Shower Bench Tile Failure --- Waterproofing Done Wrong

Tiled shower benches are a common area to see water damage from being incorrectly installed. When installers do not properly waterproof the hardiebacker or other tile board, water can wick through the board and cause tiles and grout to crack.
To see the video finding the leak in the hot mop:
• FAILED TILE SHOWER LEA...
For the Tile Liquidators showroom opportunity: bit.ly/tileusyoutube

[@TileCoach]

Here is the link for the Tile Liquidators showroom opportunity bit.ly/tileusyoutube

[@martyjay557]

I had to completely tear out my shower just after the guys said it was done. He used silicone to hold some tiles in and spot covered the thinset on all the others. I'm just a diy guy but after watching your videos I knew the guy was a scam artist. Thanks for helping me spot all his mistakes just through what I learned on your channel!

[@TileCoach]

@@martyjay557 oh man! Glad it helped

[@ericnewton5720]

How about that link to the TCNA recommendations for the shower seat ? I can’t seem to find it myself

[@paradoxdea]

You don't do "piece meal work." I highly respect that. Your level of uncertainty to the home owner with respect to the glass door is refreshing. Great video!!

[@MicahFunk]

Awesome job in using the air scrubber properly! It's more important than most people realize it is.

[@TileCoach]

Thanks, it is!

[@garygushue4273]

That's really sad how people in the shower installs do work. Unbelievable when I seen the baker board & not continue to the floor. Just unreal, not sure if it was me or the camera but it looks like they didn't grout the floor or the walls? The leveling to me is sickening. Good job to you & your crew sir. I forgot your name sorry, been to busy. Sorry but I had to give up the tile installs for over 2 years now. My knee gave out & surgery is not a option for me. I miss it @ times but doing what I enjoy now working on the cars. ☮️🙏🤟🤙

[@Imwright720]

Clearly I’ve never done it right. I guess I’ve been lucky. I have a 2 story and no problems with leaks. The shower I did upstairs was back in 2000. I’m doing another one upstairs and I will do much better. Watching all your videos.

[@TileCoach]

Thanks for sharing

[@Christa10]

Excellent love to see you make a difference.

[@steverodgers9206]

I can’t believe how some people go so far off the instructions or the way things should be done to secure tile over hot mop. I’m no pro, but I’ve seen almost every video from Tile coach, Sal diblasi, home repair tile, etc they put out and I know not to do that. I research all the products and methods of how to install, so I really appreciate Tile coach, Sal, etc. for testing a lot out for us. Just baffles me. I mean you already went through the trouble to put up hardi, a backing, and then hot mop and tile over that. So many steps! Why not just gut it (which you have to do anyways to start), take a level check your studs, and if they’re not all touching just sister a new piece of wood the length of the shower wall and make it all flush if it’s just one stud, and put your waterproofed no fuss no mess schluter, hydroban, etc on and screw it down and get going with the rest of it. It’s literally the same amount of work, but it’s much easier work. I’d rather sister in new studs to make the walls flat because it’s just screwing into the existing framing with new wood or hell even just planing out the odd stud out or all of them if need be, and not have to take my time to make a hot mop mixture and sweep it everywhere and hope it holds. I feel sorry for the homeowner! Glad they have someone whose experienced now to resolve this for them and give them peace of mind! I’m sure they need it.

[@clacicle]

Cutting corners! The great American way.

[@macjusss]

I like seeing these failed videos!!

[@droe2570]

Watching this channel makes me paranoid about having my bathroom redone.

[@jamessnyder6260]

Thanks for your expertise, and I like how you dig into it to find out the shoddy jobs. We need the hard labor profesional’s like yourself, to fix our bathrooms, plumbing, AC, electric! Keep up the good work!!

[@TK-ej3bx]

😅i

[@TK-ej3bx]

😅😅😅😅😅😅wt😅😅😅😅

[@leroybrown9873]

Someone is working out. 💪🏽

[@travistisinger731]

Hey love your videos I had a quick question is it OK to tile over a bench that is hotmopped without floating a mortar bed

[@michaelhartman851]

Yeah most people were probably over sold on the resistance to water that hardi provides based on the manufacturers many years ago would have a piece of hardi submerged in water to show how great it is needless to say they don't have those displays anymore.

[@chrismiltimore]

Do you have any videos on how to install a floating corner seat? I have a marble corner seat I want to install and am not sure how...

[@skigod9]

I am a complete diy noob..... but this made me feel better I used cement board on my entire tile shower then red gaurd the whole thing. Might not be 100% right but I'm glad I didn't go with hardy board

[@vikasjangra4551]

Like u work from India

[@MrTooTechnical]

Nice vid. The techniques u mention here are what @startile does all day long.

[@mattmason7554]

No need to troll. Did he install this shower. Do you have video of his shower failures?

[@MrTooTechnical]

@@mattmason7554 no man. I am not saying that Isaac did anything wrong. I am saying that he is also saying what starlite says. Isaac is doing good by this vid. Man U need to relax. I did say the vid was nice. As in it is informative and helpful. So shush u.

[@mattmason7554]

Ok, misunderstanding. A little confusing as to what you were comparing. The good or bad?

[@jerek2251]

Dont watch startile💀 I watch him to know what not to do

[@MrTooTechnical]

@@jerek2251 he does what you don’t like?

[@Katlizp]

How do you know if you have mold behind your shower bench seat? Ours collects water EVERYTIME we shower, because they didn’t grade it to use gravity to push the water off. Does that mean we have a major problem?

[@joelkreuzer]

Love your videos. Great information for tile setters. Protect those ears!

[@markoshun]

Very educational. Poorly built shower for sure and modern membranes probably would’ve lasted longer. 2 things I notice that you didn’t mention is the lack of sealant on all the change of plane corners, that any homeowner or handyman could’ve done, and that the walls were built first and then the bed after. 5:00 Water seeps/runs down in that pocket, so doesn’t take advantage of basic flashing principles.

[@tomdemeo2708]

Hot mop and mortar bed is not the problem and last for 100 years. IT’s hardy backer garbage, not the hot mop

[@markoshun]

@@tomdemeo2708 We actually don’t even have hot mop in my area, and I’ve only done one mortar bed, my first walk-in. But we do have well-built waterproof showers, many of them built with ‘hardy board garbage’. This was a crap build from the bottom up. My point wasn’t that there’s anything wrong with hot mop if applied with skill, I just see the modern materials as needing less work and skill, are less toxic, and harder to screw up. If I had to do mortar beds and hot mop in my climate, I’d go looking for other work.

[@tomdemeo2708]

PVCis also a good pan Hardie is not waterproof, absorbs high percentage of water, then gets soft and spongy. Again it’s one of the worst if not worst boards on the market

[@markoshun]

@@tomdemeo2708 If you watch the first part to this video, he actually identifies the hot mop as the problem. The hot mop pan climbs 6-8 inches up the wall to the hardie board. He said the hot mop/pan was compromised and not installed correctly at all. I don’t like cement board either, its shit to work with and then you have to waterproof it anyway, but it wasn’t the cause here. It was an installer who would’ve screwed this up no matter what materials/method used. Too many things wrong.

[@rickleece6220]

Great video. Would it have been possible to get the shower enclosure recut instead of ordering a whole new piece?

[@ndusrnm]

You can’t cut glass once it’s been tempered

[@doug8237]

he could of 100 oercent re used the shower glass.

[@robertsimmons1264]

Mom: "Issac... Where are your safety glasses?"

[@travisk5589]

Shhhhh. You don't really care if isaac wears ppe. It just makes you feel good to point it out.

[@robertsimmons1264]

@@travisk5589Clueless...

[@jeffdyrland2795]

I really want to see Isaac and his guys do a renovation, but as The Californians from SNL! Lol

[@305liveandlearn]

In Miami a lot of these poor jobs often come from customers going with cheap estimates, price shopping lol so many times they come back to me and I have to charge them more when it comes time to repair what another company or handyman did

[@MrNeptunebob]

I hope that you replace all that dark tile with a cheerful and bright midcentury look like light blue or light green to cheer up this client who is going through cancer treatment (kind of like Grandpa bath was). Also, what would you recommend if you don't like hardibacker - oh wait, you mention Wonderboard and Durocks.

[@TileCoach]

It will be a beautiful install....wait until you see it!

[@73er-xy3ky]

Not that you need more work but... I think it would be cool to see you tear out a small shower that was done by your company correctly . Maybe for an update or remodel etc so us viewers can see the differences between these horrible methods versus doing it right .

[@deebodigital]

😂😂😭 Dude that did that job probably quit setting tile after that lecture bro!

[@travisk5589]

Imagine this. The person that did that shower most likely came highly recommended by someone else and they have probably done dozens of showers the exact same way. Friggin amazed that they screwed through the hot mop. Even the half ass hack from Tileco that taught me tile knew not to do that. L Good work Tile coach and thanks Tile Liquidators

[@serge.crispino418]

I'd say that whole job was done by a DIY'er - the plumb and level tells the story of what to expect underneath the tiles. Installing an expensive frame less shower door and screen over that mess is another story - I hope they can rework that glass to fit.

[@MrTooTechnical]

Lol

[@jimbob1427]

Dude great videos but no safety glasses ?

[@vnha100]

What do you think about densshield ?

[@TileCoach]

Good stuff, just dont dip it in a saturated mud pan!

[@christcrucified6385]

A lot of folks here are expressing their concerns about the materials being used. It really doesn't matter what you use if you waterproof it correctly. You can even use standard sheetrock. Waterproofing is not hard to do with so many how-to videos on KZbin. As for those corner benches, kerdi makes the 100% waterproof foam ones for like $120 to $150. When you consider labor and materials you will definitely save money. They just thinset right in place.

[@tomdemeo2708]

Schluter is garbage

[@danielstudniski8945]

The only way the backer board gets wet and molds is because "TILE" not water proof. After watching numerous videos about tile shower failures I would never put in a tile shower.

[@mattmason7554]

Shower installation is a art.

[@float32]

And sometimes a time bomb.

[@clumpkin1012]

Just membrane then hydroban

[@bryantg1412]

Yes it is sir! I just finished one. My first one. Holy Toledo! To make it right and tight, you gotta love getting dirty and a desire to FINISH chingon! Sorry I ran out of big english words to describe that. Lol Oye TILE COACH! I want those t shirts. “Sometimes you make MONEY Sometimes you make FRIENDS” Thanks for your knowledge

[@michaelb4092]

Love your videos, but don't forget your eye protection when busting out tiles.

[@knockoutcustoms7477]

What’s that link?

[@TileCoach]

bit.ly/tileusyoutube

[@donhuffer5167]

I doubt the glass company cut the glass that far out of level. Their system works with out of level tile jobs.

[@hunchbackaudio]

In Europe we use aerated concrete blocks like ytong to build a bench like that. Or any shower wall or curb. Never any issues with water damage. This American way of building wet rooms with board material puzzles me a lot?

[@TileCoach]

Yes, we do it different here!!

[@hunchbackaudio]

@@TileCoach Yes I noticed, but why? Concrete blocks are easy to shape with a simple handsaw or any other saw, available in various thickness. Easy stackable and glued together. And you can submerge them in water for a 100 years without any damage. I see the use for board material with build-in water closets and so, but I would never use them in a shower. Maybe these new cement boards with foam as a core, but I have no experience with them yet. By the way, enjoying your channel a lot, learnt a great deal! Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@nora-ub9yi]

If hardy backer performs this badly, why would one use it?

[@sonofthunder.]

no hardi in wet area

[@funstuffonthenet5573]

This is my biggest frar about getting a renovation. Pay up the butt for a new bathroom only to find its useless due to water damage

[@DocterOctigonapus]

Love your vids #gunshow ;)

[@TileCoach]

Wide angle lens!

[@micoal2834]

Isaac, can I use the product that's used to encapsulated a crawl space to waterproof my shower before I tile?

[@travisk5589]

What product is that? Plastic sheathing? Yes..

[@suspicionofdeceit]

Why wouldn’t you just use many of the available products specifically for tile.

[@micoal2834]

@@suspicionofdeceit I've never replaced a shower before, I know I can do it, I just worried it would leak at some point, like the one Isaac recorded here. So I want to make certain it's sealed tight.

[@cbriggs132]

Got a tile piece embedded in my cornea whilst calmy demoing tile.. Lost half my vision in one eye. WEAR YOUR EYE PROTECTION!!!!!! AT ALL TIMES WHILE HAMMERING OUT TILE.

[@thuglivintv824]

Dam imagine the odds of that happening

[@NathanTilesTheWorld]

Capilary action is the enemy of showers. Surface waterproofing, or nothing for me these days!

[@boydskaggs5057]

when i'm watching tile coach, i wonder what my coverage looks like... I also hope i never have to find out.

[@heartwormskillcats8357]

That's a cool hat, where did you get it?

[@TileCoach]

flofx.com

[@heartwormskillcats8357]

@@TileCoach Awesome, thanks a lot and love what you do coach!

[@peggypenland1560]

Hmmmm. After seeing hundreds of moldy showers.... I've decided, benches are stupid,so are niches, especially directly under water flow. I will install a higher back niche and a removable shower stool. Less work, cleaner look, gets a few drops at best. Still investigating how to get Rhino Liner to work🤔🤔😮😬

[@davidkilpatrick3689]

Hardicrapper board

[@yosh1to]

What kind of idiot would put a screw through their waterproofing membrane without resealing? Ugh this was painful to watch, but nice pointers Isaac!

[@SharpEdgeStandardOfficial]

So unless the floor below is wet or ceiling under the shower is wet, the waterproofing and hot mop did its job! This has nothing to do with waterproofing. They didn't tile it correctly

[@hmonster1XL]

Should have used GoBoard!

[@thefullmonte2003]

“Creates a weak bond” After smashing a crowbar to get tile off. Lmfao this guy man

[@TileCoach]

Tile should not pop off easily with a bar.

[@thefullmonte2003]

@@TileCoach hey tile coach, when you smash a crowbar with a hammer multiple times the force will seperate the tile bond. Yes this job was bad and created mold and mildew and was done wrong, but the tile just didnt fall off the wall by itself or with “little” force. Thatsall i am saying. I am an installer in NJ been so for 10 years, i have never had a call back, a failure, or bad install and i have done alot of installs for really trashy subcontractors over some questionable surfaces and never had a call back. You dont know the circumstances of that install. Was the tile guy shot down at a a price increase to waterproof,? Was the general contractor rushing and cut costs? The tile job was not the best with u level sills, bad pitch and all, but the blame goes everywhere, because of the tile guy is not getting compensated for time to do the right job, then this happens, thats the elephant in the room right there, $$$$

[@Livindagoodlife]

Air scrubber used but you neglect basic and important safety issues to yourself. Tearing out ceramic tile with NO gloves, eye protection, and no respiration devices is not a good way to do that type of demo. It's only a matter of time until something bad happens that can be avoided in the beginning.😮

[@joshkiewit4352]

That tile on the corner of the bench wasn't already cracked when you got there, you broke it when you were pulling the other tiles off!!

[@MattCupan]

Dude got a whole air exhaust setup. But bare handedly dismantles the cess pool and runs fingers over black mold. #noglovesnomask

[@Hazel_Dazel]

I think the air exhaust etc. is for the homeowner who is going through chemo now but yeah he should at least wear safety glasses!

[@davidribeca1745]

First thing was the hot mop on the floor installed correctly on a sloped surface to the drain you left that out of your diagnostic of why the shower is holding water. Next are the weep holes open or closed? You did alot of walls that were floated back in the day and I am sure you had seats that were waterproof from behind. Have they failed because the waterproofing is behind the motor bed? Probably not because it was done correctly with no penatrations. Stop nocking the old school methods that are done correctly! I will agree on this Hardi board is not a good backer and when you use there siding and it comes in contact with moisture it fails! There may be a day when the topical waterproofing fails. I use them but I am sceptical. The whole reason we use a cement based substrate was to get the setting materials to bond to it. Know we stick another material between the backer board and the thinset and hope it all bonds together. I have seen it fail when it was used as crack isolation over a heated floor. It would not bond to the floor leveler. Manufacturer was the same. The rep had no idea why it would not bond!

[@johnbell1246]

The compromise was explained in a previous video,

[@TileCoach]

Watch the video of the shower pan tear out from last week and I discuss what you just mentioned. We do have a lot of these failing in our area, done by good contractors. Mostly efflorescence and wicking over the curb problems from poor weep. Vinyl is better than hot mop in my opinion for better weep action at the drain. Self leveler is a whole different animal, it seems to get a film on the top making it difficult to bond to.

[@michaelgf8840]

Thanks, good things to know, but need Safety Glasses on those Eyes

[@TileCoach]

Good call! I forgot them

[@cbriggs132]

Wonderboard is the only backerboard that is a all cement product. Truly uncompromised by water. Durock can be compromised by water. Will become less rigid and weak. WonderLite is truly impervious to water damage. While it's not "waterproof" it beats all backerboards.

[@bryantg1412]

How do you feel about hardiebecker board

[@bryantg1412]

I ask because I want to learn. Thanks for your reply

[@tomstyer4167]

That shower seat should have been made from cinder block. Then waterproofed. It would have been good for 50 plus years.

[@tileman30years6]

That's how I do mine. They will last forever.

[@Stevesbe]

Hardi is not something i would use in a shower

[@TileCoach]

Only if waterproofed over it. Fine for a tub surround, but not for a shower near the pan or a bench.

[@Dontgetmadnow]

Use block 🤓

[@SgtZima]

Why even have a tiny bench like that? To rest your shampoo bottle?

[@Felipe-fw3tx]

Shaving legs

[@SgtZima]

@@Felipe-fw3tx Well, you learn something new every day. Thanks.

[@Judsonberry]

That’s a bad shower job.

[@lm-usmc]

What is the absolute best (and easiest) shower system for a DIYer to install and have great results? There are so many out there, it gets pretty confusing.

[@rezzbuilds8343]

A prefab shower