Shower Floor Revamp

[gb3]

Hi there,

My first post on here 🙂

Let me start by saying I'm not a professional tradesman of any kind but a mere keen DIYer.

I moved into a new place a couple of years ago. The bathroom was a stated and needed gutting / re plastering / tiling etc etc. A local plumbing company did the work for us.

As you should be able to see from the pictures we had a walk in shower constructed.

Recently however I noticed the grout in the shower floor area was breaking up. I believe - correct me if im wrong - this is due to a cement based grout rather than a more suitable epoxy grout being used?

I was originally going to just regrout the existing tiles in the shower area with kerapoxy, however I thought to myself this might be an ideal time for a little revamp.

So my question is:

Can I take up the porcelin tiles just in the shower area ( just the ones with the diagonal cuts, which i think are ugly as hell) and replace them with a blue mosaic which matches the mosiac running down the wall. I think it'll look pretty cool ( but thats just me). I was hoping aswell that using a mosaic I would avoid making diagonal cuts to match the sloping of the blue tray underneath. (The existing tiles are tile directly onto a sloped underfloor tray).

If I can do the above...is there an epoxy grout anyone can recommend for use with ceramic mosiac.

Cheers, any tips / advice appreciated. 🙂

 

[jay]

:welcome:
If your grout is breaking up then you have a problem
more than likely movement of some sort does the base flex at all

 

[gb3]

Cheers for replying.

If my memory serves me correctly the tiler tiled directly onto the sloped plastic tray, which is a plastic i think, so I guess although rigid it might flex.

I will get a better pic asap. There are only a couple of small areas which are broken (around the grate in the middle), however most of the grouting in the shower area is showing wear.

 

[Gazzer]

I would say the tiling was done all wrong in the 1st place. The grout should have been fine and there is no real need for Epoxy....but it can be used.
The setting out on the floor is worse than poor and that is what makes it all look worse.

The grout has cracked for a reason, what was the sub floor ?
Your idea of a mosaic floor is viable but you will need to prepare the sub floor in such a way that this is possible.
We need more info but its a reasonably easy job to do.

Ok so I see its a preformer shower base so it should just be a case of removing the tiles and replacing with mosaic.....The only problem will be the thickness of the mosaic against the floor tile.

 

[gb3]

Yeah, I had my doubts about the tiling - I guess you get what you pay for.

The bathroom is on the first floor directly above the kitchen. I believe the bathroom floor is a wooden type board on beams (I think). I think the tiler, cut out the wooden board in the shower area and slotted in the plastic tray in so it was flush with the board. He then tiled directly onto the tray and board. I do remember him phoning up the tray company for advice and they told him you could tile directly onto the tray without a problem (apparently).

I try and find out a bit more info.

Cheers.

 

[Gazzer]

There are certain restrictions with some boards to the smallest size tile that can be used on these preformers....mainly Marmox foam type .

 

[gb3]

Im pretty sure something like this was used:

Impey Wet Rooms Aqua-Dec 6 Shower Tray, 1400x900mm

Had a look at the Marmox website and dont think its any of their trays. 🙂

 

[Gazzer]

Was it waterproofed with tilesafe membrane as instructed in the fitting instructions. ?

 

[gb3]

Hmm, I'm not 100% sure to be honest. I was busy doing bits and pieces elsewhere in the property and just let him get on with it.

I'll see if i can find any pictures of the bathroom during the construction, I'm pretty sure I took a couple.

Cheers.

 

[akinsontiles]

Impey trays are awkward in so much that the only thing I know that stick sto them properly is their own products. Its a bitumin based sheeting which is applied to the walls and floor after a primer and then a flexible adhesive to apply the tiles to.

If this hasn't been done then Mapei may suggest their epoxy adhesive as suitable but I'm not 100% on this and would suggest speaking to their technical department for advice.

Mosaic in the tray should look good and would reduce the need to have the diagonal cuts however you still must make sure that the mosaics are fully bedded to get the water to flow into the drain correctly.