I want to build two shelves in the tub surround.
One will be a niche self in the long side wall, tucked into the studs. It will be accessible to someone sitting in the tub.
To do that we have to remove this cement backer board and install tile backer board instead. It is just far too difficult for us to cut cement board.
Once it's cut and the 2x4's installed to support it, we will be good to go--of course, we have to still install the Kerdie. But the floor elf has that covered for me.
The other shelf will be on the back wall (an exterior wall). I want it to be at shower height to replace this one:
This shelf is causing me all sorts of problems.
Here's a mock up of what I want to build (only imagine it in 3x6 rather than 2x6)
(In case this looks strange, I built this on the dining room table and flipped the picture. When it comes time to build it for real, I'll construct a box, hang it on the wall, cover it with Kerdie and attach the tile to it.)
The issue is how to do the outside corner.
Option A:
Raw, unfinished edge is to the side on the vertical plane.
Option B:
Raw, unfinished edge is to the top (and bottom) horizontal plane.
Option C:
Raw, unfinished edge is both vertical and horizontal, top and bottom.
See those rough, raw edges?
I could grout them and then coat them with a clear epoxy to ensure they are waterproof, but I don't know if that will work. I'm afraid the grout will just fall off, in time.
The most sensible option is to use tile with rounded edges on two sides. Playing around with my real-life 3 dimensional knock up I realised what I need and how to build it.
It's OK, you can laugh.I can't find this tile on the shelves: it's a special order.
So far, so good--except the manufacturer of my particular brand of tile, I have discovered, is notoriously unreliable when it comes to shipping special order tile.
How long can we wait?
Will hubby even agree to wait?
Meanwhile, we're stalled because he is exhausted when he comes home from work. December is one of the busiest months for him.
So it just may take a long time anyway.
5 comments :
No chance you could sink that second shelf in between the studs on that wall? This tile thing sounds very complicated.
It DOES sound complicated! I'm torn between being worried that it's too hard, and envious of your smarts that you could even figure this all out!
Smack my hand on my forehead.
Putting a second niche shelf in between the same studs as the first--only higher--so it can be accessed by someone standing--seems the obvious thing to do. Now.
My husband and I discussed it last night and agreed to take down the second cement board and put up another sheet of tile backer board in its place, too.
Oh well, I had to think it through quite thoroughly I guess, in order to "see" that there was no solution--and that the "solution" was something else entirely.
I think I'll like this better, too.
I've seen used strips of metal or plastic on the corners, so you could place the tiles as in option C and then add a strip on the edge. Don't know what the strip is called in english, actually I don't even know what it's in Finnish, but I'm sure the store can help you out if you want to check that out.
Alana, you might also consider mitering the tile. We did this during our bath remodel.
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