How can we make our ugly basement shower usable without shower doors and prevent water from going everywhere without a sloped drain?
Looking for some ideas for our stand up shower situation! Our basement bathroom is in rough shape – we found some mold and a funky smell under the shower doors due to poor sealing. We decided to temporarily remove the doors while we clean up the mess and work on getting rid of the mold in the grout. Due to financial constraints, a full renovation isn’t in the cards right now, but we’re hoping to tackle it down the line once I’m back at work (currently on mat leave).
In the meantime, any suggestions on how we can still use the shower effectively? We’re thinking of putting up a curved curtain rod, but we’re concerned about water splashing everywhere since the drain isn’t sloped. (There is a drain, just not visible because of the doors). Any advice would be appreciated!
If you want to salvage what you already have, make sure to clean it thoroughly, or consider buying new materials. The floor tiles seem unstable. It might be a good idea to seal both the tile and grout before reinstalling.
How do you mean the floor tile appears ‘unstable’? It seems pretty standard to me.
When I walked in, the first thing that caught my eye was the raised tile near the wall. It’s a good idea to seal it regardless.
Was thinking about completely renovating the room once we have the budget. We’re not confident in the previous owners’ handiwork. I was just exploring if there’s a way to make use of it temporarily until we renovate.
Got some really helpful advice in the responses. What’s your plan moving forward?
Hey, we just wrapped up a major $40k kitchen renovation so we can’t completely renovate the bathroom right now, especially with me being on maternity leave. We might tackle some demo work ourselves and slowly gather the materials to redo it completely. Hopefully, we’ll have it all done by the end of summer. I’m curious to uncover what’s behind the walls because I don’t trust the previous homeowner’s work. There’s been a lot of DIY stuff going on here, and it feels like we’re constantly fixing things.
You really should have a curb to prevent the water from spilling out of the shower area. I’ve noticed that they are common in wheelchair accessible showers. Without proper sloping to the drain, water will collect against the curb after each shower. A quick fix is to use a squeegee to push the water into the drain and dry off any remaining water. Look up ‘shower curb’ to explore the different options available.
An affordable fix to ensure functionality is to properly seal everything up again, purchase a squeegee, and spend just 30 seconds after each shower pushing the water towards the drain. Remember to turn on the fan or use a cheap dehumidifier to dry the floor each time.
This is a temporary solution that can become permanent. You can find similar products on Amazon, you might need to purchase two. They are self-adhesive, but considering the grout lines, it’s advisable to apply silicone in front to ensure a proper seal. This will help contain the water within the designated area.
I recently realized they offer larger sizes as well. I purchased the 59-inch one and it’s still holding up after 3 years.
Thanks , that’s exactly what I needed to know for a short-term fix.
That seems like a solid temporary fix! You might want to consider using a floor squeegee to push water towards the drain after each shower and using a shower cleaner spray regularly. It’s a quick solution until you can fully renovate. A fan to help dry out the shower after each use could also be helpful!
We actually have a really powerful heat lamp fan that does a great job of drying out the space, but yeah, using a squeegee is definitely necessary. Thanks!
Oh yeah, for sure. If it’s not sloped toward the drain, you can always use a squeegee to push the water into the drain.
I would be surprised if your floor isn’t sloped towards the drain. Have you checked with a level? That should be your first step, no matter what. It’s interesting that you don’t have a curb (even without shower doors).
Totally avoided any slopes. Pretty much all the work done by the previous owner was poorly done DIY.
What about the curb and some silicone?
Do you know where the drain is located?
The doors should not be placed directly on the floor. They should be on a curb instead. The drain is not even visible. My assumption is that there are other issues in this bathroom, most likely related to waterproofing.
I share the same concerns. I wouldn’t be shocked if there isn’t a shower pan beneath that tile. It’s hard to say what else could be happening.
I have a hunch that the previous owner took some shortcuts with the renovations. We’ve already had to address several problems in the house from shoddy DIY. Once we have the funds, we plan to completely renovate this bathroom.
I probably wouldn’t even want to use the shower in the meantime
How about we just put in a corner shower pan, some new doors, and call it a day?
Hey , you can’t really do that after the fact, right? How are you planning to get the existing wall tile over its flange?
Hey , you shouldn’t place the existing tile over the flange. Let’s remove the bottom course first. We can saw cut and remove the floor tile where the base will sit. Then, we can install a new bottom course over the flange that matches or complements the existing tile. If we’re careful, we may be able to salvage some or all of the removed tile for installation. Pretty straightforward!
Not the best idea to reuse the tile, right?.. unless it was poorly installed. Well-installed tile usually breaks into pieces. There’s a good chance it was just spot-bonded. Just redoing the pan is a waterproofing nightmare and the transition from the pan to the floor tile is a hassle. You’ll have to dig out the concrete for a prefabricated pan anyway.
It’s a complicated situation no matter what.
I’ve actually salvaged tile in the past. They might have some extras.
Yes, it will still be work, but not as much as a complete renovation.
Not a pan, but a prefabricated base, no membrane needed.
Nah I really dislike the tile. It’s just not quality.
The key thing to look for is whether all the corners of the showerpan are sloping towards the drain. If they’re not, then there’s no point in keeping this shower. Many curbless showers may not have a curb, but the slope must be present. In all honesty, without a linear drain on the wall perpendicular to the showerhead, this pan won’t slope properly with those 12″ tiles. It’s just not feasible. I also don’t spot a central drain, so if it’s in the corner, there’s absolutely no correct slope. If the individual who installed the shower didn’t create a proper pan/slope, then they likely didn’t know much about tiling a shower either. The mold goes much deeper than just the grout and surface of the tile, meaning the entire thing needs to be redone
Another thing to note is that the shower handle seems to be installed too low based on regulations. Additionally, the tiling job doesn’t look too good, which makes me suspect that it was either done incorrectly or by someone inexperienced in shower tiling. Having the wrong slope can lead to water leaks through unsealed grout or missing caulk, causing damage to your walls and framework. It’s important to address this issue promptly. Most of these comments are just misinformed. You can’t add a curb later on. Using silicone won’t solve the problem. Send me a photo of the drain and a closer shot of the entire shower floor so I can provide more specific advice. This might be a bigger issue than you realize.
Hey Jill, just wondering, why wouldn’t it be possible to install a curb afterwards?
Hey Jill, not all states follow the California codes, right?
Hey, David! You know, the pan won’t really be effective if it’s not sloped properly. And waterproofing those connections would be such a pain! Plus, most of the tiles on the pan would have to be taken out anyway to add a curb.
I believe any long-term solution will come with a price tag. My suggestion would be to invest in new glass wall panels for the frame.
Kind of like this
Hey Rhoxane! Yeah, we’re planning to redo the entire bathroom since we’re not confident in the previous owners’ work. It’s going to be a pricey project, especially after discovering some sketchy stuff in the kitchen when we renovated that. We’re holding off until we can afford it, who knows what surprises we’ll find behind those walls!
It really makes you wonder about everything else they did when you realize that something as simple as a slope to the drain was missing in the shower!
Just make sure to clean and wipe down your doors after using them. WD-40 works wonders for cleaning the glass and tracks. It also helps water slide off easily.
All I can tell you is…. smh
Agrees with us. We just moved into this house and have already fixed a lot of DIY work from the previous owner.
Consider converting it into a half bathroom to gain some practical closet space.
Seems like the shower was put in incorrectly without a proper floor pan or tray. You should put in a floor tray, connect it to the drain, and then mount your shower panels on top.
If the floor isn’t sloped for drainage, everything you try will be ineffective.
Why not install a corner shower curtain rod and curtain while you work on the complete renovation?
Susan K thinks Chardonnay without proper drainage is risky in my opinion.
Makes a valid point.
Curbs or water dams are available for purchase to attach to your floor tiles… and then you can include a rod with a curtain
Consider placing a piece of glass next to the cabinet and shower wall to make it functional. I was inspired by the idea of using limited glass during my travels in Europe.
I still haven’t got a slope for drainage, so there might be problems.
‘ Squeegees are really great.
Make sure there is water in the (p) trap to prevent odors from coming up from your septic/drain system.
I was just about to mention that, ! Let some water flow into the drain from time to time.
For those who may not be familiar with shower basics, all surfaces must slope towards the drain. Gravity is all that’s necessary for proper drainage and drying. Even the top of the curb should be angled towards the drain. There should be no flat surfaces where water can accumulate. The fact that water was collecting under the doors indicates a lack of slope. It’s not possible to achieve a steep enough angle with 12×12 tiles without major diagonal cuts. This is basic geometry. Temporary solutions like curbs, curtains, and different glass options won’t work without a properly sloped pan. I once had a client with a 12×24 tile floor and a drain in the middle, who couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t drain.
Hey, I totally agree about the need for a proper slope. That’s why we took out the doors and made sure to get rid of any standing water. I mentioned before that we plan on completely renovating this bathroom as soon as possible. We’re going to strip it down to the studs and rebuild it properly. I was just curious about any temporary solutions we could use in the meantime, although we’ll probably just avoid using it for now.
You should start with a foundation
I saw a curb that can be attached to floor tiles. You can check it out on Amazon
https://a.co/d/cD8wfmE
I’m curious if they remembered to add waterproofing behind the tiles.
I’m definitely not a pro, but have you thought about removing the nine tiles in the shower area and putting in a shower pan instead? You might need to check the location of the drain first though 🤷♀️
I’m not very helpful when it comes to actually fixing things, but have you considered using a floor squeegee to push the water towards the drain after you finish showering?
Hey everyone, it’s me, the original poster. I appreciate all the feedback. Just to clarify, we were only looking for a quick fix until we can completely renovate the place. I understand that the floor is not sloping and was poorly done by the previous owner. We’ll definitely be gutting it and redoing it properly soon.