Cracked tile on shower curb

[branimal]

The tenants cracked the tile on the shower curb. I have no idea how they managed to do that. Fortunately I have the tile on hand.

Unfortunately the repair doesn't look easy. I have to remove the sliding shower glass panel, remove the bottom track, and remove the small return panel.

How do I get the tile out without damaging the schluter curb underneath? I can reapply some schluter waterproofing band. Or maybe even some Redguard.

 

[cgrutt]

Ugh that looks like a difficult repair are you going to replace the "riser" (I'm not sure what it's actually called) on face too? If so hopefully there is enough gap with floor tile. I can't make out how that was put on it almost looks like particle board on my phone and I don't see any mastic or thinset under broken chip. Anyway track and door needs to come off. Hopefully you can pop tile off after door is removed. I'd obviously try to avoid tearing or damaging underlayment if it's waterproofing membrane. Unfortunately I think you just have to start taking it apart and see how it goes.

An easier (but not better) option might just be trying to repair it with a colored epoxy or automotive bondo and gel coat. The bondo really isn't waterproof though and may fail there. Fiberglass resin and gel coat may work better if you decide to go that route. You can probably match the veins OK with gel coat tints if you're creative. Good luck.

 

[djbmw]

That *****... and wont be a fun job. Your best bet is to carefully make several more cracks in the tile so that you can start to remove the pieces. A gentle tap from a hammer claw should do it. I would then use a reciprocating saw with a chisel/scraper attachment to get between the tile and the thinset. Of course, this is after you've removed the door and walls. This isnt going to be a fun job, unfortunately.

 

[cgrutt]

I would just try popping it off with cold chisel and hammer you might get lucky. Chisel on a rotary hammer (set to hammer only) may work or scraper blade on oscillating tool but need to try not to damage waterproofing membrane if it has one...

 

[JSGAuto]

I'd be prepared to patch with a strip of kerdi & All Set . It will be as waterproof as originally, but will add another day to the repair, and another $100

 

[branimal]

I'd be prepared to patch with a strip of kerdi & All Set . It will be as waterproof as originally, but will add another day to the repair, and another $100

I have kerdi band on hand. What's the advantage of kerdi Allset vs unmodified thinset? Schluter always recommended unmodified thinset for bonding in the past FWIR.

Fiberglass resin and gel coat may work better if you decide to go that route. You can probably match the veins OK with gel coat tints if you're creative. Good luck.

Debating using a hammer drill on hammer vs hitting the easy button and filling the chipped pieces with Fiberglass resin and gel coat.


Thanks for the responses. Yeah I'm not looking forward to this at all....

 

[JSGAuto]

I have kerdi band on hand. What's the advantage of kerdi Allset vs unmodified thinset? Schluter always recommended unmodified thinset for bonding in the past FWIR.

I've just stuck with using the same brand products together, in my mind it should avoid any issues.

Allset is modified. It feels stickier then other thinsets, for whatever thats worth.

 

[duneslider]

This is a rental house? That the next tenants won't give a s&*^ about? I would smooth off sharp edges, remove any loose pieces and grout it. I would clean it really good first, it game me a little bit of the ickies just looking at the pictures.

 

[nmk_61802]

This is a rental house? That the next tenants won't give a s&*^ about? I would smooth off sharp edges, remove any loose pieces and grout it. I would clean it really good first, it game me a little bit of the ickies just looking at the pictures.

This is probably a really good option....If it weren't a rental, I would remove all the tile at the top of the curb and use a solid material. Grout joints in this location are a terrible idea.

 

[Fav Onefour]

Removing the tile isn't too bad. I just did the exact process on a Kerdi pan.
Patience is your friend. Gentle whacks on the tile to get it in smaller pieces is the key. Don't pry against the curb. Do a lift - pry to peel off the chunks. I used the 90 degree end on a small pry bar to carefully scrape mortar off the Kerdi. I was able to remove the tile and mortar without touching the sealing membrane. It did pull some felt but not enough to affect adhesion for reapplication.

Might be worth redoing the whole curb if you're already in that deep. Those unprotected tile edges aren't doing you any favors. It helps to use product like the kerdi edge along the 90.

 

[branimal]

Removing the tile isn't too bad. I just did the exact process on a Kerdi pan.
Patience is your friend. Gentle whacks on the tile to get it in smaller pieces is the key. Don't pry against the curb. Do a lift - pry to peel off the chunks. I used the 90 degree end on a small pry bar to carefully scrape mortar off the Kerdi. I was able to remove the tile and mortar without touching the sealing membrane. It did pull some felt but not enough to affect adhesion for reapplication.

Might be worth redoing the whole curb if you're already in that deep. Those unprotected tile edges aren't doing you any favors. It helps to use product like the kerdi edge along the 90.

I know the unprotected edges hurt to look at. It was my first tile project. Now I use schluter profiles to trim out curbs, niches, inside/outside corners etc. Once everything is set and grouted, I'll put some clear silicone on those edges.

 

[Fav Onefour]

I know the unprotected edges hurt to look at. It was my first tile project. Now I use schluter profiles to trim out curbs, niches, inside/outside corners etc. Once everything is set and grouted, I'll put some clear silicone on those edges.

I mentioned the edge profile more for the protection. They help if someone clangs stuff on the tile edge.
I deal with renters and it's hard to predict some of the stuff they will wreck. The edge might be a little bit of insurance.

 

[TRWham]

That's an enormous curb and it's probably flexing under the tile when they step on it and causing the tile to fail. They would simply step over a smaller curb and Kerdi offers no stiffness in the way Ditra does. I am afraid you will be chasing issues with that curb for the some time into the future.

Schluter calls for Allset because unmodified thinset under Ditra or Kerdi will not cure when the membrane is installed direct to subfloor because the wood absorbs water out of the mix and inhibits curing of the cement. Conversely, if you use conventional modified between tile and a membrane it cannot dry and doesn't cure. You can use unmodified or any Schluter thinset to install tile to the membrane.

How is that curb built and what thinset did you use?

 

[branimal]

That's an enormous curb and it's probably flexing under the tile when they step on it and causing the tile to fail. They would simply step over a smaller curb and Kerdi offers no stiffness in the way Ditra does. I am afraid you will be chasing issues with that curb for the some time into the future.

Schluter calls for Allset because unmodified thinset under Ditra or Kerdi will not cure when the membrane is installed direct to subfloor because the wood absorbs water out of the mix and inhibits curing of the cement. Conversely, if you use conventional modified between tile and a membrane it cannot dry and doesn't cure. You can use unmodified or any Schluter thinset to install tile to the membrane.

How is that curb built and what thinset did you use?

That is a Schluter Kerdi Prefabricated waterproof shower curb. ---> Curb link. Yeah it was oddly huge.

IIRC The directions called to bond the schluter shower tray and curb directly to 1/4" cement board with unmodified thinset. This was 2018.

 

[duneslider]

The curb is in no way flexing and that is not the problem, I used to have pictures of fork lifts driving up a schluter foam ramp covered with tile. Someone did something STUPID and that's it. If it were my own house, sure I would do it right but it's a rental and the next people won't care and it's gonna take way more time to fix it than just cleaning it up and grouting it. Schluter trim is an acquired taste. I still like tile edges when it makes sense. My shower curb is all tile and I mitered all the edges for a nice clean look. Sure, if someone drops something on the tile it will break but that can happen with schluter trim too.

 

[TRWham]

That is a Schluter Kerdi Prefabricated waterproof shower curb. ---> Curb link. Yeah it was oddly huge.

IIRC The directions called to bond the schluter shower tray and curb directly to 1/4" cement board with unmodified thinset. This was 2018.

Maybe it's an optical illusion but it looks much bigger than a normal Kerdi curb. We usually build curbs out of 2x4s and apply Kerdi, but we also usually make them as small as we can. Unmodified would be correct for your application.

 

[TRWham]

The curb is in no way flexing and that is not the problem, I used to have pictures of fork lifts driving up a schluter foam ramp covered with tile....

And probably with Ditra rather than Kerdi. Ditra is the key to a stiff tile floor.

 

[duneslider]

And probably with Ditra rather than Kerdi. Ditra is the key to a stiff tile floor.

Nope, kerdi goes over the foam typically. We did it as a test at CTEF to prove a point that the foam was more than suitable under a shower floor and on the curb. Handled cars without any issues so we moved up to the fork lift just to see but that was back in the day of flip phones and I can't track down the pictures anymore.

If the floor isn't already stiff the ditra won't help much.

 

[TRWham]

....

If the floor isn't already stiff the ditra won't help much.

In my experience it makes a huge difference, but only on an otherwise adequate subfloor. There is a large increase in stiffness for 3/4" plywood or OSB with DItra vs without. We have done a couple of projects on 1/2" ply with a second layer added and screwed as prescribed by Schluter and they are also much stiffer with the Ditra than before.

You may be right about the foam in this case, but I had no idea how the curb was constructed. We use some Kerdi pans and Kerdi board for walls and benches, but mostly build up curbs.

 

[Fav Onefour]

The new products come with kerdi adhered right to the foam. Pan and curb assemblies.
When I use their curb I cut the bottom down to height spec on the table saw. (Min. 2" above pan) In most cases that means at least a couple inches shorter.

I've done a number of tile jobs with the stuff. I've also made 2X4 curbs and wrapped them. I've found that there isn't a need for the extra work. The forces that would cause flex would also break tiles on the 2X4 versions. Make sure you have a solid substrate and the stuff works.
Some people are just plain hard on stuff. I have long ago ceased to be amazed. I bet we could do an interesting sub discussion about all that junk.

 

[branimal]

Maybe it's an optical illusion but it looks much bigger than a normal Kerdi curb. We usually build curbs out of 2x4s and apply Kerdi, but we also usually make them as small as we can. Unmodified would be correct for your application.

What height are you making curbs out of 2x4s? Last one I did was 4.5" (3 2x4s) + 1/4" Cement board + Tile. So just over 5".

I stopped using Schluter shower pans. Last shower I did deck mud + schluter membrane on the floors. Cement board and redguard on the walls. Schluter bands on the seams to tie it all in. Yeah its not "compatible". But one of the Schluter field reps told me it'll work just fine.

I do use Schluter's linear drains. Makes the deck mud process a lot easier for a rookie.

 

[TRWham]

What height are you making curbs out of 2x4s? Last one I did was 4.5" (3 2x4s) + 1/4" Cement board + Tile. So just over 5".

I stopped using Schluter shower pans. Last shower I did deck mud + schluter membrane on the floors. Cement board and redguard on the walls. Schluter bands on the seams to tie it all in. Yeah its not "compatible". But one of the Schluter field reps told me it'll work just fine.

I do use Schluter's linear drains. Makes the deck mud process a lot easier for a rookie.

Usually 1 or 2 boards high and wrap in Kerdi (no backer board added) depending on how high the client wants. We also do a few curbless tile showers every year, usually a single plane sloped back to a linear drain. Some of our tile pans are mud and some are Kerdi bases that may or may not be modified.