Adding A Shower Niche To Your Shower? 3 Important Mistakes To Avoid
Posted on: 21 August 2020
A shower niche can make your shower a lot more functional. With a shower niche, you have a built-in place to put all the different soaps and products that you use when you take a shower without having to use a caddy that hangs over the edge of the shower or over the showerhead. When it comes to building a shower niche, there are a few mistakes you need to avoid ensuring the niche is properly installed.
Mistake #1: Forgetting to Waterproof Around the Shower Niche
When you build a shower niche into the wall, it is common to create a structure with tight joints. No matter how tight the joints are and how well-built the niche looks, you always need to waterproof the niche structure before you apply tile and grout.
Your shower is a place that is constantly wet, and you need to make sure all parts of the shower wall are properly waterproofed, including the niche area. A waterproof membrane needs to be applied over the shower niche. This will protect the niche from becoming a source of leaking water that could harm your shower in the future.
Mistake #2: Compromising the Structure of the Shower Wall
When you design your vertical or horizontal shower niche, you need to consider the overall integrity of the shower well in your design. When deciding where to put the shower niche, you need to consider which wall offers the structural support or integrity for the shower wall. You don't want to cut through any of the structural parts of the shower wall.
It is usually easier to avoid the structural parts of your shower when installing a vertical shower niche; you can easily fit the niche in between the studs. If you are installing a horizontal shower niche, you are going to want to install the niche in a non-supportive wall or build the frame of the wall in a manner that will provide structural support and allow for a shower niche at the same time.
Mistake #3: Not Properly Installing the Tile
You don't want to wing it when it comes to installing the tile that goes into the shower niche. Hire a professional to take care of this step. You need the tile to be cut so that it fits the space perfectly, and you need to effectively grout around the tile in order to create a waterproof storage area for your shower. Even though you have a waterproof membrane behind the tile, you still want the tile to be as waterproof as possible.
When installing a custom shower niche, you need to make sure you apply a waterproof member to the structure so that it doesn't compromise the structural integrity of the shower wall. Make sure to properly install the tile grout as well. Every step counts, so don't skip any steps when creating a custom shower niche. Improper installation can lead to water damage, which can have serious consequences for your entire bathroom.
Share