Sometimes what you see when you look in your shower doesn’t tell the whole story. This shower looks to be in great shape from above but had been leaking for a long time. And don’t let the grout fool you. Unless it is sealed or an epoxy grout is used it isn’t actually waterproof by itself.
An old mortar pan style shower lets the water soak through the grout and into the mortar below but then has a metal pan that directs the water to the drain. If the seal is lost around the drain it will leak into the surrounding sub-floor.
So what are your options when this happens? Here are three options that are available for replacing your Glen Allen shower. All of which start with tearing out the old shower and fixing the rotten wood before moving on.
1. A new acrylic pan and wall system can be installed. This is the least expensive but there are limitations in sizes available. There are different quality levels among these too. Although all of these come in 2 to4 piece sets some are well designed and direct water to the drain with no need for caulking joints making for a clean look.
2. A bit more pricey is a cultured marble floor and wall system. Like the acrylic it comes in separate pieces but with the thicker panels and many different tile and stone pattern options to choose from it definitely has a more solid look and feel.
3. Last is to rebuild the tile shower using on of the newer systems that utilize solid foam pans and totally sealed waterproof membranes to keep water from soaking in and leaking. This is usually a comparable in price to the old system and is totally customizable with any shape, size and tile that you would like. Eliminating the mortar bed from the pan will also lower the humidity in the room and help prevent a musty odor from developing from water that has not drained out.
Whichever route you choose we can help. If you have questions or would like to talk to someone about replacing a shower in your Glen Allen home, give us a call at 804-266-3776.
Herb Coulter, The Remodeling Company, LLC
