waterproof it and if they are pitching the ceiling.

The waterproofing has to be on the face of the structure, no vapor barriers behind the CBU if they state that's what they plan on doing.

Then come back and ask if what they plan is going to work.

If you find someone who has done Schluter Kerdi showers, that would be a good start.

Tileworks

You are right. Thank you for the correction.

2" per foot for steam room ceiling.

The 1/4" per foot is in regards to the pitch of the shower floor.

- Bob

__________________
Classic Tileworks
http://www.classictileworks.com
Ohio Tile and Stone Installation Contractor in the Akron area serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, & Cuyahoga counties in Northeast Ohio

kevjob

my last steam shower had 1" per ft here s a pic.

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Kevin
Basement Finishing Highlands Ranch Colorado
Littleton Colorado, Basement Remodeling
Kitchen Remodeling Denver

R&D Tile

Nice work.

R&D Tile

Here's a steam shower repair with bench done the wrong way.

All new kerdi.

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R&D Tile

More.

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R&D Tile

Rest.

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Tileworks

Very nice work, both of you.

You ever find that ripping out the bottom of a shower and re-doing it is just slightly shy of the costs of re-doing the whole thing?

I know for me, it comes close.

- Bob

__________________
Classic Tileworks
http://www.classictileworks.com
Ohio Tile and Stone Installation Contractor in the Akron area serving Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, & Cuyahoga counties in Northeast Ohio

R&D Tile

Yup.