Designing a Shower in Small Bathroom

Often the shower needs to be designed in a way that will make a better use of space because it is just what you don't have. We talk about small bathrooms. If it is a typical rectangle, you might have a problem to move around the toilet and vanity. It doesn't have to be a rectangle. It might have a non-typical shape. The tradesman who will lay tiles would ask you anyway and you need to be able to draw the layout on the floor.




First things first - Demolition 
If you can do it yourself, that is the first saving in a row that you can make. Just be prepared to 'eat dust' for a few days.


Get rid of the old tiles. Small ones like these on the floor usually go off easily. The concrete underneath them might be harder nut to crack.

Then the wall tiles must go

Once the wall and floor is stripped of tiles and surfaces made even, it needs to be waterproofed. Paintshops will tell you what to use and what mesh tape to use in the corners. It's an easy job even for an amateur. But it needs to be done well. Very important step.

Now you have to decide what kind of shower you want and you need to mark exactly where it will be. 
Because there are two drain outlets, there will be a different angle on both of them. And the angle in the shower further depends on whether you want frameless, semi-framed or framed shower.

This one was to be frameless and tiler wanted lines where the glass will be. Then the tiler can do the concrete bedding with different descent angles to the drain holes.

Floor bedding with different descent angles for both drains

When that is done and dry, it is strongly advisable to waterproof the concrete bed AGAIN. This is a matter of standards. In Australia (and probably many other countries) most tradies will tell you that you don't need it. They would charge you extra anyway. However for the piece of your mind I did the second waterproofing myself (in addition to his under the concrete bed).

Second layer of waterproofing on the mortar floor bed

  The reason for this is that the rough floor at the bottom (the one after demolition) migh be lower than the actual drainage outlet. Have a look at the following drawing:

If by any chance water should get through the tiling (it shouldn't, but it might after some time), the mortar bed will not stop it. It would go down to the waterproofing layer underneath it. But then, if the rough bed is going "up hill" to the drain outlet, any water will get stuck there and slowly destroy the floor. You can see this scenario on the picture on the left.

However, if you have a second layer of waterproofing ON TOP of the mortar bed, any water getting through the tile will be stopped and led to the drain. If would not get to the bedding at all.



Only then the tiles can be done.

This shower was designed with hinges to be at 120 degree angle (and that's what these particular hinges actually need so design with that in mind).  

It was to be made of a 10mm glass sheets that are rather heavy and so it is better when the door is hinged from the more solid wall (and not from a "corner" like in this case).

A strengthening bar was used because the wall on the left was partly soft and it was a wall corner. That's about $80 extra. 

The completed shower

Freshly completed shower with a sticker note saying not to touch it untill it's dry

The shower rail of course needs to be done separately. That's a different job.