Category: Shower Installation & Repairs

I spent three decades in the trenches of residential remodeling, and I have seen more failed shower pans than most men have seen sunsets. Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor…

Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. That same philosophy applies to your bathroom. When a shower door won’t stay closed, people look at the handle…

The physics of the screeching hinge Friction is the primary cause of squeaks in shower hinges, occurring when the internal pivot pin loses lubrication or the metal leaves rub against each other. This often signals a lack of alignment or the buildup of calcified minerals from hard water, which acts as an abrasive against the…

I am standing here with the smell of WD-40 and oak dust on my shirt, looking at a bathroom floor that has been completely compromised by a plumbing issue most homeowners ignore until the tile starts to pop. You might think a slow drain is just a minor annoyance, but as a guy who has…

I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. Most guys skip the leveling compound because it is a messy job that eats up their margins. They think the underlayment will hide the dip. It won’t. I have seen it a thousand times where…

I have spent twenty five years on my knees with a moisture meter and a level. My hands are stained with grout and my lungs have tasted more oak dust than fresh air. I smell like WD-40 and old copper pipe. People think flooring and tile are about the look, but it is all about…

The tragedy of the level shelf and the mold it brings Most guys skip the leveling compound and they think the underlayment will hide the dip in a floor. It won’t. I spent three days grinding concrete on a job last month just so the floor wouldn’t click like a castanet. That same mechanical obsession…

I smell like WD-40 and oak dust most days, and I have spent more hours on my knees with a four-foot level than I have at my own dinner table. I do not care about the trendy patterns of your tile or how expensive your fixtures were if your shower floor sounds like a haunted…

Why your shower niche is collecting water and how to slope it I spent three days grinding concrete and rebuilding a shower floor on a job last month just so the floor would not click like a castanet and the water would actually find the drain. Most guys skip the leveling compound. They think the…

The surgical approach to shower plumbing Replacing a shower drain without tearing out the floor is accomplished by accessing the plumbing through the ceiling below or by utilizing an internal PVC pipe cutter to remove the old flange from above. These methods allow you to preserve the integrity of your tile and waterproofing membrane while…