[Thomas Kleaton]

I am using 6 X 6 natural stone tile for shower, tiling from floor to ceiling. I installed Durock cement board with no vinyl behind it; I will be applying Redguard directly to cement board. I have three questions...1. I am installing a recessed niche in the rear wall of the shower, and want to know if I can Redguard over a portion of the cement board below the niche, install a couple of rows of tile, and then build the frame for the niche (allowing for the thickness of cement board installed over it), install the rest of the cement board, and then Redguard the rest.

2. Does the outline of the niche need to be exactly on the grout lines side-to-side and top-to-bottom?

And 3. I see photos of finished showers, and there are no grout lines in the corners. Can someone explain why?

It isn't done yet in the photo, but the seams and corners will be taped and mudded with thin set.

 

[Jim F]

I think you would be better off planning your tile layout floor to ceiling while considering the best tile layout to include the niche. The niche doesn't necessarily have to be exactly on grout lines but may look better if it is planned that way. If you use bull nose tiles on the outer corners of your niche, the grout lines will be just inside the niche which gives a a more finished look.

There are lots of videos on building showers and niches on YouTube, you just need to find one that best fits your situation and read the comments because some of the videos are made by people who don't know what they are doing and people will call the out on it in the comments. If they have disabled the comments, that's a big red flag.