Tile is not waterproof. Grout is not waterproof. Every tile shower that stays dry for thirty years does so because of what is behind the tile, and that layer is invisible the day the job is finished. This guide explains the system we use on every shower in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Pace, and Milton, and why it costs a little more than the shortcut.
If you are comparing estimates, this is the page that explains the difference between a low bid and a shower that does not leak into your subfloor.
The old way: mud pans, poly sheeting, and hope
For decades showers were built with a plastic liner under a thick mortar bed, cement board on the walls with a vapor barrier behind it, and tile set on top. Water passes through the grout, soaks the mortar bed, and is supposed to drain through weep holes at the bottom of the drain. In practice the mortar stays wet, the weep holes clog, and the shower smells musty within a few years. Wall seams rely on tape and caulk, and niches and benches are the first places to fail.
We still find these showers in 1960s and 1970s homes in Cordova Park, Scenic Heights, and downtown Milton. Tearing them out usually reveals a wet, black mortar bed.
The system we build: bonded waterproofing on every surface
Modern showers are waterproofed at the surface the tile is bonded to, not somewhere underneath it. We install a bonded membrane system, Schluter Kerdi or a comparable sheet membrane system, so that water that passes through the grout hits a waterproof layer immediately and runs to the drain.
- Walls: Kerdi sheet membrane or Kerdi-Board foam panels over the framing, with every seam overlapped and sealed with membrane band.
- Floor: a sloped foam pan or hand built mortar bed covered with membrane, bonded to a flanged drain so the waterproof layer and the drain are one continuous surface.
- Corners, curbs, and benches: preformed inside and outside corners and pipe seals, not caulk, at every transition.
- Niches: prefabricated waterproof niches or site built niches wrapped completely in membrane with sloped shelves.
- Curbless showers: the slab is recessed or the floor is built up so the membrane runs continuously under the entire bathroom floor.
Liquid membranes and when we use them
Liquid applied membranes such as Laticrete Hydro Ban or Custom RedGard are legitimate products when applied at the thickness the manufacturer specifies, usually two coats to a measured wet film. The failure we see is one thin coat rolled on a hot afternoon. We use liquid membranes for details and for some tub surrounds, and we measure film thickness rather than guess.
The flood test: proof before tile
Before any tile goes on the floor we plug the drain and fill the pan with water for 24 hours, then check the level and the area under the shower. If the water line moves or anything underneath is damp, we fix it then, when it is a one hour repair rather than a demolition. Ask any contractor for a photo of the flood test. If they do not do one, keep looking.
Pensacola conditions that make waterproofing matter more
Our humidity means a wet mortar bed never fully dries, so old style showers fail faster here than up north. Slab homes have no crawlspace where a leak can be noticed before it does damage. Elevated beach homes have wood subfloors that rot quietly. Each of those makes the surface bonded system the right choice for a Gulf Coast shower.
Questions to ask any tile contractor before you hire them
- What waterproofing system will you use on the walls and the floor, and can I see it installed before tile goes on?
- Will you flood test the pan, and will you send me a photo?
- How do you waterproof the niche, the bench, and the curb?
- Is the drain bonded to the membrane, or does it rely on weep holes?
- Are you licensed and insured in Florida, and can you send the certificate?
- Will the estimate itemize waterproofing separately so I can compare it with other bids?
See it done right
Every custom tile shower we build in Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Pace, and Milton uses the system described here, and we photograph the membrane and the flood test for your records. Start the free estimate form or call (850) 633-8020 to talk through your shower, and read what drives shower cost before you compare bids.
Ready for a real number?
See our showers & bathroom remodeling in Pensacola or request a free written estimate.