# Custom Shower Project - need advice



## CK4500 (Jan 7, 2009)

Hi All!

I built my house in the summer of 2007. I had little projects to complete here and there, and I am mostly done, except for the ensuite bathroom.

I have a shower stall that is framed and drywalled. Inside measurements are 54" wide by 48" deep. I never considered what custom glass doors were going to cost when I designed it. I was shocked to receive quotes back for around $2000. My Shower opening is 51 inches (without any tiles installed), but I can frame it smaller, to say 48". Home depot has a great 48" x 72" door (for only $481), but the 24" door is in the middle, between two 12" panels. I need my door to be on the right side, with a 24 to 27 inch panel to the left.

Below is a picture of what I have to work with. The space from the vanity to the ride side of the shower opening is 27 inches. The $480 job from Home Depot has 12" side panels with a 24" door. Maybe I could use the door on the far right side, hinged to the wall, then use a 12" panel on the left, and build it the far left side out with glass blocks?
Need to come up with something far cheaper then the $2k ish custom glass!!

If I don't come up with something, I am going to have to buy a $20 shower curtain from WalMart!


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Yes, shower door glass costs that much. You might shop around and find something a tad cheaper but don't hold your breath. I personally think the look of a cheap door is just that, cheap. Honestly I'd suggest the shower curtain until you can afford the nice door. 

That said, please tell me that isn't standard drywall or greenboard in that shower and REALLY don't tell me you're going to tile over that.....:confused1:


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## CK4500 (Jan 7, 2009)

angus242 said:


> Yes, shower door glass costs that much. You might shop around and find something a tad cheaper but don't hold your breath. I personally think the look of a cheap door is just that, cheap. Honestly I'd suggest the shower curtain until you can afford the nice door.
> 
> That said, please tell me that isn't standard drywall or greenboard in that shower and REALLY don't tell me you're going to tile over that.....:confused1:


Thanks!

Yes it is, and yes I am.

I am using the schluter membrane system, which keeps the water out. Very slick, but pricey....


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Glad to hear about the Schluter but as a pro, I still wouldn't use the drywall. I use nothing less than DensShield or CBU. Not trying to be a spoil-sport or anything. Just trying to keep the people who read this informed!
You REALLY need to make sure your Kerdi is installed correctly. _One little mistake_ that allows moisture through and you'll have a big headache on your hands. Let's hope that never happens! :thumbsup:
Take a look at the "My Albums" link to see a Schluter shower in progress. The custom glass for this project (1/4" glass with brushed nickel framing) is costing me just over $1500 and I get contractors discounts.

Good luck with your project. Be extra careful installing that Kerdi!


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

my friend, i ran into the *exact same problem* a couple years ago with my kitchen shower remodel (see here)

the solution i had, i went to HD and bought a "Frameless" glassed shower kit _without_ the acrylic walls (optional). 

it was $650 before taxes

i used the plastic base which came with the kit because i wasn't confident enough to do full tile floor. but it was worth it for the glass and the mounting and the hindges and the door handle and the plastic water proof flaps.

of course this means that your shower framing must match the glass, rather than the glass matches your custom frame dimensions. but this is how you save large $. 

ps. do yourself a favour and take angus242's advice. even if you have to rip the drywall off and re-do it.

Knucklez


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

angus242 said:


> Glad to hear about the Schluter but as a pro, I still wouldn't use the drywall. I use nothing less than DensShield or CBU. Not trying to be a spoil-sport or anything. Just trying to keep the people who read this informed!
> You REALLY need to make sure your Kerdi is installed correctly. _One little mistake_ that allows moisture through and you'll have a big headache on your hands. Let's hope that never happens! :thumbsup:
> Take a look at the "My Albums" link to see a Schluter shower in progress. The custom glass for this project (1/4" glass with brushed nickel framing) is costing me just over $1500 and I get contractors discounts.
> 
> Good luck with your project. Be extra careful installing that Kerdi!


Not intending to hijack this thread but I watched several of those Schluter/Kerdi vids. It seems strange to me that they would lay the floor piece last. It affords no overlap from the wall pieces which would help to eliminate any possibility of leakage actually getting under the membrane on the pan. Any thoughts?


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

The Kerdi overlaps any seams


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

angus242 said:


> The Kerdi overlaps any seams


true but in any installation where water cuold get behind the face, you always lap the top material over the lower material. On the sides and the bottom, although they do put a strip along the bottom edge first, they then put up the side sheet and eventually the pan sheet. When water intrusion from flow (rain or showerhead) would be of concern, you would always lap the upper material over the lower. In the situation they show, they have created an open edge at the edge of the pan that is lapped on top of the edge piece. That would allow water to get under the pan sheet.

Of course, many will say "but it's sealed with the mortar material" or whatever they used but, mortar is not waterproof and even if it were, why cause yourself a problem in the future when it did fail to seal.

counter intuitive to standards of installation.


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

nap, contact a kerdi rep and reference the video. let us know what they say.


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## wrangler (Oct 9, 2008)

Why not bump out the left side of the opening 3" and then use a 48" bypass door off the shelf?


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

Knucklez said:


> nap, contact a kerdi rep and reference the video. let us know what they say.


If any of you honestly believe what I am saying makes any sense, I can do that. If I'm sounding insane, then why bother letting anybody else know I am.

It just seems counter intuitive to all I have been told about order of lapping to prevent water infiltration.


as angus stated:



> You REALLY need to make sure your Kerdi is installed correctly. _One little mistake_ that allows moisture through and you'll have a big headache on your hands. Let's hope that never happens! :thumbsup:


and he is correct, it is that important to be sure it is done properly.

So, back to the main topic;

the job I am currently working, they are using some sort of vinyl coated drywall under the tile walls. I have never seen it before. Any of you guys that actually do this familiar with it? Is it any good?

I am going to have to go and see what they are doing as a seam prep for it but if I saw correctly, they are simply using standard drywall mud along with the rest of the rooms. 

and why doesn't anybody use Durock. That seems like it would simply be unbeatable for this type of install.


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

the job I am currently working, they are using some sort of vinyl coated drywall under the tile walls. I have never seen it before. Any of you guys that actually do this familiar with it? Is it any good?
*Sounds like DensShield. I have recently starting using that myself. I like it because of how light it is and how easily it installs. However, I Kerdi every wall so I'm not too concerned with it's moisture resistance. *_
FYI, DensGuard is the exact same product, just named differently for exclusive sales at Lowes._

I am going to have to go and see what they are doing as a seam prep for it but if I saw correctly, they are simply using standard drywall mud along with the rest of the rooms. 
*That is an incorrect installation. DensShield (if that's what the product actually is) is installed just as any CBU product would be; alkali-resistant screws, alkali-resistant tape with thinset.*

and why doesn't anybody use Durock. That seems like it would simply be unbeatable for this type of install.*
I am a firm believer in waterproofing ANY tiled shower wall, PERIOD. Therefore, the backer material isn't as big of an issue. To me, it's all about how simple the product is to install. Durock is an absolutely acceptable material to use, although I'd still waterproof it. *


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

thanks Angus.

I went to the Dens shield website and that does look like what they are using. Not sure about the "mud". I'll have to check and hope I am wrong.


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

for denshield you use the same material as your tiles for the seams (with self adhesive mesh tape) and to cover the screw holes. you can also waterproof the seams and screw holes using RedGaurd.

DO NOT USE DRYWALL "MUD" with denshield.


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## CK4500 (Jan 7, 2009)

nap said:


> Not intending to hijack this thread but I watched several of those Schluter/Kerdi vids. It seems strange to me that they would lay the floor piece last. It affords no overlap from the wall pieces which would help to eliminate any possibility of leakage actually getting under the membrane on the pan. Any thoughts?


 
These videos puzzle me also.

I intend on doing the floor first, then the floor corners overlapping the floor, then the walls overlapping the corners, and so on. I was also going to run the membrane side to side, rather than up and down. The will eliminate the need to use inside corners going up the walls. 

As far as my glass goes, I went straight to a local (1.5 hours away) manufacturer who can supply my glass (81.5" x 24" x 10mm & 72" x 27" x 10mm) For around $500! Tracking down the seals is my only problem now. Hinges and pull came courtesy of Ebay! ($100)
:thumbup:


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

CK4500 said:


> I was also going to run the membrane side to side, rather than up and down. The will eliminate the need to use inside corners going up the walls.



That's how I did the bottom row in this shower:









Upper row has the niche and wasn't worth trying to wrap it. 
Word of advice, if you wrap it, MAKE SURE YOU TUCK THE CORNERS NICE AND TIGHT! If you don't, you'll create a curved radius and tiling will be hard.


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## CK4500 (Jan 7, 2009)

angus242 said:


> That's how I did the bottom row in this shower:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you have any photos of the finished product? Looks like it would be a nice shower! I also have two niches in my project. I was thinking about building out the base of them, like in your photo, but how did you finish the tile on that??

Thanks!


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Finished photos coming soon. The custom shower glass was delayed by 2 weeks so I haven't gotten a chance to get back there to take final photos yet. I'll post them when I do.


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

is that drywall on the ceiling? i wonder about moisture/mold above your shower.


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Knucklez said:


> is that drywall on the ceiling? i wonder about moisture/mold above your shower.


Are you referring to me?


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

oh sorry, i was referring to the picture above with the orange walls.


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Knucklez said:


> oh sorry, i was referring to the picture above with the orange walls.


Yes, I did that remodel. All of the drywall used in this project was DensArmor. We upgraded the ventilation fan to one that actually fits the room. All shower tile work was over Kerdi/Ditra. This room is about as mold/water resistant as you can get.


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## Knucklez (Oct 21, 2007)

agreed, great job!

did you slope the cubby a bit so that any water that gets into your recessed wall area will drip out?

_ps. i'm not intentionally nit-picking your work, i am just asking questions about it because your shower is EXACTLY how i want to do my shower in the basement in a year from now._


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

CK4500 said:


> Do you have any photos of the finished product? Looks like it would be a nice shower! I also have two niches in my project. I was thinking about building out the base of them, like in your photo, but how did you finish the tile on that??
> 
> Thanks!


I have updated my album with the final pics from this project. You can see what I did with the niche base.


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## angus242 (May 1, 2008)

Knucklez said:


> agreed, great job!
> 
> did you slope the cubby a bit so that any water that gets into your recessed wall area will drip out?
> 
> _ps. i'm not intentionally nit-picking your work, i am just asking questions about it because your shower is EXACTLY how i want to do my shower in the basement in a year from now._


Yes and the half wall top is sloped inward as is the curb. All water will shed towards the shower.


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