Flooring Tile - Tile shower shelf and seat

I am just about ready to start a new tile shower install in a completey renovated bathroom. Walls down to studs and all new supply and waste lines. New floor joists, subfloor, the works. :) I have laid about 300sq. of floor time in the house and done shower walls in the past without problems.
My plan is to put a walk in tile shower with a small shelf for shamppoos, soaps etc. Would like to put the shelf recessed into the shower wall instead of attaching it on the wall like a little cubby hole. Do I need to put PVC like liner under the tile in the shelf recess, kind of like a shower pan installation? I will slope the shelf floor a little for water runoff. Any other hints? How about a larger shelf in a shower so I can sit my tired hind quarters down after all this work and let the water soak the muscle pain away?:p

if you are going to build the niche peice by peice i would highly reccomend putting some kind of waterproofing in there like schluter kerdi they also make a preformed niche that you can use without having to waterproof:cool:

for a pre made, pre waterproofed niche in 5 size'e contact the Noble co. www.noblecompany.com

bigbluedude2,

I did exactly what you are doing last year to a small 3/4 guest bath with a shower stall, sink and toilet. I tiled the shower, including a total rebuild of the shower pan, walls, and tiled the floor and wainscoat on the walls. I used the niches from Bonsal. Go to ---> http://www.bonsal.com/tilepage.html?sid=1713 to see them. I special ordered them from a local tile distributor.

I also installed a small "Better Bench". They are available from a variety of distributors.

Hope this helps.

LewMac

Here's a link to a web page with photos of the project I mentioned above, to see if this is what you are looking for.

http://bellsouthpwp.net/w/l/wlmc/OurOldHouse-Den%20Bath.htm

LewMac

the niches from bonsal used to be made by the some co. that is now making them for Noble Co. they can be ordered direct from Noble.