This is mine, but I'm kinda biased. :-)

bill, what is the reason for the solid surface for the bottom--is it to make it easier to keep clean rather than having a grout line or do you just like the look?

Thank you!

bill again, so where do you put the soap?--if you put it on one of those ledges, does it stay in place or do you use a dish?--gee, sounds like such silly questions...

what is the reason for the solid surface for the bottom--is it to make it easier to keep clean rather than having a grout line or do you just like the look?

All of the above

if you put it on one of those ledges, does it stay in place or do you use a dish?

I recommend using a soap dish. The shelf must be canted outward to allow water to drain off, which could cause problems if you use bar soap without a dish.

LOVE both of the photos above! Beautiful!

Kompy

I printed out Bill's niche and am asking my tile guy to finish my shelves like those. I am not using the border, which I really like but did not plan for. Guess I might mention to him the part about canting them out a bit. I don't want them to fill with water!

These both look great. How high are the niches from shelf to shelf? If they're in use now, do you find the height to be a good one? Thanks.

In mine, it's one full tile (12").

Here's mine. I showed my tile guy Bill's version and he modified it slightly, to my pleasant surprise.

Well, he didn't do THAT- I did! Here's what he did:

nice work!! I take it the shelves are black galaxy as well?

"nice work!! I take it the shelves are black galaxy as well?"

Yes they are. The inset is 2 Black Galaxy tiles and the shelves are from a remnant piece. I will tell him you said nice work- he is a "fan" of yours and will be pleased!

Something I did on a shower in a houseboat...

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Lazarus/BoatTile009-1.jpg[/IMG]

Hmmm..

Here is a link that might be useful:

Lazarus-- Over at John's, you use the IMG line. In here, you have to use the HTML code. :-)

On the white one in jvjetr bathroom can anyone speculate on the dimensions. I think I posted this yesterday and its not here. I really like that one and would like to put it in my bath
Thanks

Thanks, John.....just "learnin" the procedure here...LOL

3x6 subways make it a little easier to figure-- 18x48. :-)

Thanks bill vincent. I am just not good at all of this. Really went into sticker shock when tile guy came back with estimate to take up 3 x 3 foot of tile,put down 12 x 6 worth of tile on floor and do surround of 3 walls for 5 foot tub. Is 4000 dollars too much. They were also going to put greenboard on walls around tub. Very nice guys-but am I being cheap. I also had the feeling that when they were done it would be a fabulous job.

Cassie I don't know if that is too much or not, but I do think you should get at least one more bid for the same job. Mine varied from $4500 to $9000 for the same job.

Leme try Lazurus' pic:

You just put img src= in front of the URL, and enclose the whole thing between marks.

Nice niche-- I like the contrasting color.

Cassie-- for what you've told me so far, unless there's something you're missing, HALF that amount would be about right. Now, if you're talking about stone instead of ceramic, or if the tile they're taking out has a mud bed behind it that has to come out as well, or any other things that might make the project more difficult, that would jack the price up. One thing that's throwing a HUGE red flag up for me is the fact that they're going to use greenboard above a tub where there's a showerhead above. That's a BIGTIME no-no!! It MUST be cement board. That one thing by itself would be enough for me to disqualify that installer as someone I want working in my home. Either he's ignorant to proper installation methods, or he knows about them, and is just trying to cut corners. Either way, that's not someone I want working on my bathroom.

Thanks bill. Cement board - Maybe I need to read a book before I let anyone mess me up. The tile is ceramic that they will be installing,nothing fancy, I even thought about breaking up the small amount of tile in the bath myself. I budgeted 2000 to 2500 at the most for this job and I thought that was on the high end. I'm supposed to go by there tomorrow to pick up some more paperwork. Will post results. Also will get another estimate.

IRC Greenboard Code:
The 2006 International Residential Code (IRC) states in
Section R702.4.2 that "Cement, fiber-cement or glass mat
gypsum backers [cement board] in compliance with ASTM C1288, C1325
or C1178 and installed in accordance with manufacturersÂ
recommendations shall be used as backers for wall tile in
tub and shower areas and wall panels in shower areas."

The 2006 IRC also states in Section R702.3.8.1 that
"Water-resistant gypsum backing board [Greenboard] shall
not be used where there will be direct exposure to water."

I went to another flooring place where we happen to know the owner(didn't want to use him,we've had bad experiences using our friends) his in house designer helped me-I told her I had a budget and what I needed-she gave me a 2000 price and said once she takes accurate measurement it could be less-she'll come out on Friday and when I talk to the installer I'll see if he knows what he's talking about as far as the cement board. What else should I ask?

Make sure they're using either cement board or a membrane on the floor, and if it's cement board, make sure they intend to use thinset (and NOTHING ELSE-- no construction adhesive, no mastic, NOTHING but thinset) between the cement board and subfloor.

Membrane??? And if it is membrane should thinset only be used also? Why only thinset for cement board?

Oruboris~~ Thanks. Although it doesn't look like it, the candle is actually in FRONT of the glass partition. As it was in a houseboat, he needed something to keep the shampoo, etc. from falling out.....

Cassie-- yes. I didn't mention it for the membrane because there's really no other way to attach most membranes. The reason I pointed it out with cement board is that I can't count how many times I've heard of people using PL400 or Liquid Nailz, or some other construction adhesive which is even worse than nothing at all. The thinset under the cement board is there to adhere the panels to the subfloor. That's what the nails or screws are for. It's there to eliminate the voids that would otherwise exist without it. With construction adhesive, it CAUSES voids, rather than eliminating them.

As for mastic, it doesn't fully dry out which will cause movement problems that will eventually cause the floor to fail.

Did not get to talk to actual installer today-but at least armed with this information I can sound like I know what I'm talking about when I ask questions and recieve answers about installing the tile. Thanks Bill. Wished you were in our neck of the woods to do installation.

Bill, they told me they use hardi back or hardi board ???? Also told me to build the large shower niche I wanted would be expensive. My hubby seems to think he could possible build it while they have the drywall out and just let them tile it. Our shower tiles for the tub surround will be 8 x 10 so we could make it 16" wide by 30 or 40 inches long. Is this a hard job to DIY. How is it constructed. How are the shelves attached? Or we could use those shower boxes that you buy on line. Suggestions please. Thanks

If you're going to DIY it, I'd go with the preformed units. They're much easier to install.

Here is a link that might be useful: Recess-it

Thanks Bill-we have a local distributor for recess-it and I went there to look at them. Also like the idea that they have shelves. This is my solution. They told me that if my studs are not center of the wall the niche could be off center-Don't know how that is gonna look.

The niche usually IS off center, closer to the wet wall (where the shower head and controls are)

That looks really good-I also like that corner shelf. I have seen those in the big box stores. I was thinking either two niches(recess-it) on the wet wall close to the shower side by side with a space between or two on the wall opposite the shower stacked with a space between. Am I asking for too much.

The problem with mounting the niches on the wet wall is that you usually run into the rough plumbing. Better to have it on the adjacent wall, CLOSE to the wet wall, as shown in the picture.

Thanks-I will probably do that wall. I hope I am able to put pictures up when my bath is done. I am really excited about getting it freshened up.

Can anyone give me an idea of what the cost per square foot might be for installing tumbled marble tile? My husband did the demolition and then our tiler became obsolete for six weeks. He would not return our phone calls etc. So, we are starting over to find a tiler, and our first estimate was $1500. over the one we had accepted. We have about 300 square feet to be installed. I just want to make sure that we are not being gouged. We live on Cape Cod (where everything is more expensive). Thanks for any help. Janet

Just move your shower head line, 4 elbows and a couple feet of 1/2" copper. This way your niche is exactly where it should be, eye level, in front of you and out of the shower spray.

Shampoo Niche