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DIY Shower Remodel- Plus What Went Wrong!

June 11, 2021 by kelsey.mackall

newly remodeled shower with seamless glass and black hardware. Styled with black and white Turkish towels

Phew! This DIY shower remodel was my biggest and longest project yet! Why I decided 3 weeks postpartum was a good time to rip out a shower, I’ll never know, but DIYers have to have a little bit of crazy in them, right?

So here we are, 7 weeks later, and the shower is DONE! I never thought I’d get emotional over a corner of plumbing and tile but after all that work (LITERAL blood, sweat, and tears) I’m definitely having all the feelings. Theres just something about seeing a vision in your head come to life and using your OWN HANDS to achieve it.

Any big project is essentially just a bunch of small projects and steps, so lets talk about what went into making it happen. You can view the whole detailed process in my Instagram highlights but as usual, I don’t claim to be a professional and I urge you to do you own research before beginning any major project.

The DIY Shower Demo

My husband and I tackled ripping out our existing shower and a wall in just a few hours using only a hammer and pry bar (this is where that little bit of necessary crazy comes in). The wall between our shower and tub was a huge eyesore and the main source of our shower feeling small and dark.

Dark walled in shower BEFORE photo for DIY shower
I’m notorious for diving into a project without a proper BEFORE photo but you get the idea- its ugly.
Woman hammers holes in drywall during diy shower remodel
First order of business… This wall has got to GO!
man pulls tile and drywall away from wall studs during diy shower remodel
woman pulls tile and drywall away to reveal wall studs during diy shower remodel
plastic shower pan lifted to reveal subfloor and shower drain during diy shower remodel
Shower Pan Removal
shower down to the studs with plumbing and recently removed wall during diy shower remodel

The Preparation

One of the only things we hired out (aside from glass) was the shower pan. We paid a local plumber $350 to frame it, line in, install the drain, and pour concrete with appropriate sloping. We did run into an issue where our bathtub plumbing stuck out but rather than losing much needed space, we framed it in to create a small shaving foot ledge.

Next came framing out the shampoo niches with 2x4s, walling the shower with cement board, taping and mudding the cement board seams, and finally waterproofing with a paint-on membrane. I did lots of research to determine these to be the appropriate steps for building out a shower and preparing for tile.

newly installed shower pan with concrete and liner
cement board installed in new shower area during diy shower remodel
woman tapes cement board seams in shower during diy shower remodel
light blue waterproof membrane painted on top of cement board during diy shower remodel

The DIY Tiling

I had tiled before, but never at this scale. It took me about a week to tackle it all by myself and it was a pretty messy job. I find tiling to be simple. It’s less about skill and more about attention to detail. I feel without the distraction of my kids, I could have done an even better job on this DIY shower remodel but it was a huge accomplishment despite some minor imperfections.

I used an inexpensive wet saw and these large format porcelain marble tiles. One thing I wish I had taken the time to do was use a leveling system to get my tiles flush with one another where the walls were wonky. There was only a few spots this was an issue but its one of those things that can make a DIY look more professional. Continue reading to find out where things went majorly wrong…

woman uses wet tile saw with wet arms and large white tile
woman spreads thin set on wall to do DIY tiling during diy shower remodel
woman holding baby smiles at camera with half wall tiled behind her
woman tiles near ceiling and stands on tip toes during
different toned subway tiles create a shampoo niche in half way tiled shower during diy shower remodel
I used leftover tile from my bathroom surround to coordinate with the shower design
progress photo of shower tile with large white marble tiles and smiling DIYer during diy shower remodel
tile progress of half wall, shaving niche and shaving ledge. Unfinished shower floor
We used a manufactured stone for the ledge and shower curbing
woman adds white grout to marbled shower tile during diy shower remodel
Grouting
woman poses with matte black penny tile on new shower floor
Matte black penny tiles for my shower floor

So What Went Wrong?

It’s never truly a DIY without some drama right? Problem solving can be part of the fun! This however, was NOT fun. I had decided to use a pre-mixed thin set mortar because I thought it would be more convenient while tiling with kids and all the stopping and starting. The product came highly recommended and I didn’t think that I needed to research it further. Well because of the nature of pre-mixed mortars, my tiles weren’t drying. I gave it a day… then 2 days… then 5 and they were still sagging when spacers were removed. I knew something wasn’t right, my previous tile jobs dried within the hour, so I started reading reviews where I discovered hundreds of people having a similar problem.

Pre-mixed doesn’t work well with waterproof membranes, large format tiles, or porcelain because of its need for air flow. All 3 of those factors were not allowing enough air to get to my tiles. Traditional mix-yourself mortar has cement properties so it only needs to CURE rather than DRY. I realized I had no other choice but to pull down all the tiles, scrape off the thin set, and start over with the correct kind. Luckily I had only tiles 1.25 walls when I realized my mistake but I was out a day of work and $50. Still, with a DIY shower remodel like this, it wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. It was messy and humbling but it was fixable.

bottom 2 rows of tile pulled away from wall
Row by row I scraped off the bad thin set and replaced
middle 3 rows of tile pulled away from wall with mortar remnants during diy shower remodel mishap
woman wipes face wearing oversized minion t-shirt and no pants, covered in mortar and water during diy shower remodel
I had given up on clothes (and pants) during this mess haha

The DIY Shower Reveal

In the end it was all worth it. This had been a project I was itching to do since the day we moved in. I felt silly getting a bit teary eyed over a shower but it felt so good to have accomplished this and to finally have the bathroom I always wanted. This was my most expensive project but some saving and the insurance claim from the pipe burst helped. Glass was by far the most expensive part. Keep reading for the budget break down.

close up shot of Turkish towels
angle of bathroom with black closet door, gold picture frame, and bathtub tile with different gray tones
shower door open to show porcelain marble tile, black faucet and rain shower head
straight on shot of shower with vanity reflecting behind it
Shower door open to show black penny tile floor and diy shaving ledge

The DIY Shower Remodel Budget

  • Cement Board: $50
  • Professional Shower Pan Install: $350
  • Waterproof Membrane: $50
  • Tile (Wall and Floor): $250
  • Tiling Supplies (Mortar, Shluter Edging, Spacers): $150
  • Grout and Caulk: $50
  • Custom Shower Glass: $1600

Total: Approximately $2500

Shop The Images Here.

Product Links

  • Olive and Linen Mila Turkish Towel
  • Olive and Linen Dune Turkish Towel
  • Pfister Shower Head and Faucet
  • Gold Double Towel Hook
  • Faux Eucalyptus
  • Vancouver Rug (CODE DWELL60)
  • Matte Black Squeegee
  • Bamboo Roman Shades

*This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Privacy Disclosure for more information.

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: bathtub shower combo, black and white bathroom, black shower hardware, diy bathroom remodel, diy shower, diy tile, frameless shower glass, marble tile, master bathroom, matte black faucet, shower project, shower remodel

Previous Post This Bedroom Makeover Gave Me My Home Birth
Next Post Easy Bathtub Trim- No Power Tools Needed!

Comments

  1. Coreen says

    June 11, 2021 at 1:19 pm

    Well well ask me if I’m impressed and you motivate me young lady
    Job well done

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 11, 2021 at 2:04 pm

      Thank you!! I hope you tackle some projects of your own! 😉

  2. Melissa says

    June 11, 2021 at 1:50 pm

    It came out amazing love the darker floor you will be happy cause they floor is always the first to get stained from water or whatever else life brings. I have loved watching your diy projects and seeing your home all come together. Sending peace love and light always

    Melissa

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 11, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      Thank you so much Melissa! I definitely think the black floor was a good call!

  3. Elizabeth says

    June 11, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    Holy moly girl! You inspire me so much! Pulling this off with a newborn in tow? It’s been so great following along over on IG, it’s absolutely gorgeous!

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 11, 2021 at 5:56 pm

      I might be a little crazy for that 😝

  4. Lauren says

    June 11, 2021 at 4:23 pm

    This has been so much fun to follow. It turned out SO good!!

  5. Lauren says

    June 11, 2021 at 4:25 pm

    This has been so much fun to follow. It turned out SO good!! Excellent call on the darker floor!

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 11, 2021 at 5:55 pm

      Thanks so much for following along!

  6. Merrie says

    June 11, 2021 at 4:37 pm

    Love it Kelsey! It looks great!

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 11, 2021 at 5:54 pm

      Merrie!! I’ve gotta hop over and follow your blog as well!

  7. Sneha says

    June 11, 2021 at 5:10 pm

    Wow Kelsey! This is an amazing makeover. Shower looks stunning.

  8. Bernadette Anderson says

    June 11, 2021 at 5:35 pm

    I love your perseverance. You (and your hubby) did an amazing job. Be proud of your accomplishment. 👏👏👏💥

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 11, 2021 at 5:53 pm

      I’m so proud!! Especially with no experience remodeling bathrooms! Thanks for the love❤️

  9. Toni says

    June 11, 2021 at 9:30 pm

    Absolutely LOVE it!!!!! It’s gorgeous and YOU did that!!!!

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 12, 2021 at 7:53 am

      I can hardly believe it!

  10. Josee W says

    June 11, 2021 at 11:06 pm

    Turned out beautifully! Your hard work paid off!! Thanks for taking us along. 🙂

    • kelsey.mackall says

      June 12, 2021 at 7:52 am

      Thank YOU for following along! ❤️

Trackbacks

  1. Easy Bathtub Trim- No Power Tools Needed! - A Dabbled Dwelling says:
    June 14, 2021 at 1:03 pm

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    June 17, 2021 at 9:29 am

    […] If you liked my kitchen update, check out what we did in our master bathroom! […]

  3. This Bedroom Makeover Gave Me My Home Birth - A Dabbled Dwelling says:
    June 17, 2021 at 10:23 am

    […] Check out the first BIG project I tackled after baby here. […]

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    July 9, 2021 at 11:07 am

    […] Rhen Shower Only Trim Kit was used in my DIY Shower Remodel and I can’t say enough good things about this rain head. Its the PERFECT most […]

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