Leaking shower

Martyn_H

About once a year or so I have to renew the mastic around the bottom row of tiles when the grout cracks and the water runs behind the tiles resulting in a leak.

I've seen a product called Wet Wall, which is a large sheet of waterproof MDF and is guaranteed for ten years. I'd rather not take the risk of using something that isn't inherently waterproof and wonder if anyone sells decorated plastic sheeting, approx 7ft x 3ft that could be fitted to the interior walls of the shower, much like what you see in large caravans/statics.

Also, is it strictly necessary to remove all traces of old mastic when renewing?

Any help gratefully received!

Thank you.

HugoSP

OK lets start from the beginning:

You say you have to renew the mastic around the base of the shower tray - You should be using a sanitary silicone sealent. I use the Travis Perkins silicone products as I know they are fine. Either the all purpose or the sanitory silicone products will do. The mastic is not designed to cope with flexing, the silicone is, and should last much longer than 12 months. If the grout is generally OK the silicone will seal all around and hold it all together.

You must remove all traces of any mastic before applying the silicone.

The wet wall you have seen is likely to be a tileboard that you put up then tile over. There are a number of these on the market at the moment. They are not cheap.

Plastic sheeting - You are looking for UPVC sheeting. I have been told that you can get this from UPVC suppliers. Look for suppliers of fascia and soffit products and tell them what you are doing.

Hope this helps

Martyn_H

I meant to say that I use silicone to reseal the shower. The Wet Wall comes in many different patterns but you do not tile over it:

http://www.decospanels.co.uk/index.php

The plastic sheeting I'm thinking of would ideally have an embossed pattern on it otherwise it would look very plain.

HugoSP

I stand corrected

You're right about the UPVC. It is plain.

I still maintain that you should not have to redo silicone sealent seals every year. I had to refit a shower screen a few weeks ago because it hadn't been fitted properly and the seals were leaking. However even the seals on the tray were holding their own.

If water is getting through I would say that either

• the problem is somewhere else, or
• you are getting a poor seal when you do it, or
• you ae using a low elasticity silicone that does not flex with the tray, or
• the tray is moving far too much.

Martyn_H

Thanks for your advice, Hugo. I fancy a self-contained shower:

http://www.kinedo.co.uk/Self-Contained_Cubicles.aspx

No silicone or grout to worry about!

HugoSP

Have a look in your local B & Q.

They were doing one for around £350.