Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - Corner Shower Soap Dish
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Virtual Anomoly
03-04-07, 11:06 AM
I have a corner soap dish that started falling off about the moment that it was installed by the husband of a friend (and yes I did learn that lesson). This is one of many quirks I need help with. I can't get the soap dish off - it seems to be held in by something other than the now not attached grout. Is there a lip or backing or screw or something? Also - the one tile I wanted reset was reset incorrectly. Is there a way to get that out of the bottom corner nearest to the faucet without destroying the greenboard? Finally - in "fixing" that tile for me from bucking out from the wall before it set, my hired hand made it sink in, and then used some type of sealant that seals all the mold into place around the bottom corner. I did stop inviting him over to work out the problems. What can be done to make my life better when it comes to the shower besides moving out? I appreciate any advice you can give me with these problems.
formula
03-06-07, 03:14 PM
Tile around tubs and showers is usually installed with mastic, a kind of putty-like glue that is thick enough to hold tile up without sliding down and yet you can move things around and then let things set up for a few days before grouting.
Grouting doesn't hold (well, isn't supposed to hold) anything in place, it's there to fill and seal (well, sort of seal things, it's kinda porous).
If youy want to get the soap dish or pesky tile out, you need to clean out the grout around the dish or tile first. Grout can be chipped out with a small putty knife, or there are some specialty tools at the box stores to help with this. Then you take a puttly knife and using the adjacent tile, try to pry the bad boy outta there. But, that's the rub, it's easy to chip and crack the adjacent tile doing this prying (personal experience). It's always a good idea to have a supply of matching replacement tiles available before starting this because you will need them! Or new, prettier tiles if doing a total makeover! If the old/dry mastic pulls some of the greenboard/drywall off, don't worry too much. You can patch a huge hole with some drywall mud or put extra mastic on a smaller 'ouch' when installing new tile. Let the new mastic set for a few days to harden up and then regrout.
Hope this helps!
Grouting doesn't hold (well, isn't supposed to hold) anything in place, it's there to fill and seal (well, sort of seal things, it's kinda porous).
If youy want to get the soap dish or pesky tile out, you need to clean out the grout around the dish or tile first. Grout can be chipped out with a small putty knife, or there are some specialty tools at the box stores to help with this. Then you take a puttly knife and using the adjacent tile, try to pry the bad boy outta there. But, that's the rub, it's easy to chip and crack the adjacent tile doing this prying (personal experience). It's always a good idea to have a supply of matching replacement tiles available before starting this because you will need them! Or new, prettier tiles if doing a total makeover! If the old/dry mastic pulls some of the greenboard/drywall off, don't worry too much. You can patch a huge hole with some drywall mud or put extra mastic on a smaller 'ouch' when installing new tile. Let the new mastic set for a few days to harden up and then regrout.
Hope this helps!