Your Shower Can Look Perfect And Still Be Failing.

Aug 28

3 min read

FROM THE PROS | RICHARD JENKINS — TILE & WATERPROOFING

The tile is straight. The grout looks clean. Nothing appears to be wrong.

But behind that finished surface is an entire system you'll never see and if it wasn't built correctly, the first sign of trouble may come long after the job is finished.

For this edition of From the Pros, we asked Master Tile Contractor Richard Jenkins what homeowners should know about waterproofing, installation shortcuts, and what really matters before the first tile ever goes up.

THE TILE ISN'T WHAT KEEPS YOUR SHOWER FROM LEAKING

One of the biggest misconceptions about tiled showers is that the tile and grout create the waterproof barrier.

They don't.

Tile and grout are the finished surface. A properly constructed shower relies on a waterproofing system behind or directly beneath the tile to manage water and protect the surrounding structure. Richard says,

"Homeowners spend a lot of time choosing the tile. I want them to care just as much about what's going behind it. That's the part that's protecting their home."

Once the shower is finished, that critical work disappears—which is exactly why it matters how the shower was built, not simply how it looks.

BEAUTIFUL TILE DOESN'T GUARANTEE A GOOD INSTALLATION

A successful shower starts long before anyone opens a box of tile.

The substrate needs to be properly prepared. The waterproofing system needs to be correctly installed. Seams, corners, niches, curbs and plumbing penetrations require careful attention. And the tile needs appropriate mortar coverage and support.

Shortcuts in any of those areas can be hidden by a beautiful finished surface. Richard says,

"An installer may be able to make the finished installation look good. The real test is what you would see if we took the tile back off."

Insufficient mortar coverage is one example Richard encounters when evaluating failed installations. Tile, particularly large-format tile or heavy natural stone, shouldn't be held by a few isolated blobs of mortar, leaving significant voids behind it.

By the time the homeowner sees the finished wall, however, all of that is hidden.

ASK WHAT'S GOING BEHIND YOUR TILE

You don't need to become a tile installer before hiring one. But you should understand enough to ask good questions.

Richard recommends asking:

What waterproofing system are you using?

How will the niche, curb, corners and plumbing penetrations be waterproofed?
How will the tile be bonded, and what mortar coverage is required?
Have you worked with this type and size of tile before?
And one of the simplest questions may be one of the most revealing:
Why are you doing it that way?

"A homeowner shouldn't be afraid to ask questions. If someone knows their trade, they should be able to explain what they're doing and why they're doing it."

Consider asking for progress photos before the waterproofing and other critical components disappear behind the finished tile. You're not trying to manage the project yourself, you're documenting work that may never be visible again.

WHEN SOMETHING KEEPS COMING BACK, ASK WHY

A cracked grout joint or failed bead of silicone doesn't automatically mean a shower has a major problem.

But recurring issues deserve attention.

Movement, repeatedly cracking grout, loose tile, persistent moisture, unexplained discoloration or water appearing outside the shower shouldn't automatically be dismissed as cosmetic. Richard says,

"If you keep repairing the same thing and it keeps failing, stop treating the symptom. Something is causing it."

The visible problem may simply be telling you to look deeper.

WHAT RICHARD WANTS HOMEOWNERS TO REMEMBER

Choosing tile is the fun part of a shower renovation. But the material you see is only one part of the installation.

Ask about the waterproofing. Ask about preparation. Ask how your particular material will be installed. And hire someone who can confidently explain the process.