Oh yeah, I hear ya, ephnright. Look I'm still showering every morning in the same original shower the builders put into my house back in 1960! OK, a few minor leaks here and there - but the construction was the old plaster-and-lath everywhere and one of the three coats of plaster was good enough in those days to provide sufficient waterproofing. And over the years with regrouting and all, it has stood the test of time.
But nowadays, showers are built out of regular gyproc, maybe cbu and most are tiled over. Greenboard wasn't the answer, more people are taking longer and harder showers and, while grout still leaks, the drainage - and therefore drying - of the surface underneath the tiles is less than adequate, and the water and water vapour behind them causes mould. And most showers are like the one you made, are still being made and will continue to be so.
But time and labour are different these days and people are looking more and more towards professionals to build them a shower that'll last and not create mould. House are tighter, allergies and asthma are up so it's become a health issue almost.
Nowadays, we have the technology to make showers outlast the occupants by 20+ years, it's cost effective and doable, so it is getting done. Membranes are becoming the minimum code for installers who do not want a call-back in their lifetime. Schluter, Noble, RedGuard are all becoming very familiar words not only with installers who keep up with the technology - but with homeowners...as the other forum will testify.
Used to be a time when 4"x4" tiles were the standard because they were cheap at 4 cents each. Nowadays people think nothing of $20 travertine, marble or soapstone...some even drop $12 on slate...so it's no longer cheap to replace it. And what's the same cause? moisture.
Hence waterproofing. I'm not knocking you or what you have done - just looking at it from a different viewpoint.
Last edited by ccarlisle; 11-04-2009 at 08:22 AM.
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