Another thing I did on my Christmas vacation...

[Black Dog]

When not Ice fishing with my son, I found other ways to keep busy...  When my ex and I built our house 24 years ago, we did what was the 'trendy' thing, and had a Jacuzzi Tub put in the Master Bath.  At the time it was neat, but the novelty soon wore off.  The tub served a dual purpose, first being a tub, and second, it was the shower too... Here is how that looked -


 
The glass block served as a splash, and one entered by stepping over the sill on the right.  The problem with the tub was, if you filled it up, every drop of hot water was drained from the water heater, then, once full, the cool down began as there was nothing in the tub to keep the water hot...  All in all, I'd say the tub was used as a tub, not many more than a dozen times in all these years.

One day, after doing a very uncomfortable version of the 'splits'   as I stepped in to the shower, I decided I needed to make a change...  To a walk in shower  

I have a friend who's son does bathroom work for a living.  He and his partner ripped out the tub, old tile, and took it down to the studs and bare floor.  He then poured a hand laid 'pitched' shower floor (I had moved the drain, and done the other plumbing necessary).  This work had been finished say mid September, and I had no time to get at it...

December 15th was my last day at work for the year (Vacation, use it by the end of year, or lose it).I began my vacation by installing 'DuraRock' cement board from the curb of his work, to the ceiling.  Over the next two weeks, I then proceeded to tile the floor and walls.

Let me say that I really respect folks that do this kind of work for their living...  I was tired, sore, and gritty at the end of each day, and just looking forward to getting the job done.

I finished the tiling two days before Christmas.  Got the grouting done in the two days after Christmas, and had everything sealed up by the Monday before New Years.

Here is how it turned out -



Had a Glass place come out this past Friday to measure for a glass panel (will be attached at the bottom, left side and ceiling, and will extend 44", or even with the front corner of the seat) that should be installed 1/19.

Took longer than I expected, but IMO, well worth the wait   Been using it since Sunday, with a shower rod and curtain to keep the outside dry until the glass is installed  

Black Dog

[Jess from VA]

Really nice work.  

That shower is big enough to have a small party in.   

I hate bath tubs, and hate showering in them (designed to slip and fall in, even with mats).

I retiled (part of) my shower stall, but all my tile fell off (because I am no good at it).  All that work for nothing.  So I fixed it with a tall kitchen bag and duct tape (in minutes), and that has lasted for years.  Only down side is every once in a while a big spider crawls out of the hole in the wall.  

[Big Rig]

Nice work by you...I am in that process as well. Excpet I ripped it all out myself...It did help lower my frustration level...ha hah a

I am in the rebuiling process now, rerunning plumbing supply and drain lines...taking my time...I am looking at an April completion time...still waiting on wife to select the tile she wants...

[cookiedough]

looks nice.  If only needing one insert for just say 2 people, that is fine but 1-2 more inserts for other bottles of stuff would have to be done for my house.  We have about 15 bottles of crap for the other 3 in my family all along the darn tub step in. 

You just added over 4-5 grand in value to your home, just make sure the home inspector doesn't find out since you did most of the work yourself.  What they don't know, don't hurt YOU in the pocketbook come tax time.

My crazy neighbor got rid of his menards special tub surround.  Was actually impressed he did the 2x4 structure building another bathroom downstairs all by himself along with the sheetrock/plaster (he had a friend help on that one).  He installed a cheap menards tub surround that only lasted 3-4 years before falling apart.  He wanted a walk in shower just like you got almost identical in looks and design with seat but has 2 more inserts for bottles is all.

I swear he spent (big square tiles are not cheap) well over 6 grand when all said and done.  He also installed new linoleum but first had installed a heated floor (hot wires) below first though.  He did say those glass sliding doors are NOT cheap.  The glass company who did his screwed up in 2 areas.  For you as a hint,  make sure the glass slides freely all the way open and close since his professional glass company screwed up on that would not freely open/close and was not plumb which it has to be nearly exactly.  I went over since he asked me for my opinion and the level did say it was off bad enough to cause a closing/open issue and even could see it barely by just looking at it as well.  This caused after a few weeks to wear down the glass door itself and the bar bracket in a few spots.  He had to have them come back and fix that and actually get a NEW glass door on the installers dime since they screwed up install plus make sure the other issue was the track was off slightly (not plumb) and when glass door closed,  it had a near 1/2" gap with rubber booties on tiles to stop the glass door from slamming and ONLY one rubber bootie on bottom would hit while the top of the glass even after came back and fixed it never hit the rubber bootie on top when closed.  Part of that might be the wall studs and tiling not being perfectly level as well.

Also,  unless you have a hot wife or like to see thru the glass door,  I'd get a frosted glass panel vs. clear one like my neighbor got, but that is just me.  Issue with frosted glass, is you would like to have others look at the very nice shower inside that you have done mostly by yourself showing it off, but for privacy,  frosted glass door is what I would do. 

[Hook#3287]

Ain't tileing great fun

It's nice to stand back and look at it after your done. If you can stand, that is.

What's that, about 6'x6'?  You might not even need a door.

[JimC]

Hey BD,

Looks great.
I was starting to think that you were using that shower as an excuse to stay home and vegetate rather than going out with the guys riding or socializing.

Jim

[Oss]

well no wonder....

the hot tub goes outside between the house and the pool

We were out there about an hour ago enjoying the twilight after sunset

Its also great settin there with a drink whilst it snows
Yeah I wear a cap if its snowin

Just had to shovel a nice path and then enjoy the end of another workweek

Oss

Great tile job by the way Steve

[The emperor has no clothes]

Looks awesome ! I've done lots of tile jobs for our house, inlaws, and daughters house. I'm done with that ! My back can't take it anymore. I agree with Hook, you probably don't need a door as big as that is. Just think about all the time you'll save not having to clean waterspots from it.

[Jess from VA]

That's what I was thinking.  I've been in a number of places with showers that big and there was no door or curtain, though a 4-6 inch step-over to stop water on the floor from running out.  I prefer a curtain (if anything); it can go in the washer or be replaced for a few bux.  No scrubbing soap scum off doors, corroding wheel tracks that eventually fail, and if someone falls or passes out, no tempered glass to fall thru or on.

And a curtain can be double, plastic on the inside, and pretty pattern to match the tile work/paint/bathroom on the outside.

But it's your project.

[Black Dog]

Thanks all...

It's 6' wide and just shy of 4' deep.  There is a 4" floor curb left to right.

Not getting a door, but  solid panel, curb to ceiling, and from the left side 44" to the right...  A splash guard if you will, open for entry on the right.  I also had the panel ordered with a special coating that resists water/soap/scum from sticking.

Not getting any younger, and being able to step right in (rather than up n over), is the main reason I made the change.

Black Dog

[hotglue #43]

Looks Great Blackdog!  looking at doing something similar...  getting to the age where we need to start making things old age friendly....  learned this working with my Mom's house....