Replace old shower unit or tile it?

Question

Hello! We just moved into our first home, 3 bed, 2 & ½ bath. The master bath has 3-piece shower unit (I believe 32x32) with an older door. Toilet and vanity are in good shape, so we’re really only looking at the shower and maybe the floor, which is pretty small. My question is this…would we be better off replacing the shower unit with another unit or removing the unit and then tile the walls/floor? I know that we can get some pretty nice, yet inexpensive tile from our local big box home stores. Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TZ

Answer 1

After installing Thousands of sq. ft. of tile, remodeling more bathrooms than anything else, and tearing out, then throwing away any plastic or fiberglass tub surrounds, I suggest tile. First of all it's the most widely accepted method for a bathroom and especially a tub/shower area.

I happened to redo my own bathroom in the past year with nice terracotta look 16/16 tile. I liked it so much I carried it to my shower. I don't recommend that but it worked for me.

Most often wall tiles are 6 inches sq. or smaller, and the smaller they are they are usually "matted" on the back to allow ease in installing.

Hopefully you either have some skill, of will have through free worksops at those big box stores. IE HD or Lowes. Certainly any decent sales person will not only advise tile types/sizes best suited to your measurements, and supply you with the tools you'll need for laying up mortar/mastik, and grout.

Even though verticle installations have to defy shear weight they are also subject to gravity and falling away from the wall, unless properly installed. I usually run my bottom course of tile and let it set up before going higher. I also don't often stop the top course any longer, just above head high. I take it to the ceiling. Certainly there are methods one can use to "brace wall tile, but the appropriate mortar should at least allow adhesion rapidly enough that you won't end up with a pile of tile on the floor soon after. The mortar should be allowed at least 24 hours to "Set" however, and where needed, rubber spacers should be used. I used a KNIFE with 1/4 inch teeth to do my bath area since the tiles were large, but 1/8 inch works well also. I'd also advise concrete backer board in that area as a substrate.

In a shower or tub area I make the grout lines 1/8 inch. It saves grout and makes for a cleaner tighter look. I use a poly based, sanded grout in appropriate colors, and begin cleaning immediately beginning with a barely wet sponge. As the grout sets I use a damper sponge for cleanup. The final wipe may leave a residue that looks dusty when dry. It will wipe clean. When applying the grout work it into the lines with the proper rubberized "trowel" at angles to the lines, not straight down or across. Do the same when sponging off residue.

For the floor the choice is yours in color coordination but you might look at tile that allows less of a high glaze on a surface that will occasionally be wet and slippery.

All grout CAN BE sealed, but it just means maintenace after the fact, and you should be cleaning tiled floors and walls on a regular basis anyway.

If the room is small you may get by with a single 65 pound bag of thinset mortar and less than the usual 25 pound bag of grout, unless you happen to use the same mortar for the walls and same color grout.

I may be leaving out some detail, but it's what I do as part of my trades work, every day.

Steven Wolf

Ah yes, I knew if I hung out here long enough........... With both the floor and walls, certainly measure accurately, and plan the install well before mixing mortar. It may be that cuts will have to be made? Even go so far as to lay out tile to check that. I suggest squaring each area to be tiled; Snap two lines perpendicular to each other to determine a "center" or a spot to begin and work out and up from that, allowing that any cuts will be where walls meet. Same thing for the floor. Determine what if any cuts might have to be made, to the point where they become the edge/perimeter pieces. If Aesthetics are an issue then choose the "cuts" where they will be the least noticeable. I remove cove base molding, install to within 1/4 inch of the wall usually, and then re-install molding.
OK one more then I'm done... I think. In the shower area if using the "backer board" you can use coordinated "bull nose" pieces to finish the outer edges, and if you choose to stop the tile lower then the ceiling they can be used as your top row as well.

Answer 2

I think the previous answers have laid out the dilemma pretty well. Tile showers are tougher to install and maintain but usually more interesting while the one-piece is less maintenance. Only you can decide which route is better for you. One other idea I'd like to add to the debate is a one-piece with some accent tile along the edges. I've seen this done and while it's not the same as 100% tile it's certainly an improvement over a drab one-piece.

Answer 3

I also agree with Mr. Wolf. He knows what he is talking about. I would have to add though, as a plumber, when you change from a shower unit , to a tile shower, you must install a different type of drain. The drain used for a shower stall has a body that goes through the stall floor, and a large nut and washer, to tighten and keep water from leaking by. The drain required for a tile shower has a body that sits below the floor, with a plate that is detachable, in order for the shower pan material, to be secured with bolts to the drain body, and an adjustable drain that screws up or down to achieve the proper height to match the tile. I usually tell people to replace the faucet at this time, so that in a couple of years you are not having to open up a wall to replace the faucet. My tileman works up a sketch for people to see, prior to building, that way you can add or change things before construction starts, thus keeping the cost down. Faucets with hand held showers, or multiple heads are very popular. All new faucets should be anti-scald design, and even adjustable temp models are available. Seats are very popular for ladies to shave their legs. Recessed nooks for shampoo and soaps are also quite useful. Designs in the tile, make a masterpiece out of an ordinary shower, but do add to the price. It looks like the consensus is for a tile shower. It can be done be a DIY'er, but it is going to be something you look at everyday, so I suggest a professional to do the job. Good luck to you!

Answer 4

I'm agree with Mr. Wolf, you should definately tile. And don't be afraid to spend a little extra to make it look better. Cooler tile = cooler shower. Besides, if you are really cheap like myself, you can get large tile 12" X12" which is typically cheaper than any of the smaller squares, and you can cut them with a rented/or borrowed tile saw.

Example:
one sq. ft of tile cut into quarters yields four nearly 6 inch sq. tiles.
1FT ~ 4 x 6 in. sq.

Some 12x12's run anywhere from $0.70 to $2.36 per tile, where as the 6x6 starts at $0.58 and goes up to $8.58 at Lowes, but is still only 1/4 of the 12x12 tile.

You can literally save thousands.
Here are my estimates for 200 square feet.

For whole tile 12x12
($0.70/sq. ft.)(200 sq. ft.) = $ 140.00
($2.36/sq. ft.)(200 sq. ft.) = $ 472.00

For whole 6x6, with respect to 12x12
WE multiply by four to compensate for the need of a square foot.
($0.58/sq. 0.5ft.)(4)(200 sq. ft.) = $ 464.00
($8.58/sq. 0.5ft.)(4)(200 sq. ft.) = $6864.00


Please see for yourself. Generally, you can get really awesome tile, and cut it down to the 6x6 tiles, roughly, it will be slightly less due to the cutting of the tile saw. YOU SHOULD USE A TILE SAW. Saving even more, but getting one of those score and break tile cutters will be a waste of good tile. YOU WILL NOT GET A CLEAN CUT, and you will waste more time. It is proably a good IDEA, to cut as many and you need and then return the tile saw rental. SAVE where you can...time = money aswell.

THE ONLY DRAW BACK TO THIS METHOD IS THAT YOU WILL NOT GET THE TAPPERED EFFECT THAT MOST TILES HAVE ON THE SURFACE. A clean, uncut tile has edges that are rounded. When ou cut the tile into fourths you will have two sides that are rounded, and two sides that have a sharp 90 degree edge. WHAT I have done it just make sure that all of the cut sides face each other when placing them on the wall. You can figure your own way. B

My overall message is, do the way you want, and do it awesome the first time. Don't come back to it later and say. "I WISH I HAD PURCHASED BETTER TILE." That would not be awesome.

Good luck, and work hard.

Answer 5

The previous answer aside, go to this site to see what's involved in building your own tile shower stall. It's a pretty involved process to do it right without leaks, but if you're handy and understand what you're doing, it's not that hard.

www.ontariotile.com/preslope.html

Lots of pictures. I'm planning on replacing my three sided unit because you can't keep it clean after a while and the base is cracked. It was a contractor model, so it's probably the cheapest one out there and he didn't support underneath with expanding foam or mortar. I'm going with the tile, with 'toothpick' grout lines so they're almost invisible.

Answer 6

Simple Answer:
Tile Shower-If you do it right, you will spend days or weeks researching and planning the installation of your 1st shower. There are just so many aspects of it. Tile showers are beautiful when done right and maintained. There is nothing more high maintence than a tile shower.
Prefab shower-Not the prettiest. Fairly easy to install as long as you dont have to replace sheetrock. Easy to maintain.

Answer 7

follow the instructions verbatim in installing tile . also plan to reseal it every few years that will help in keeping it nice. tiles beautifull but costly make sure you have all the edgeing etc. one thing also if you build the shower bigger you can conserve water . lol two can get in at same time if you have the space.

Answer 8

i would replace old shower unit, ive done that and it didnt cause any problems with water leaks..when u do the tile u have to make sure to use the rite waterboard behind it and grout it very good any holes cause leaks... shower untis r less expensive and u can get it in one piece and its easier to clean .... it takes longer for the tile to set and all that ..shower unit is up and ready in no time

Answer 9

I would NEVER put tiles in a tub or shower.
Buy one of those 1pc shower units. They come in all price ranges, are easy to install yourself, and alot easier to maintain.
I wasted alot of time and money replacing tiles, regrouting, resealing, scrubbing (mold thrives on grout), etc the tiles in my tub. I finally got a 1pc, 3 sided unit that replaced the tub and walls. What a difference. I should've done it years ago!