New shower blues

[Anthony Callard]

Hi,

Our bathroom has a shower stall with 2″ tiles on two walls, a ceramic tray, and an enclosure. I want to fix it up because the enclosure was falling apart and the tiles were not sound in one place. I have scrapped the enclosure and removed quite a few unsound tiles on one wall. The drywall behind was soggy. The worst leak was in the corner where the walls meet … there was a little puddle inside the wall. The tiles on the other wall SEEM to be sound. But at the bottom of each vertical grout line, where it meets the silicone at the pan, there is a little bit of brown mung, and I wonder whether this is seeping discoloration from the paper on (wet) drywall.

I have found some info about repairing the drywall using backerboard.

So, questions. 1. Does the mung seepage all around the base show that the whole installation is compromised, and I should pull tiles off that wall as well even though they seem sound?
2. Does it make sense to repair and retile this whole deal, or would it be much easier to get a one-piece job? My concerns about that are (i) removing the old pan (ii) moving the drain, which is closer to the corner than required for the one-pieces I have looked at, and (iii) the floor has slate tiles up to pan, which might not fit with a new unit.
3. Is there some product which makes it easier to get the ^%&(*&% old silicone off the tiles and tray edge?

Thanks for any insights,

Lionel

[TonyParticipant]

The first big thing is do you want to re-do your whole shower. I would tell you yes. It sounds like it would be cheper in the long run to:
1. Inspect the shower valves for leakage. If leaking, repair that and the loose tiles.
2. OR remove all the tile and drywall.
3. Now would be a good time to replace your shower valve if it is older.
4. Consult with a bathroom design store about a one-piece shower pan. Not to worry, they can cut the drain in any spot in the one-piece pan.
Or have a plumber install a shower pan(it is a thick flexible polyethylene–glad trash bag- material which a plumber can cut in any place for the drain.
5. It is rather easy to move the plumbing for the shower drain to be more in the middle of the shower pan. wether you have a slab(concrete floor) or a foundation.

Good Luck

[Lionel Smith1Participant]

Thanks for your advice. When I said “one-piece” I was thinking of the units I have seen where the pan and the two walls are all one big unit, and the ones I have seen have a pre-drilled drain. But I am sure there are lots of different choices in the world, I have only seen a couple.

The valve is certainly due for replacement, it has some corrosion. It did not occur to me that it might be leaking but I’m sure you’re right.

Thanks again.

LDS

[Author]

Posts