Tile shower floor leaking, nervous breakdown imminent

14 years ago

I'm usually on the garden forums, so please excuse my ignorance. I live in a 1952 pier and beam house, and my porcelain tile/glass brick shower is leaking. I am 99% sure it is the tile floor making it leak. (The floor and one wall is tile, and the other two walls are glass brick. Not sure if any of it is original.) So here's my question: do I go with a fiberglass floor to fix it just to be sure it did not leak again? Also, you can't just put a fiberglass floor in over tile, can you? Also, we plan on getting our foundation leveled this year so A) I need options that don't cost 5 billion dollars and B) I'm worried about new tile cracking. Help!!!

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Comments (6)

bill_vincent
14 years ago
First, I assume you're talking about glass BLOCK? The glass squares that actually make up the wall, as opposed to glass tile that just covers it?

If so was the curb they sit on completely waterproofed? I'll wait for your answer before I go any further.
computerklutz
14 years ago
I would get yourself over to the johnbridge.com forums. They are tile experts and can give you advise. You do not want to install a fiberglass over the tile, that is not going to work. You may or may not be looking at a tearout. I am tearing mine out now but due to cracking, not leaking. Tear out is dirty and hard, but it can be done. Go read at the john bridge forums, you will learn alot and be able to give yourself a plan of action. Sorry you are going through this.
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rachel77
Original Author
14 years ago
Bill--yes, I'm talking about glass block. And I have no clue if it was waterproofed. I can see (after removing some of the molding around the bottom) that there is some sort of white square pan (maybe with an inch of lip) under it. The corner where the glass blocks meet is where it's leaking, and the little pan thing is holding it in. When I wick away moisture with a paper towel or something, more water comes in. So I'm assuming something wasn't waterproofed or sealed or whatever. I'm gonna call the tile guy tomorrow that did our floor tile last year and see if he has any clue.

computerklutz--thanks for the info. I'll definitely check that one out.
inter_alia
14 years ago
When I remodeled I put in a Swanstone solid surface base. It should never leak, no grout lines, easy to clean. Very solid feeling compared to a cheap base. It does have to be installed right or it can leak at the drain or edge.
jonnyp
14 years ago
Before you do anything be positive it is in fact the floor that is leaking. I would check the shower valve, pull the cover off and turn on shower , make sure there are no leaks.
Water travels in unpredictable pathways.
rachel77
Original Author
14 years ago
Just an update: We called our old tile guy (not the guy who installed the shower tile) and he said it's not the tile, it's probably the pan. So, we called the same people that the people down the street used to replace their pan and shower. They think they may can just go under the glass block. I may get new tile anyway, the old tile is gross. We're supposed to get an estimate tomorrow.

Tile shower floor leaking, nervous breakdown imminent

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