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Witchy
 
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Default another leaky shower question

Hi folks,

Here's a wet-floor type shower question, sealing of.

Because I could, and with some help from the folks here I built a wet
area type shower 'cos both of us were fed up with cramped shower
cubicles.

The area is about 5'x5' and consists of a 1200x1200 shower tray with
the surrounding area built up of flooring grade MDF (fastened to old
wall beams I had lying around which are screwed to the floor) with
Aquapanel screwed to that and floor tiles on top of that.

All fine and dandy, but there's still a tiny gap between the edge of
the shower tray and the surround. Originally I had this filled with
Unibond power shower sealant, but for some reason I haven't fathomed
yet (mentioned in another thread) once in use the shower tray managed
to drop 2 or 3 mm.

I say I haven't fathomed this yet because the tray is simply sitting
on the level-ish floorboards - I don't believe any of the 3 layers of
the surround could've expanded that much to cause the effect we got.

Basically the tray moved and the unibond sealant was so strong it
broke the grout between the tiles and the tray resulting in Much
Leakage!

Here's a pic of the floor before all this happened:

http://vorbis.demon.co.uk/shower-floor.JPG

Note white sealant all over the place.

The tiles themselves are the pebble mosaic effect types available from
bigger B&Qs and other places:

http://www.diy.com/bq/product/produc...6&CATID=187233

and its the grout between these that appears to be breaking down -
cracks are visible between some of the panels and running along the
edge where grout meets glass brick walls.

So! I need to re-seal the tray and heal the cracks in the grout, but
the design of the tiles might inhibit this somewhat.

Anybody still with me or have you all moved to a shorter message? ))

All hints and tips appreciated - being able to shower in a space that
big is great, particularly the amount of water the shower itself can
chuck out, and we're all missing it!

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs
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BigWallop
 
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Default another leaky shower question

You haven't noticed any water marks on the ceiling below ?

Have the joists below moved down because they are now wet or can't take the
extra weight ?

If you've checked that the main structure is sound, then it is probably just
a case of expansion and contraction. You will have to persevere with the
filling in and re-grouting again.


  #3   Report Post  
Witchy
 
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Default another leaky shower question

On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 19:41:18 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

You haven't noticed any water marks on the ceiling below ?

Have the joists below moved down because they are now wet or can't take the
extra weight ?

If you've checked that the main structure is sound, then it is probably just
a case of expansion and contraction. You will have to persevere with the
filling in and re-grouting again.


Thanks for not quoting my message It was bloody long!

It was water marks on the ceiling below that raised the alarm. I knew
once I saw the change in the sealant and the cracks in the tiles that
there'd be trouble; fortunately it didn't fuse the downstairs lights
whilst dripping onto a downlighter in the kitchen

I reckon I'm OK with the weight because where the shower is used to be
the old victorian bathroom. I've tried to draw it as it was in ascii
but it looks kak. Basically where the shower is now used to house the
original bathroom, a lath/plaster wall and a BFO lead lined water tank
that had to be broken up in situ because it was too heavy to shift.

The glass brick walls that contain the shower are built on wood that's
been screwed to the joists of the floor below and the wall beams, and
the shower tray itself if resting on 2 joists that haven't moved
otherwise I'd have problems in the adjacent toilet as well as the
kitchen ceiling )

I think yer right with the expansion; it's the first shower I've ever
built and I could bore people here rigid with pictures of the progress
over the last 3 years.......the telly programme people would have a
field day if they saw what we've had to do, but once they'd seen it
we'd have to kill them

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs
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BigWallop
 
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Default another leaky shower question


"Witchy" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 19:41:18 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

You haven't noticed any water marks on the ceiling below ?

Have the joists below moved down because they are now wet or can't take

the
extra weight ?

If you've checked that the main structure is sound, then it is probably

just
a case of expansion and contraction. You will have to persevere with the
filling in and re-grouting again.


Thanks for not quoting my message It was bloody long!

It was water marks on the ceiling below that raised the alarm. I knew
once I saw the change in the sealant and the cracks in the tiles that
there'd be trouble; fortunately it didn't fuse the downstairs lights
whilst dripping onto a downlighter in the kitchen

I reckon I'm OK with the weight because where the shower is used to be
the old victorian bathroom. I've tried to draw it as it was in ascii
but it looks kak. Basically where the shower is now used to house the
original bathroom, a lath/plaster wall and a BFO lead lined water tank
that had to be broken up in situ because it was too heavy to shift.

The glass brick walls that contain the shower are built on wood that's
been screwed to the joists of the floor below and the wall beams, and
the shower tray itself if resting on 2 joists that haven't moved
otherwise I'd have problems in the adjacent toilet as well as the
kitchen ceiling )

I think yer right with the expansion; it's the first shower I've ever
built and I could bore people here rigid with pictures of the progress
over the last 3 years.......the telly programme people would have a
field day if they saw what we've had to do, but once they'd seen it
we'd have to kill them

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs


LOL !!!

If the shower tray is only resting directly on two joists without boards,
then it might not be spreading enough weight to hold the tray with a body in
it. I personally would have set the tray on some flooring grade board on
top of at least three joists. This would help spread the weight and also
stop the joists from rocking sideways when you move around in the shower
tray.

You may not notice any movement when you're in the shower, but the joists
only need to rock a couple of millimeters at a time to loosen them off their
anchors. Then over time the joists will be moving around enough to make the
tray wobble.

The tray itself will also be flexing under your weight as you move around,
which will also contribute to the sideways movement of the joists. The tray
may feel rigid enough to take anything you throw at it, but if it is just
resting directly on the joists without any additional support underneath,
then its base will flex.

If it's possible to have a look from below while you're repairing your wet
ceiling, then take a look at the joists when someone is moving around in the
tray as if taking shower.


  #5   Report Post  
Witchy
 
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Default another leaky shower question

On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 00:49:36 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

If the shower tray is only resting directly on two joists without boards,
then it might not be spreading enough weight to hold the tray with a body in
it. I personally would have set the tray on some flooring grade board on
top of at least three joists. This would help spread the weight and also
stop the joists from rocking sideways when you move around in the shower
tray.


Oop, my bad The tray is a stone resin job and it's just sitting on
the floor - floorboards and all. The only extra thing I did was lift a
board next to it so I could get at the shower trap and fit the
plumbing; the trap itself goes through a hole in a board.

Here's a 'before' pic:

http://vorbis.demon.co.uk/dscf0231.jpg

The only thing I wish I'd done is stick a bed of mortar down before I
added the surrounding woodwork.....

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs


  #6   Report Post  
BigWallop
 
Posts: n/a
Default another leaky shower question


"Witchy" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 00:49:36 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

If the shower tray is only resting directly on two joists without boards,
then it might not be spreading enough weight to hold the tray with a body

in
it. I personally would have set the tray on some flooring grade board on
top of at least three joists. This would help spread the weight and also
stop the joists from rocking sideways when you move around in the shower
tray.


Oop, my bad The tray is a stone resin job and it's just sitting on
the floor - floorboards and all. The only extra thing I did was lift a
board next to it so I could get at the shower trap and fit the
plumbing; the trap itself goes through a hole in a board.

Here's a 'before' pic:

http://vorbis.demon.co.uk/dscf0231.jpg

The only thing I wish I'd done is stick a bed of mortar down before I
added the surrounding woodwork.....

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs



Ah Ha ! That's OK then. When you said it was sitting right down on the
joists, I did panic a bit. :-)) But it is on the floor boards. Phew !
Then it is down to being normal expansion and contraction then, and will
probably be cured with a new fill of the cracking. Just things settling in.
:-))


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  #7   Report Post  
Witchy
 
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Default another leaky shower question

On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 13:16:57 GMT, "BigWallop"
wrote:

Here's a 'before' pic:

http://vorbis.demon.co.uk/dscf0231.jpg

The only thing I wish I'd done is stick a bed of mortar down before I
added the surrounding woodwork.....

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs



Ah Ha ! That's OK then. When you said it was sitting right down on the
joists, I did panic a bit. :-)) But it is on the floor boards. Phew !
Then it is down to being normal expansion and contraction then, and will
probably be cured with a new fill of the cracking. Just things settling in.
:-))


I 'ope so - we're all missing the shower!

cheers

witchy/binarydinosaurs
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