Homemade indoor shower stall??

[cc-rider]

I don't like any of the store-bought plastic things. I would, however, consider buying the plastic bottom section, and then building my own walls. Thinking durock board (sp?) and quarry-type tiles?? Any ideas, suggestions, PICTURES???? I want it to be 4' wide, but I'm open to the rest.

[hunter63]

I used a corner stall for the doors and the base, but used the vinyl cover osb (I think that what they are called, anyway got them at Menards) to cover the walls.
The flimsy plastic pieces were too small, so I ran them from floor to ceiling and then the ceiling also.
Third year no problems.
Had pic's but lost them on a hard drive crash.

[T-Bone 369]

It's very do-able. Several of the houses we have built in the last five or six years have custom showers in them like what your are talking about. We rough framed the space just large enough to allow water proof drywall ( I think it was the exterior black board) to run from wall to ceiling so that the base fit in snuggly. This gives additional strength to back up the tilework - hate to have it all finished and have it crack from someone leaning against it too hard. You could even use plywood here if you wanted. Over the top of the drywall we screwed Durarock into the studs then taped and finished the joints. The Durarock goes over the lip to the inside of the base unit. Then the tile (I know at least one of these used quarystone) inside of everything. Grout, clean and seal and she is pretty good to go. We have done the shower doors both ways - secured to the framing and the tile butted against and with the tile run through and the door on the surface of the tile. Mostly that depended on if the tile was to continue to the outside of the stall and if the style on the shower door was deep enough to cover the edge. One thing to watch for is that you get the shower plumbing in where you want it and pressure test it before you start. The tile is pretty forgiving about the placement of the shower hardware as the oscrusion (OK that one is not spelled correctly) plates cover the holes with a little room to spare. I am sure it will look great and have fun with the project.

[Iddee]

I used Melamine panels on water resistant sheetrock and it lasted the 10 years I stayed in the house before moving, without any sign of wear.

[UUmom2many]

we're planning on making all our own showers and tubs. We're probably going to cast concrete for the kids room tub and cover it with tile, our tub is going to be set into the ground so you walk down into it and it will have a shower above it, it will also be a steam room. We've found lots of info on it and we're going to do the floor river rocks set in the concrete with stone tile

[plowjockey]

Nothing wrong with using tiles on the shower walls.

Be careful choosing tiles with rough texture, natural pits or indentations. They may be harder to keep clean, in a shower.

[wheeezil]

google kerdi membrane

[ET1 SS]

Our house is light wood-grain and black iron. So for our shower I used three sheets of plywood, a dozen coats of polyurethane, and a shower basin from Home Depot that measures 4 foot by 3 foot.

I think it came out well.

[cc-rider]

Originally Posted by ET1 SS

Our house is light wood-grain and black iron. So for our shower I used three sheets of plywood, a dozen coats of polyurethane, and a shower basin from Home Depot that measures 4 foot by 3 foot.

I think it came out well.

The interior of my house is mostly wood, and I'd LOVE a wooden-looking shower enclosure, but didn't think it'd hold up to the moisture. I take LONG HOT showers.... my one (??) vice. Do you have any trouble with the wood? I've also thought about that pourable expoxy finish that looks like it's 1/4" thick.

T-bone... the waterproof drywall is BEHIND the durarock? Isn't durarock pretty strong/stiff as it is? Maybe I'm thinking the wrong stuff. I was thinking that grey, cement-looking stuff.

[ET1 SS]

We have not had any problems yet, four years into it.

We have owned rentals for over 20 years now, I have seen so many repairs that I made wear-out after a decade. Some times I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it. I want things to last forever. But nothing lasts forever.

Polyurethane on a hardwood floor will need to be redone after 5 years. Some times it does not last that long.

On a wall that gets water splashed on it?

I have no idea.

I think that I may have to re-apply a coat at the 10 year point. Is that bad?

I have had to replace tile, plastic, ...

I think this plywood will do okay.

[Sparkey]

About 25 years ago I built a shower stall in our basement out of 4 in. concrete blocks and applied 3 coats of epoxy paint. It's easy to clean and durable. Use it mainly after dirty work in the yard/garden so we don't muck up the upstairs bath.

[T-Bone 369]

Yes the Durarock is on top of the waterproof drywall. It is pretty strong material - it has a fiberglass reinforcement membrane inbedded in it making it pretty hard to break. However, it does flex quite a bit - we use the backer to make the entire wall more ridgid. The fear is that if someone were to push against the wall it could crack allowing water in - if that were to happen it would only be a matter of time before the tile failed. We think of it as cheap insurance.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Do it right and do it ONCE. We used one of the synthetic marble 1 piece shower floors that was professionally installed. WON'T LEAK.

Used Hardibacker tile board, backed with a good vapor barrier and 12 by 12 floor tiles for the walls. Used glass block for the side walls. Made the shower deep enough not to need a shower door.

LOVE IT!! Pictures on request.

[cc-rider]

Originally Posted by YuccaFlatsRanch

Do it right and do it ONCE. We used one of the synthetic marble 1 piece shower floors that was professionally installed. WON'T LEAK.

Used Hardibacker tile board, backed with a good vapor barrier and 12 by 12 floor tiles for the walls. Used glass block for the side walls. Made the shower deep enough not to need a shower door.

LOVE IT!! Pictures on request.

I'd LOVE to see pictures! I only want to do this once. Not sure I have the floor strength to use glass blocks -- upstairs master bath -- but love the idea!

[michiganfarmer]

My brother framed a shower stall in with 2x4s, covered the 2x4s with dura-rock, then tiled it all.

[Yvonne's hubby]

I used durock backing, and tiled with 12 inch squares on ours. its 3 ft X 6ft. I bought a rubber/vinyl mat for under the floor, which runs about 4 inches up the wall behind the durock, then about an inch concrete over that tapering to the drain. I love it, finally have a shower large enough for a guy my size to be able to turn around in!

[Willowdale]

Originally Posted by wheeezil

google kerdi membrane

Ditto that. It's what the pros use these days to build a watertight shower enclosure from scratch. I'll be building a steam shower eventually and will use that.

I recently built my own shower surround over a tub base. The most important thing is DON'T USE GREENBOARD. It turns into a black mold crumbling disaster from the wetness that will eventually get behind even the best tile job (chinks in the grout, etc).

I covered the bare studs with roofers felt so any moisture would run down into the rim of the tub, and over that I screwed 1/2" cement board. I set tile on that with thinset mortar and then grouted. I'm very happy with the results, it's a professional looking job that should last for decades.

[raymilosh]

I had the same situation wood walls, wood floors and a window in the way. I decided to get an old clawfoot tub and make a shower ring out of copper pipes and fittings. If it leaks, i can see it and fix it.
Clawfoot tubs come in all sorts of sizes, so look around for what fits your space. I found mine at Habitat.
There are epoxy type paints and enamel paints that will make a bad looking tub into a beautiful one with a durable finish, too.