[Jason Dunkin]

I need advise on replacing the tile in our shower. As you can see in the attached pic there is a bit of crack. I'm thinking about carefully popping off the old tile and cleaning up as much old thinset as I can and put down new tile. The question is,
a. can I just redo the tile or
b. it is best to start over (replace the pan, the liner, the mortar bed and start over)
c. or it depends on the condition of the pan once I remove the tile

Any help is much appreciated for a diyer like me.

Regards
Jason

 

[chandler48]

A lot of questions that need answering. Are the walls acrylic and in pieces? If the pan has a liner, it will (or should)go up the wall behind the shower walls. Any way to discern this? The tiles may be a little large for this shower and the slope needed in the short space. If you plan on doing this anyway, pull up a couple of tile and see what is under it, posting pictures here as you go. However, you need to be prepared to redo the entire shower, walls and all if conditions deteriorate beyond the surface.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

Walls are acrylic 3 peices ( 2 sides and 1 back).
Pan has a liner
The shower is 36" x 60".
Since I havent started the demo there are lot I dont know yet.

 

[chandler48]

It may be possible to remove the tile, determine if the final pack can be salvaged, reconstruct that and relay your tile. Post pictures as you go, please.

 

[jeffnc]

The tiles may be a little large for this shower and the slope needed in the short space.

This doesn't really seem possible to me, given the position of the tile to the drain. It might slope relatively quickly there, but it should also be relatively flat, but I don't see any reason there would be forces on it that would make it crack north/south like that. It could be a poorly laid tile (spotty thinset coverage), or a problem with the substrate, or even a tile that was stress cracked right out of the box and finally showed after time?

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Jeff...Assuming rubber membrane on the preslope which you say you know....I see no reason you can't do just what you propose.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

I did the demo today. I removed the door, acrylic panels, the curb tile and the floor tiles. Attached is the picture of the floor after the tiles are removed. So the question to the experts is
a. Can I fix the small patches with mortar/thinset and lay new tiles over the floor?
(patch the pan liner so that it covers the entire curb all the way to the floor, put curb dams, put Redgard to seal the whole thing)
or
b. Remove the bed and start over with a new pan liner and mortar bed

Option a is what I'm leaning against as I dont see much water damage or cracks in the bed.

(first pic is where all the tiles are removed, 2nd pic is where I'm removing the files)

Thanks in advance.
Jason

 

[Jason Dunkin]

Close up of the bed after all the tiles are removed.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

Another close up of the bed while I'm removing the tiles.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

close up of the edge of the pan

 

[jeffnc]

Does anyone notice that pale, faint line that runs from the wall to the drain right where the cracked tiles were? I wonder if that is a cause of the cracks, or an artifact from them cracking.

 

[chandler48]

I don't see it, but your eyes are probably better than mine. If I were doing it at this handicap, I would install the walls, and pack in another slope to compensate for the damage, and install new, smaller tile. The berm and the drain cause me problems, however, so since it is in this state, I would pull it all out from drain to ceiling and start over. At least you could be assured a non leaking, non cracking job.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

Close up pic of the line.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

Looks like grout lines to me.

 

[Jason Dunkin]

My gut feeling is to just patch the small indentations with thinset and patch a new liner so that it covers the curb 2x4s. Then mortor the curb and apply 3 coats of Redgard to cover the pan and the curb. The Regard will not only make it waterproof but also act has a crack prevention membrane.

 

[jeffnc]

I don't see anything unusual in the closeup pic.