Shower help!

hotmama

Hi all
I've got a house with dormer type ceiling. We currently have a shower in a large ensuite but because of ceiling is a tiny 800x800. This shower has also leaked down into hall. So we are looking at taking up the tiles and checking the wood which hopefully isn't rotten. But the question is, is that in looking at putting in a wetroom type shower in order to economically maximise our shower area, putting in a screen and curtain. My plumber does not recommend floor tiles because of existing leak and has mentioned maybe a vinyl floor may work? Am clueless on this, any help much appreciated

goz83

You could tank the ensuite and there won’t be a problem tiling. Vinyl floor is cheap looking imo.

Metric Tensor

If the shower has already leaked and damaged some of the underlying timber I'm not sure a wet room is a good idea at all.

Although it might seem old fashioned a good old shower tray is probably the safest if not the most pretty solution.

cnocbui

Cork is an alternative to both tiles and vinyl.

goz83

Metric Tensor wrote: »

If the shower has already leaked and damaged some of the underlying timber I'm not sure a wet room is a good idea at all.

Although it might seem old fashioned a good old shower tray is probably the safest if not the most pretty solution.

Sounds like the OP already has an 800x800 shower tray. Bathrooms was my expertise in the height of the last boom and not a week would go by without at least one person would come in to replace their bathroom after their old shower (with tray) leaked down into their hall/kitchen/living room.

If the timber is damaged, it will need to be treated/repaired/replaced. Tanking is the best solution and imo, it should be done even when a shower tray is in place. Slim-line trays look OK. Traditional ceramic high trays look awful...especially when they are raised off the ground to accommodate above ground pipes.

An ensuite with a low dormer ceiling could really benefit from ditching the tray. Choosing a suitable porcelain tile of at least 10x10 and no bigger than 20x20 for the floor would be best advised. Dark grey microban grout should be used with grout thickness of 1-2mm. A screen would be better than a curtain too.

hotmama

goz83 wrote: »

Sounds like the OP already has an 800x800 shower tray. Bathrooms was my expertise in the height of the last boom and not a week would go by without at least one person would come in to replace their bathroom after their old shower (with tray) leaked down into their hall/kitchen/living room.

If the timber is damaged, it will need to be treated/repaired/replaced. Tanking is the best solution and imo, it should be done even when a shower tray is in place. Slim-line trays look OK. Traditional ceramic high trays look awful...especially when they are raised off the ground to accommodate above ground pipes.

An ensuite with a low dormer ceiling could really benefit from ditching the tray. Choosing a suitable porcelain tile of at least 10x10 and no bigger than 20x20 for the floor would be best advised. Dark grey microban grout should be used with grout thickness of 1-2mm. A screen would be better than a curtain too.

Thank you goz for your response. I think you are getting where I'm coming from! In not hell-bent on a wetroom but because if my ceiling it is the option that will give me the most shower space and as you say with a screen. My plumber is very slow to do it tho with our preexisting problem. He was the one who mentioned the vinyl as opposed to tiles to further waterproof the floor. He is planning to use the tanking system. I have looked at getting a shower enclosure made but is hugely expensive (upwards of 1300 as opposed to standard 300approx ). My plumber has made me nervous about doing it but you think I should be good?

goz83

hotmama wrote: »

Thank you goz for your response. I think you are getting where I'm coming from! In not hell-bent on a wetroom but because if my ceiling it is the option that will give me the most shower space and as you say with a screen. My plumber is very slow to do it tho with our preexisting problem. He was the one who mentioned the vinyl as opposed to tiles to further waterproof the floor. He is planning to use the tanking system. I have looked at getting a shower enclosure made but is hugely expensive (upwards of 1300 as opposed to standard 300approx ). My plumber has made me nervous about doing it but you think I should be good?

I am assuming the toilet and sink are to the side of the shower and a single screen would stop the splashing and keep your loo roll dry

For the shower area, you could get a 4/5 panel screen which would fold up against the wall. The downside is they are harder to keep clean because of all the panels. You could also get a single panel screen which can fold to either side. The screen does not need to reach the ceiling, or the ground. Knees to shoulders is fine. The last option and the one I would recommend is to have a single glass panel fixed into position from floor to ceiling (or an inch below ceiling). You would need to get quotes for tempered glass which should be 8-10mm thick.

I have something like this on my bath, but have seen similar used as screens in wet rooms. https://ie.soak.com/baths/bath-screens-1/800mm---4mm---straight-bath-screen/2001554.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj42u5b3c2gIVyLHtCh0o6w7kEAQYBCABEgKWOvD_BwE&istCompanyId=cba9e869-b04f-4489-8ed3-1175ab212b7a&istBid=tztx&istItemId=-xaiwqwwawm




I mean no disrespect to your plumber, but if he is making you nervous about tanking the room, then he probably shouldn’t be the one doing it. There are a few different systems available for tanking with the most common being a paste applied to the area to be tanked. The area is then tiled over as normal. This is the stuff I used to recommend and it works.

However, GRP ( fibreglass ) tanking is a far superior system. Fibrelass is the best protection you could possibly get from any leaks in the future, because when it sets, it’s rock solid. I’ve used it to waterproof my roof (instead of tiles/felt). Last week I used it to waterproof my pond (instead of a liner). Its great stuff. Resin is painted onto the area to be glassed and a fibre matting is laid over the area in strips. its like wallpapering. The matting is then painted over with resin and makes it soggy so it can be worked into corners and around pipes. It sets within a half hour or more (depending on the amount of hardener added). Once set, it is going to offer the best protection. I recommnd getting the whole wall and floor done. You can tile over it.

Google fibreglass tanking

hotmama

goz83 wrote: »

I am assuming the toilet and sink are to the side of the shower and a single screen would stop the splashing and keep your loo roll dry

For the shower area, you could get a 4/5 panel screen which would fold up against the wall. The downside is they are harder to keep clean because of all the panels. You could also get a single panel screen which can fold to either side. The screen does not need to reach the ceiling, or the ground. Knees to shoulders is fine. The last option and the one I would recommend is to have a single glass panel fixed into position from floor to ceiling (or an inch below ceiling). You would need to get quotes for tempered glass which should be 8-10mm thick.

I have something like this on my bath, but have seen similar used as screens in wet rooms. https://ie.soak.com/baths/bath-screens-1/800mm---4mm---straight-bath-screen/2001554.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIj42u5b3c2gIVyLHtCh0o6w7kEAQYBCABEgKWOvD_BwE&istCompanyId=cba9e869-b04f-4489-8ed3-1175ab212b7a&istBid=tztx&istItemId=-xaiwqwwawm




I mean no disrespect to your plumber, but if he is making you nervous about tanking the room, then he probably shouldn’t be the one doing it. There are a few different systems available for tanking with the most common being a paste applied to the area to be tanked. The area is then tiled over as normal. This is the stuff I used to recommend and it works.

However, GRP ( fibreglass ) tanking is a far superior system. Fibrelass is the best protection you could possibly get from any leaks in the future, because when it sets, it’s rock solid. I’ve used it to waterproof my roof (instead of tiles/felt). Last week I used it to waterproof my pond (instead of a liner). Its great stuff. Resin is painted onto the area to be glassed and a fibre matting is laid over the area in strips. its like wallpapering. The matting is then painted over with resin and makes it soggy so it can be worked into corners and around pipes. It sets within a half hour or more (depending on the amount of hardener added). Once set, it is going to offer the best protection. I recommnd getting the whole wall and floor done. You can tile over it.

Google fibreglass tanking

Brilliant stuff, this is really helpful, thanks so much!

Sleeper12

The industry is heading towards tanking for all showers.

I'd go with the wet room after tanking. Get a carpenter in to strengthen the floor first.

hotmama

Sleeper12 wrote: »

The industry is heading towards tanking for all showers.

I'd go with the wet room after tanking. Get a carpenter in to strengthen the floor first.

So u think there is no need for me to be looking into vinyl flooring instead of tiles in your opinion?

Sleeper12

hotmama wrote:

So u think there is no need for me to be looking into vinyl flooring instead of tiles in your opinion?

If a carpenter says the flooring is sound or makes it sound I can't see an issue with tiles. If you tank it first then nothing will leak.