Need design help - converting old shower stall into sink area
last year
last modified: last year
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (16)
- last year
- last year
Related Discussions
Converting shower to Steam Shower - N E 1 out there done it?
Comments (11)bicoastal, Unless it's detailed with a full vapor barrier from the start, it's very difficult to turn a "regular" shower into a steam shower with just a little remodeling. Traditional showers are normally built with a drainage plain behind the tile/cement board...it might be tar paper, it might be polyethylene sheet plastic...but it's usually "lapped for drainage" instead of being fully sealed at the seams, and it's usually a partial wall installation instead of being floor-to-ceiling and ceiling. Or there might not be any barrier at all. Just tile over backer board over framing. A steam shower can drive moisture through natural stone, through grout, and into the wall. If there's not a fully inclusive vapor barrier on all six sides of the steam room cube, then moisture vapor can be driven through the wall and into the wall cavities. When warm moisture vapor cools, it'll condense...wetting and saturating the insulation and/or the wood framing. Not good. That's why with steam showers it's best to have a fully integral vapor barrier on all sides of the cube. A small yet important point, is that "waterproofing" does not necessarily mean a "vapor" barrier. You can use a waterproofing membrane, and it'll shed liquid water. That's good enough in a traditional shower. But vapor can pass through some waterproofing membranes. Again, that's not good in a steam shower. Moisture vapor would destroy your green board over time, green board is moisture resistant. Not waterproof. Not vaporproof. It's been recognized for at least the past 20 years by good tile mechanics that green board is an inferior tile backer in wet areas. Building codes finally caught up to common trade knowledge and banned green board as a tile backer in wet areas in 2006. That said, in a typical shower green board can perform fine or 30 years or fail in 3 years. In a steam shower it'd be a short-lived installation due to repeated vapor drive. The nice thing about having a topical vapor barrier applied to the face of the tile backer board (between the backer board and the tile) is that the only thing that can get "wet" in a situation like that is the tile and the thinset. The membrane stops the moisture from penetrating into the backer board. With no deep wetting, the steam shower can dry more quickly than otherwise might be possible. While there are several materials out there that perform fine, you'll see Bill and I mention Kerdi. It's not the only material that can do the job, but it's a warm-fuzzy for me. It's been my membrane of choice since way back in the 20th century. Wow, that's over a thousand years!...See MoreUrgent request for help designing shower doors
Comments (10)lauraella, I like your sliding door, but we don't have room to do that on the outside walls, either - one side is too short, the other has a thermostat. Thank you for the suggestion, housevixen. I'm not sure that I like the looks of the bifold door, with all those hinges. And I think there might need to be even more hinges without a tub; since the panels will be longer, they will be heavier, too. It occurred to me that since the external door is about 24", and I have 5' along the shower, I could set it up so that hinge point is past where the external door would hit,and put a transparent "stop" on the panel to prevent the door from hitting it. Then I'd only have to worry if the swinging shower door went well past 90 degrees - maybe this could be restricted?...See MoreSteam Shower - need help with how to design
Comments (5)This is no challenge at all. I've DONE a steam shower (or should say REdone-- the old one was falling apart because the tile guy never waterproofed a thing-- not even the plywood seat) where they DID fabricate the glass ceiling. I'm not sure who did it, if it was just a local custom glass company, or someone who specializes in this kind of thing. If you're really interested, do a search on Point Sebago Resort, and ask to speak to the owner. Or you could ask to speak to their head of maintenence, Ed Bartlett, who is the one that actually contracted me....See MoreConverting Tub to Shower, do I need to add venting?
Comments (3)I can't comment on what the plumbing code may or may not have required in your area back in '84. If your plumber has found that these tubs were not vented in accordance with the current code requirement, then he is correct on insisting that they be vented to meet current code. The fact that you are converting an existing tub to a shower stall is not relevant. The work involves relocating the existing drain and such work is subject to a permit and inspection because it is an alteration to the existing system. If all he was doing was ripping out an old tub and installing a new tub in the exact same spot with no alteration to the existing plumbing system, then I would venture that he would not be obligated to bring that part of the system up to code. So, in my opinion, this is not about what HE wants to do. This is about what he is OBLIGATED as a licensed plumber to do. And it's not about the shower needing venting and a tub not needing to be vented. They both should be vented for maximum efficiency. Codes are not cast in stone. They get revised on a regular basis for very good reasons mostly. In my wife's house that was built back in the mid-60's, the kitchen sink was not vented. It drained seemingly fine for over thirty years. But now that I am doing a total "out to the bare studs" reno, I am bringing the entire plumbing system up to code. It's just the smart thing to do....See MoreRelated Professionals
Middle River Architects & Building Designers · Arlington Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Yorba Linda Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Skokie Furniture & Accessories · Agoura Hills Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Beverly Hills Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · South Park Township Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Allentown Cabinets & Cabinetry · Buena Park Cabinets & Cabinetry · Walnut Creek Window Treatments · Eureka Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Linton Hall Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelers · Avon Lake General Contractors · Hagerstown General Contractors · Port Huron General Contractors- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last year
- last yearlast modified: last year
- last year
Related Stories
UNIVERSAL DESIGNMy Houzz: Universal Design Helps an 8-Year-Old Feel at Home
An innovative sensory room, wide doors and hallways, and other thoughtful design moves make this Canadian home work for the whole family
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSOld Meets New in a Designer’s Own Home in Virginia
Relocating empty nesters renovate an 1890s fixer-upper to fit their new lifestyle
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSConverted Century-Old Dairy With a Magical Courtyard
Designers give this former London dairy and ice cream factory new purpose as a serene family home with leafy views
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNConvert Your Tub Space to a Shower — the Planning Phase
Step 1 in swapping your tub for a sleek new shower: Get all the remodel details down on paper
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNConvert Your Tub Space Into a Shower — the Tiling and Grouting Phase
Step 3 in swapping your tub for a sleek new shower: Pick the right tile and test it out, then choose your grout color and type
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNConvert Your Tub Space to a Shower — the Fixtures-Shopping Phase
Step 2 in swapping your tub for a sleek new shower: Determine your mechanical needs and buy quality fixtures
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNConvert Your Tub Space Into a Shower — Waterproofing and Drainage
Step 4 in swapping your tub for a sleek new shower: Pick your waterproofing materials and drain, and don't forget to test
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGN5 Bathrooms With Wet Room Areas for a Tub and a Shower
The trending layout style squeezes more function into these bathrooms
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGN10 Tips for Designing the Perfect Shower
Keep these style and layout ideas in mind as you plan your dream bathroom
Full StoryBATHROOM DESIGNHow to Design an Accessible Shower
Make aging in place safer and easier with universal design features in the shower and bathroom
Full Story
kandrewspa