I think the glass will show more water marks and the like.

How is he going to support that shelf, if he can't do a marble one?

Hi,
I'm really not keen on a glass shelf in there!

He said he would drill in supports (clamps?) and that it would look fine.

Not sure what to do. He comes back Monday to lay floor tiles and I hope someone has ideas for me on what to get him to do.

Thanks,
Amina

He's going to DRILL into the niche? let me ask you a stupid quesiton-- when he put this together, PLEASE tell me he waterproofed it!!

Hi Bill,
It's you - yay!

I have no idea whether he waterproofed it. Actually, I don't even know what that means (she says sheepishly). Does it mean that he did whatever he had to do behind the tiles so that water won't leak into it? Sorry?

I'm beginning to think that this niche is not going to have a shelf of any sort - or is there hope? Do you have any advice for me?

Thanks,
Amina

Just make sure if he drills into the niche that he seals up the holes with caulking. You might want to ask him and verify that he did, in fact waterproof the niche, unless it was a prefab unit.

Thanks. Will speak to him tomorrow. Is it really too late for a marble shelf?

Anita

Without ripping out the tile that's installed? yes, it's too late.

Thanks, Bill.

Just out of curiosity, have you ever installed or seen a glass shelf in a shower niche? Wondering if I should forgo the shelf (and give up lots of wasted space since he unilaterally made it deeper and taller) or let him try and install a glass shelf?

Thanks and I do appreciate your advice.
Amina

Thanks.

Not sure what to do but will talk to the contractor in the morning and try and find a solution. He made the niche rather deep so perhaps the shelf could be set further in to avoid any possible accident as you pointed out.

Appreciate your help. :)

Amina

I've heard the glass shelves are so tough to keep clean looking. Skip it.

I'm sorry to horn in on this thread, but I am in a similar situation. Our niche is there, everything is tiled around it, and we are waiting for a marble bottom shelf that is supposed to be done this week. The plan is to put that on the bottom and a glass shelf in the middle. I take it this is a bad idea? I still have time to change this plan, and order a marble shelf to go in. How would this be done?

I don't understand why, if he's drilling in supports for a quarter inch thick piece of glass, he can't use a half inch thick piece of marble tile instead...

Marisany, I had a similar idea too and now wondering if it's a good idea. I imagine it could be a PITA to keep clean. I was told that they could be installed in a way that allows you to remove and clean. Still a bad idea Bill?

Has anyone done this and have pics?

I talked to the contractor, and he can do a marble shelf instead of glass. He recommends tiling the niche first and installing it with supports on top of the tile. The alternative is to install it first and tile around it; apparently the tile is enough to hold it up, with no additional support needed? I'm definitely getting marble, and will probably have it installed on top of the tile, unless someone here (Bill?)violently objects!

I still have time to change this plan, and order a marble shelf to go in. How would this be done?

The bottom tiles would be set, and then the shelf gets set on the top edge of the installed tiles. The top tiles then get cut to take into account the thickness of the stone and still keep alignment with the tiles on either side, and then they get installed.

As for objecting to installing on top of the tile, yes and no. ANY kind of intrusion through the tile and waterproofing is cause for concern. But that can also be alleviated if it's "corked" back up with caulking. This one below, I'm showing you the unfinished pictures so you can see how it's done with the stone sitting on the tile's edges:

Bill, why do you need to put a shelf on top of the tile? Couldn't the tile (bottom) act as the shelf itself?

This is what I am looking at.

Here is a link that might be useful: glass shelf

Mari, where do you see me saying you have to put glass on top of the tile??? The shelves in that PICTURE are sitting on the EDGES of the bottom tiles, lining the niche! There are no brackets holding either one of those shelves.

Although I don't care for the idea for reasons previously stated, you could do the very same thing with the glass shelves in the link you provided.

Marisany,

The GC installed a marble shelf last week. He had his marble guy cut notches on the bottom of the shelf (2 on each side) and set them on brass thingies that he drilled into the wall, then caulked it. It seems to be pretty sturdy...

The only -ve thing of course is that you can see the caulking on each side (where the top of the shelf meets tile - but I think that a shelf that is set into the tile would also have this?) but overall I think he ended up doing a good job and I'm happy that we have a functional shelf that isn't a glass shelf. :)

Amina

I have an existing 12x24 brushed nickel niche. It is installed vertically. How do I install a glass shelf to it?

The niche pre-made box you buy at Rona should already be waterproof. I wouldn't drill holes into it, which could compromise the waterproofing.

My shower project niche was not an easy task, at first the tiles cuts around the niche were so rough and looked horrible. I was irritated because as soon as you step into the shower, it is the focal point. I had the guys make a frame to cover up the tile imperfection. Which looks so much better. Before and after photos attached.