Ug, that's NASTY! Is that natural slate or just a porcelain look alike? If it's natural slate, then I understand why they tried to correct the problem with a topical sealer (mistake) but natural stone of any kind shouldn't be used in a steam shower. It's too porous. If it's natural slate, then it all needs to come out, unfortunately. I think I might try to pop off one of the tiles from the bathtub pony wall and see what I could see behind that. That's not a water critical space to worry about, and it should let you see at least what the first layer of product against the studs in the shower is after you cut a hole in the (hopefully) backer board under the tile. You can see if there has been any moisture migration into that cavity. The other place I'd start doing some surgery on is on a wall that's on the other side of the shower. There's got to be an interior space in a closet or other room where you can cut a hole in the drywall and see what's in the cavity. Drywall is pretty easy to patch, and it could relieve your mind, or confirm the dire diagnosis that the sealer foreshadows.

If you don't read my entire post...it got long....I buried a question in one paragraph about "what other options do you like about this washer?". This may be a bit off topic, but my washer headed south yesterday and had to buy a new set this morning. A set was my only option with current stackables in a laundry/cabinet arrangement. A match to the old dryer wouldn't exist...so, a whole new set was required. Spent last night going through the forum and the net looking at options. Although I read the LG applauses, had directed myself to another manuafacturer. AFter getting to the store, the "other" manufacturer was not up to the quality, nor were others in the price range I was working with. I was playing the money game and had no idea how expensive replacing what I had/want was going to be.. End of story...bought LG stackable units. Nope, not end of story.... looked at the washer details when I got home and was questioning why I needed $200 plus in extra options on a washer. One of which is the steamer and until this thread had no clue what that was. I was going back to the store to change the order to the lower price washer. But now am having second thoughts. What else do you guys like about these units? The washer sounds like it is the same you are discussing...2496H and the dryer is the DLG9588. The dryer was also 200 more...gas and option to have panel in the middle with washer controls (adaptable control center). This is fairly important due to my shortness, plus eyesight at old age (who wants to do laundry wearing reading glasses?). I may be having buyers remorse with the final cost of 30% more than planned....or sticker shock. The new set has more chrome details than my car does.... And the "steamer:....I can see using this, if it works as described, for when summer/winter clothes are brought back out from storage.

Creative Tile, I also have heard good things.....my plan has totally changed, you can search my name and find my design thread. I'm now doing a 48" neo angle. I want to go USG because they make the custom pan with the drain where I want it, and trimming these pans will obviously create some strange aesthetics at change of plane w/ wall. Problem is, no one wants to sell me one! Here in NJ, only distributor within 90 minutes are HD stores. I call them, and they don't know the custom pan exists. Local tile guy has Wedi, but very pricey, and it doesn't seem ideal for a neoangle curb, also no custom pan. I'm assuming you may have a connection with someone who will sell me one? Online USG email support for neo angle sent me back to uninformed home depot, and a general instruction which doesn't address how to wrap the 135 deg. angle. I'm going to call them one last time, if not I'll take my chances with kerdi membrane with a mud deck. 1 question on the USG product...if i go with the new ultralight foam, does it require full membrane, or just the seams? If it requires full membrane, should I just use fiberrock as it will probably be much cheaper? Any ideas how to do the 135 neoangle curb, I'm probably just going to borrow kerdi methods over at johnbridge, and use the sealant for any questionable corners . Thanks so much for your help!

Hi Jennifer and bac717, Thanks for your comments! I was thinking about a wet room - I would separate the shower/tub area with a glass wall parallel to the entry wall. But then I came up with the idea of a steam shower, which requires a tight shower enclosure, and the problem appeared. And no, the tub doesn't have to be angled. This is the first try - and my attempt to be cool :)