Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Shower niche questions
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gopujols
10-16-09, 06:35 AM
Hey I'm hoping someone could help me out here. I am installing two 18 inch by 18 inch shower niches when I redo my tub surround. This is not a shower, so it will limit the water getting in the niches. My plan is to frame out the niches, then use 1/4 inch hardibacker (1/2 inch on the walls but 1/4 in the niche to maximize space).
Couple of questions:
1. Even though they won't get too much water in them, do I need to redguard the whole niche? That stuff is expensive. Any alternatives you can suggest?
2. For the seams of hardibacker in the niche can I just seal them with waterproof silicone caulk or do I really have to use mesh tape and thinset? My concern with the mesh tape and thinset is if I have to use that and the redguard I'm going to create a "bump" where the part of the wall near the niche will be higher with the buildup of thinset and redguard, which could make my tiling bump out (I'm using 18-inch ceramic).
3. I'd like to divide the niches in half with a shelf. I was going to just crew in a 2 by 4 to divide the niche, then hardibacker that and tile that--any better ideas? I was afraid to go thinner because I have to have something on the face of the shelf to tile and a 1 by 4 wouldn't give me much.
I think that's all. Thanks for your help!!
Couple of questions:
1. Even though they won't get too much water in them, do I need to redguard the whole niche? That stuff is expensive. Any alternatives you can suggest?
2. For the seams of hardibacker in the niche can I just seal them with waterproof silicone caulk or do I really have to use mesh tape and thinset? My concern with the mesh tape and thinset is if I have to use that and the redguard I'm going to create a "bump" where the part of the wall near the niche will be higher with the buildup of thinset and redguard, which could make my tiling bump out (I'm using 18-inch ceramic).
3. I'd like to divide the niches in half with a shelf. I was going to just crew in a 2 by 4 to divide the niche, then hardibacker that and tile that--any better ideas? I was afraid to go thinner because I have to have something on the face of the shelf to tile and a 1 by 4 wouldn't give me much.
I think that's all. Thanks for your help!!