Is Shower Niche A Good Idea?
With the availability of bathroom containers, storage racks and shower caddies, most homeowners never think about tile shower niche. Most people ask, are shower niches a good idea, and are shower niches worth it? When you think about the drawbacks of the alternatives, installing a niche in the shower is a great idea. It doesn’t take up bathroom space and offers a long-term solution that keeps your bathroom space organized.
As you ponder whether to install a shower niche or not, it is good to understand what it is and what it can do. A shower niche is an open storage space, such as a cubbyhole. It is installed in the wall of the bathroom or tub area. This unique bathroom wall modification can help organize and declutter an unorganized or crowded bathroom. You can have the niche in the shower or installed in a bathtub surround.
How do I choose a shower niche? Read through this post and use the provided resources to learn how to get the bathroom niche installed perfectly.
Where The Shower Niche Should Be Placed
Getting everything right the first time is very important when installing a shower niche. You don’t want to incur more costs redoing the work. As you get ready for the installation, you need to consider more than just the shower niche height off the floor.
- Ideal height
The number one thing you must do is think about the shower niche size and height. Any experienced contractor will tell you right away that the ideal height is about 5 feet or 60 inches from the floor. The size of the niche shower can be anywhere from 24 inches to more than 30 inches. To achieve the perfect niche height shower, make sure the top edge is at your eye level. Always put practicality ahead of aesthetics. You don’t want a beautiful niche that is impractical, do you? - Spacing
Does the shower niche need to be centred? The answer is yes. The niche has to be spaced properly for your bathroom items to fit and balance well. If you go for a prefab niche, ensure it has enough space for your shampoo bottles. - Placement
As you choose the ideal location, don’t install it on an outside wall. If not installed properly, moisture can condense behind the niche. You must also beware of utilities and splash zones.Installing a shower niche can be risky and complicated. To avoid costly mistakes, always get expert help.
Other considerations include:
The answer is a resounding yes. Everything with a recess, groove or niche in the bathroom has to be waterproofed. There should also be no leakage through the niche sill into the wall. Waterproofing helps prevent mould growth inside and behind the shower niche. Consider working with an expert.
Shower Niche Mistakes To Avoid
It’s frightening to learn about the shower niche installation mistakes people make. Some mistakes cause inconveniences, while others are catastrophic. As you learn how to install a niche in the shower wall, you need to pay attention to the shower niche problems too. The last thing you want is to make the same mistake that costs your neighbour a ton of money.
A ton of mistakes can happen in a typical shower remodel. This is more so if the contractor is building a custom shower niche. Even when you want to take the safer route of installing a pre-made tiling niche, you still have to learn how to install a preformed shower niche and adhere to several rules and procedures. Following the right steps can help avoid a ton of problems, including moisture problems and cracks. If you are now committed to installing a new shower niche, avoid making these dire mistakes.
You Don’t Need An Outside Wall
It is important to install a finished or tiled shower niche in a wall that isn’t an outside-facing wall. Moisture can condense behind the niche easily if it is not installed properly. Needless to say, the shower environment is very moist, and moisture will move to the stud cavity through the wall tiles, tile backer and the tiled shower niche. The extent of moisture permeability depends on the type of waterproofing membrane and the type of shower niche.
Integration Of Waterproofing Membrane Is Important
For waterproofing, ensure you select a shower niche with an integrated waterproofing membrane bonding flange. Membrane bonding flanges are mounted on the backer board surface using screws. The waterproofing membrane is attached to the top surface of the flange.
The second option is the tillable foam shower niche with ½ inch thick foam perimeter flange that works as a mounting flange. The difference is this flange is mounted on framing and not a backer board surface. The flanges maintain the integrity of the shower wall waterproofing membrane.
Skipping The Waterproofing At All
Skipping waterproofing is the worst mistake that can be made when installing a custom shower niche. While a newly installed niche may look sturdy, solid and waterproof, you must never make that assumption. If waterproofing is not installed properly, even the tightest joints will not keep water from penetrating. This is thanks to constant water exposure in the bathroom. Cracking, dry rot and mould growth will follow. A waterproofing membrane will keep moisture from getting into the walls.
Avoid Retrofit Shower Niches
Retrofit shower niches are products installed in the process of a new shower remodel project. It is done after the shower wall tile has been installed and grouted. A hole can be left for a retrofit shower niche to be inserted later. The niche is later placed in the hole and pressed against the tile. A small amount of silicone is used in the perimeter. This is never enough for waterproofing. The lack of membrane bonding leads to moisture problems.
Be Careful Will Wall Structure
Another major mistake made in the construction of a custom horizontal tile niche compromises the wall’s structural integrity. Horizontal niches are considered the most luxurious and can span across an entire shower wall to offer more storage space. If not done properly, the horizontal niches may end up compromising the structural integrity of a wall. This may lead to tile delamination, grout cracking or waterproofing membrane failure. Work with an expert to protect your wall during installation.
Questions To Ask Yourself Before Installing And Designing Shower Niches
- How Do You Pick the Right Wall for a Shower Niche?
Selecting the right wall for your shower niche is more important than aesthetics. You must ensure the design or layout will not interfere with the electrical and plumbing installed behind the wall. It is also a general rule not to install a niche on an outside wall, more so if you reside in an area that has a cold climate. Keep in mind that shower niches are the most prone to moisture even when they are waterproofed properly. - What is The Best Way to Position a Shower Niche?
Select a position that makes it easy for you to access your products from the shower niche. If your priority is practicality, answer this key question: Are you worried about water spraying onto the niche constantly? If yes, you should install the niche further away from the valve wall. The niche should be away from the splash zone because more moisture may end up penetrating into the shower stud wall as well as necessitate additional cleaning to prevent mildew. - What Are the Advantages of Shower Niche?
The key advantage of a shower niche is it is more durable than alternatives like storage racks and bathroom containers. You can also get a custom shower niche that is as big as you want as well as go for either a ready shower niche or a preformed niche. Another advantage is shower niches don’t take up any bathroom space. They are installed into the wall. To get the most from your niche shower, get it installed by a professional.
How To Tile A Shower Niche In Your Bathroom?
If you prefer to install your shower niche tile by tile rather than using the fully designed and complete niche available in the stores, there are a couple of things you will have to do. The first is to ensure you use a sufficient amount of thin-set cement behind the tiles. Doing so guarantees there are no air pockets or hollow areas behind the tiles. Air pockets/hollow areas make the tiles susceptible to breakage. Knock each tile gently to ensure there are no air pockets left inside. If the tiles cure with air pockets inside, the only solution is to redo the work, and that can be expensive.
The bathroom has high moisture levels. Making sure water drains from the shower niche easily is important. Use a bubble level or laser level tool to ensure water doesn’t collect on the sill. Proper drainage will prevent mould or moss buildup.
If your shower niche is big enough to accommodate an additional compartment or level, go for it. An additional level will help double the storage. You, however, need to ensure the space can fit your shampoo or conditioner bottles easily.
Whether you are renovating your bathroom or building a shower niche from scratch, if you are having trouble selecting the best tile design and fixture, we are happy to help. Our team knows which tiles work best for your type of bathroom, where to install the shower niche and how to guarantee the niche serves you for decades. Installing a beautiful shower niche is what we do best. We are more than happy to share friendly advice on new installations and renovations. The best part is we are experts, and we have the tools and skills needed to give you the best possible results in a shower niche.
Shower Niche Ideas Everyone Can Benefit From
There are many shower niche ideas 2022 to pick from but selecting the final idea is never a walk in the park. You will always worry about choosing an idea that ends up tarnishing the aesthetics of your bathroom. Your budget, size of bathroom and where you want the niche to be installed will also affect your options. The good news, however, is that there are experts who can help make the best choice. In addition to that, taking a look at some of the best shower niche ideas will give you much-needed inspiration. If you are not sure which idea to implement, the following shower niche ideas will benefit you a lot. Take a look.
Framed Bathroom Shower Niches
Do you want a shower niche that truly stands out? If you do, the best idea to use in 2022 is to get your shower niche framed. You can highlight the shower niche with a black frame or any colour that complements the theme of your bathroom.
Contrasting Shower Niches
If you need a shower niche that draws attention to the shower, what you need is a shower niche lined with contrasting colours and materials. The contrasting look makes the niche hard to miss. If your shower walls are lighter, you can line the niche with darker materials and vice versa if the walls are darker.
Bathroom Shower Niches With Shelves
A vertical shower niche offers more room for levels. To make the most of the space, include several shelves. The shelves can be made of the same material as the shower niche or a different material like glass. Make sure the height of each level is sufficient to accommodate your bathroom items. The shelving material must also be sturdy.
Shower Niche With Mosaic Tiles
Shower niches offer the best way to play with patterns. To make your niche stand out, you can introduce textures as well as combine multiple colours. This can be achieved with mosaic tiles. You can combine natural finish tiles with classy metal mosaic tiles for a remarkable final look.
Blend-in Shower Niches
For a seamless shower niche finish, you should think about using the same tiles as the ones used on your bathroom walls. Using the same tiles in the walls and niche will create a perfect blend. This kind of shower niche will not divert attention from other focal points like your hexagonal tile accent wall or vertical window.
Over the Wall Bathroom Shower Niche
The best thing about shower niches is you can make them as big as you want. If you need more storage space, consider installing the niche across a whole wall. This option is a superb option for both large and small showers. The best thing about these types of shower niches is they add depth, which makes your bathroom appear bigger.
