Custom Shower, Soap/Shampoo Niche

acerunner

I am doing a custom shower. I want to make a niche to place soap/shampoo etc. I typically see small shallow ones like this:
http://www.shower-stalls.com/marble-424.jpg

I assume to fit in the stud bay. However, I have a large void behind the wall, so I want to take advantage of the space. So I wanted to have a rather deep niche (~1ft), as well as wider and taller, and maybe tile shelves into it. Is that a good idea? I've been told that its not because the larger surface will be more prone to leaking.

Also, what is the proper way to frame a typical niche?

drevil

See here:

http://www.danielskitchenbath.com/Sh...er%20dish.html

Bud Cline

You can build any size niche you wish. Frame it with 2X4, slope the bottom 2X for drainage, clad it with cement board, caulk the seams then waterproof it with liquid waterproofing. Easy to do, not a big deal.

There are also many pre-made niches but they are all made to fit in a stud-bay. So if it is custom you want, build it yourself.

LIHR

There's nothing like a custom shelf to set your shower apart from those pre-fabs.

As stated above, follow the waterproofing steps, and I like switching up the rear niche tile with a different tile and having my natural stone fabricator cut me custom shelves from a huge choice of remnant left overs laying around the shop.

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