help with sealing shower/steam room

11 years ago

So I recently purchased a home which was foreclosed and going around fixing things little by little. In my master bathroom the shower has a yellowish film inside the whole shower which cover all the tiles. Its more noticeable on certain color tiles than others. I think its porcelain tile but not 100% sure. I thought that the shower was just dirty as the house was empty for about a year and proceeded to try and clean it last night. The film started to flake and peel off of the tiles little by little. The shower is rather large and is also used as a steam room. Now is this film thats coming off the tiles some sort of a sealer since the shower is also used as a steam room? If so, I think it all needs to be cleaned off and resealed again before I used it. I will try and post some pictures later on of the shower and of the film Im speaking of. Thanks in advance for all of your help.

Bryan

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Comments (12)

NJHM
11 years ago
Do you have hard water? Could be mineral deposits or effloroscense IMHO. But the tile experts opinion is what counts.
bolivia310
Original Author
11 years ago
this is a picture of the film thats on the tiles. Please help me figure out what exactly this is!!!
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I've never done a steam shower in a tub setting. Commercial all-in-one units are available, so it's not that it's uncommon or impossible, but some considerations: You need a rock-solid vapor barrier on the walls and ceiling, and it'll need to be sealed to the tub's flange with a caulk/sealant. Now for steam showers all I've ever used for the past 10 years is Kerdi membrane. It prevents moisture from penetrating deep into the walls. Although you can put Kerdi over drywall, for a steam shower I'd use a cement board like Durock or Wonderboard. Cement board the walls and ceiling, and Kerdi the walls and ceiling. So, from the studs "in" I'd have cement backer board, then Kerdi (sealed to the tub's flange), then thinset and tile. Latex-modified thinset, no mastic. You don't want steam penetrating past the tub/tile and into your walls, so where your plumbing penetrates the walls seal the Kerdi to the shower head arm. Seal the Kerdi behind the valve assembly. Where you tub drain open/close valve is n the tub wall, you'll want to fashion a piece of Kerdi to seal that as well. Getting in and out of the tub? Your door will need a seal on it to keep the steam within the tub enclosure. The steam generator outlet is usually set down low on a wall, sometimes under a bench. The reason is that steam rises, and the outlet gets hot, so placing it under a bench is a good place to hide it. You don't have that option with a tub, so you'll want to place the steam outlet where it doesn't become a burn center. A plus is you can have the steam generator right below the tub, accessible via a panel in the tub apron. Just some quick considerations off the top of my head, I'm sure others will have point-counterpoints to follow. Mongo
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bolivia310
Original Author
11 years ago
another picture
bolivia310
Original Author
11 years ago
another picture
NJHM
11 years ago
It looks like some sort of a coating as you indicated in the original posting. If you don't get any response from the tile experts here, try the john bridge forum.
bill_vincent
11 years ago
That's a yellowed sealer. I'll tell you right now-- that was most likely applied to stop moisture problems. Before you use that, I'd gut it and rebuild it. If it's for you, it's good insurance. If you're flipping the house, I'd still do it, just so you don't end up in any kind of legal battle with the new owner.
bolivia310
Original Author
11 years ago
Can I just strip the yellowed sealer and then reapply a new coat of sealer? What would be the best thing to use to strip it easily. Which product would I use for the new sealer? Thanks in advance.

Bryan
User
11 years ago
The vapor proofing for a steam shower has to be behind the wall. If they had enough of a problem that they slopped that nasty goop on it, then I agree with Bill. It needs to be ripped out and rebuilt. You likely have a nasty mold problem behind the walls and possibly under the floor as well.
enduring
11 years ago
Can you get a hold of the installer of the shower and get the detailed information on the installation of the shower? Maybe somehow you can find out how the shower was constructed before you go the destruction route. There are specifics that need to be adhered to for a proper shower. If you search this forum you will find many detailed post on the different materials and instructions used to install the best shower possible.
User
11 years ago
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.
bill_vincent
11 years ago
Can you get a hold of the installer of the shower and get the detailed information on the installation of the shower? Maybe somehow you can find out how the shower was constructed before you go the destruction route.

I'm sorry, but I have to strongly disagree. It's obvious to me that the previous owner was having moisture problems. That is NOT a stone product that's being peeled off in those pics, so I know it's not the installer, unless he's a complete fly by night, in which case this whole discussion is moot. Tear it down to the bones and redo it. As a professional, if I were asked to do anything else, I'd turn it down, and not because I'm looking to make money, but rather, I wouldn't take that kind of chance.
bolivia310
Original Author
11 years ago
There's no way for me to know who installed the shower, but I will look into it.

Yes I agree it's in bad shape. It porcelain look alike. I can access the wall on the other side of the shower and cut a hole into the dry wall and see what's in there if you guys recommend it. What would I be looking for once I cut the section of the wall open?

If all else fails and/or I become too overwhelmed by this, do any of you do work in the Los Angeles area or know of any reputable person to do the work for me?

Thanks,

Bryan

help with sealing shower/steam room

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help with sealing shower/steam room

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