"Not to be outdone....," in the Other Home Decorating & Remodeling Projects forum, begins: "Watching Jim redo practically everything in his house, I decided to redo my shower. I did the original several years ..."
Watching Jim redo practically everything in his house, I decided to redo my shower. I did the original several years ago when I built the house, and when my shower building skills and knowledge were not anywhere near what they are now.
I had used the conventional method, PVC liner and CBU. While it worked okay, it certainly isn't the best system, so I decided to redo it with the Kerdi system, and I've taken my time so the tile work itself looks much better.
I used 18" tile for the whole thing, with a double listello at 3' and 5'. I also added a niche, since I didn't even have so much as a soap dish in the original. I also used a Better Bench in the corner, something else I didn't have before. The floor is made of pebbles that I had left over from a shower I did a few weeks ago. The supplier was going to charge me a 50% restocking fee, so I didn't see any point in losing all that money. It's hard to tell from the pics, but the pebbles that cover the floor also go up the wall 3".
Tomorrow, I'll finish the last two feet up to the ceiling, cover the bench, and do the door jambs. I also have to do a small amount of drywall work, with some bullnose corners on the outside of the door jamb. I've got two more showers to do in my house some time in the near future, and they'll also require a little drywall work. A few weeks ago, the guy that usually does my drywall finishing called me and was doing some tile work in his house, so I went by and spent about an hour helping him get started. I also loaned him some tools and a saw, so he told me if I ever needed some drywall finishing on my house, he would do it for free. So when I get all three showers done, I'll give him a call to do the finish and texture.
Not bad. When I did them in the other shower, I had the wife come over and walk on it to make sure she was okay with it. You'd think they would be tough on your feet, but they're pretty smooth on top.
I also went over it with my hands pretty thoroughly as I put them down. A couple of them were sticking up, so I pulled and replaced them. When the grout goes in, that'll help a little.
They are actually pebbles glued to a mesh sheet. The edges have 2-3" offsets to break up the lines between the sheets. They're kind of pricey, but you can get them online for $6-7 a sheet plus shipping. I think the ones I had were around $10 a sheet, but they were left over from a job I did, and I was going to lose 50% to return them, so I decided to use them at my house.
There are a bunch of different colors, and different styles. Some are a little flatter than others. I'll see if I can find the website that where they're sold.
Looks great Kman. I like the kind of inset border you chose and coving the pebbles is a nice touch. I've seen those pebble tiles in a few homes and I like the look.
Chris, it's all a matter of preference. Some people can't stand on them comfortably, some can. My suggestion would be to get a sample of each one that you like. Put them on the floor and walk on them to make sure they're to your liking.
Keep in mind that once grouted, they may not seem as sharp. We didn't think we would like it, but it's much easier to walk on than we were led to believe.
Everything is grouted and ready for use. I sealed the floor and coving, since it's mostly grout.
I installed a 14" Recess-it box, and a new rain shower head.
The shower floor is only about 12 square feet, so I installed a Better Bench in the corner to preserve the floor space. I also installed two stone listellos, one at three feet, and one at about five and a half feet.
The Schluter drain. Makes for the best waterproof and mold-proof shower. Despite all the grout on this floor, it dries out completely in a very short time.
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