Sealing plumbing fixtures over wavy textured tile?


  #1  
Old 10-07-19, 04:24 PM
Capable_Wife's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 115
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Sealing plumbing fixtures over wavy textured tile?

I'm looking at tiling our shower, and I fell in love with a tile that has a wavy surface texture (similar to this). We've never tiled anything before, so I was wondering if there were any special considerations to installing plumbing fixtures on a surface like that so that water doesn't get behind the escutcheon for the handle. Do I need to do a strip of flat tiles where the handle will be? The images used for the exact tile I was looking at show fixtures directly on the tile, but that's a photoshoot, not a functional shower, I need to know if changes need to be made for the real world.

Thanks!
 

Top Answer

 
10-08-19, 04:46 AM
Pilot Dane
Pilot Dane is offline
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,651
Received 2,152 Upvotes on 1,927 Posts
Tiles like that are not normally used where you need to seal something flush against it (not used in a shower). Highly contoured tiles are more intended for a accent walls in high rise lobby's or entrance foyer in a large home. And, because of the size of texturing I don't think it would look good in a shower. You really need a big wall of the tile and be able to stand back far enough to get the proper impact.
 
  #2  
Old 10-08-19, 04:46 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,651
Received 2,152 Upvotes on 1,927 Posts
Tiles like that are not normally used where you need to seal something flush against it (not used in a shower). Highly contoured tiles are more intended for a accent walls in high rise lobby's or entrance foyer in a large home. And, because of the size of texturing I don't think it would look good in a shower. You really need a big wall of the tile and be able to stand back far enough to get the proper impact.
 
Capable_Wife, Norm201 voted this post useful.
  #3  
Old 10-08-19, 05:07 AM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
So if you laid a flat ruler across the tile how big are the gaps?

I think if reasonable, less that 3/16" anything mounted flush could be caulked carefully so that if seals and looks decent.

I would think a flat tile in the middle of a wall of wavy tile even with a fixture would look out of place.

BTW, I like that and think a bathroom would look very interesting but agree you better get some tiles and lay them out to be sure that is the look your going after!
 
Capable_Wife, Norm201 voted this post useful.
  #4  
Old 10-08-19, 05:59 AM
M
Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,955
Received 293 Upvotes on 263 Posts
If you go with the tile you may also want to calk an upside down horseshoe of calk under the escutcheon.
Also make sure there is a small opening in the bottom of it so any water can drain out. Many escutcheons already have this.
Then if any water gets in it will flow around the hole in the wall and out the bottom escutcheon hole.

You could also mark the tile where the escutcheon is going and then use a dremel to grind down the ridges where where it will sit. Try this on a scrap piece of tile before doing it just to be sure that the tile surface will not chip away in overly large pieces.
 
Capable_Wife voted this post useful.
  #5  
Old 10-08-19, 12:54 PM
Capable_Wife's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 115
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I found the exact one I'm looking at here. As you can see, they used it in a shower, but I know that photoshoots are one thing and reality is another. If nothing else, there is actually a smooth twin to it that is also quite lovely, and we priced it too (Spoiler: it's cheaper than the textured version).

Anyway, keep the advice coming, I'm not 100% sure about the texture because I'm also nervous about how much of a pain it will be to clean. But it's gorgeous, so my practical nature is fighting against my inner magpie.
 
  #6  
Old 10-08-19, 03:43 PM
Marq1's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: USA MI
Posts: 9,745
Received 1,210 Upvotes on 1,098 Posts
Tile itself is easy to clean, it's the grout that gets dirty with soap!

Want to keep it really easy to clean, put in a walk in shower with no doors or any glass!

We converted our shower to walk in years ago, best improvement we have ever done!
 
  #7  
Old 10-08-19, 07:23 PM
Capable_Wife's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 115
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Marq1,

I wish I could make this shower bigger, but unless I'm willing to forgo a washer and dryer, there's no way to do it. Especially since we just barely eeked out the space for a water softener and the 'WAY bigger than the old one for the same gallons of water' hot water heater. As it is, we're planning to spend a small fortune to get a glass wall to make this 35"x35" shower feel bigger. Are the new grouts as hard to clean? The people who sell the tile said that there is some new stuff that doesn't stain like the old stuff did. Between that, the absolute teeniest grout lines you can do on a large tile (I think we need a grand total of 14 tiles in the 12"x36" size; base will be solid surface), and the water softener, I'm hoping that it doesn't get too dirty?

Please let me know if I'm deluding myself here, my mind can still be changed. I haven't pulled the trigger on anything yet, but I'm close...
 
  #8  
Old 10-09-19, 03:25 AM
M
Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,955
Received 293 Upvotes on 263 Posts
Yes I would make the grout line as small as possible. I think this would also look better.
Make sure to use a grout designed for narrow grout lines (non sanded).
And a recommended sealer if it advises to use one.
If they recommend a newer product investigate it thoroughly on the net.
Sometimes new is not better and the install is a pain in the you know what.

As far as keeping it clean you cold keep a rag and a squeegee handy.
After a shower wipe down the tiles and squeegee the glass.
Takes less than a minute.
 
  #9  
Old 10-09-19, 04:21 AM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,651
Received 2,152 Upvotes on 1,927 Posts
I don't know where you are located but there are good showrooms (Ann Sacks with locations in at least NY and Chicago) that regularly deal with that tile. You could visit or talk to them on the phone and get some tips about using that tile in a shower.
 
  #10  
Old 10-09-19, 02:02 PM
Capable_Wife's Avatar
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: USA
Posts: 115
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Manden,
She said new, but then said it's what they used on the floors in their showroom when they remodeled last--about 15 years ago. (I know this because they are remodeling right now and she said it had been about 15 years since the last time they did it.) So I think she meant new relative to the grout that was used in my shower now (from the 70's). Even 15 years later the showroom's grout looked fantastic, but since it's not a wet area, I'm not sure how relevant it would be to my project. I will keep it in mind though, I haven't really looked at the grout part of the equation, just the kerdi membranes, floor pans, and the tile. I'll look for non-sanded, thanks for that tip!

Pilot Dane,
I went to the Hajoca showroom, they didn't have any of it on the floor/wall, just on those racks that display it. I don't know, maybe it's just a bad idea. My husband is saying we should just get the flat glossy version of it, but then it's cheaper, and he's the penny-pinching yin to my spendthrift yang. It's still gorgeous though, and I don't think I'll be unhappy either way, I just liked the texture. If I had a bigger shower, I'd probably just throw a few in at random for texture. Kind of like you suggested earlier.

Maybe you guys have helped me make a decision. Thanks! (Just don't tell my husband that he was right, OK? He always rubs it in. )
 
  #11  
Old 10-09-19, 04:38 PM
P
Group Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NC, USA
Posts: 27,651
Received 2,152 Upvotes on 1,927 Posts
If you think cleaning a traditional shower is fun try keeping a highly textured tile clean. It's one thing in a high end residence where you have "someone" to wipe down the shower after each use but I don't know many people who do it themselves at home. And, you can't just do a quick squeegee or wipe down like you can with a normal tile. The deep texturing can require wiping of each individual scale/wave.
 
Capable_Wife voted this post useful.
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: