Sealing moving and leaking shower tray - Any advise please?

[StevenUK]

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum, and thanks for accepting me.

For the last 7 years our upstairs shower has leaked at the tray. Now, I have checked and it is not the waste outlet, it is definitely the seal around the shower base.

I have now, on two separate occasions pulled the seals and silicone off, and redone it, and both times the seal breaks due to movement of the tray.

It is in our en-suite, and all the floors are tiled (already in when we bought the house 7 years ago, and I think it even leaked for the previous owners, as the plasterboard behind has been destroyed next to the tray) so I don't fancy ripping the floor up and re-boarding to make it more firm.

The shower tray moves by a few millimeters when the shower is used, and this results in the seals breaking every time eventually. Silicone, or those flexible shower strips just don't seem to work.

I am at my wits end now. There is already staining on the downstairs kitchen ceiling because of it, and I think if I can manage to finally seal it, I can just paint the ceiling without this turning into a massive job (I hope).

Firstly, I thought about using the Teleseal 10, the seal that allows for 10mm of movement, but I cannot find too many people giving any reviews on it, and if it was that successful in fixing the issue then surely it would be in every DIY store across the UK, and glowing reviews all over the show? Even the Teleseal website seems to have given up on the product (not updated their facebook for years, and don't even answer their phones anymore).

I just want it sealing. So much, that I have also been contemplating spending £1400 on a Coram waterproof shower pod (this type of thing: http://www.vesta-bathroomsonline.co.uk/coram-shower-pod-quadrant-950-x-950-white-5449-p.asp ), just to solve the issue and get the problem out of my hair.

Have any of you kind folks any advice, before I do something drastic?

Thanks in advance.

 

[HERTS P&D]

The cheap and easy way to fix your shower tray is:

Remove all silicone around shower tray
Spray foam filler into the gap around the shower tray ensuring it goes under the tray, you will need to mask the shower tray and walls.

Once you have done that then place a bag of sand in the shower tray to weigh it down, leave for 48 hrs.

Then remove the sand and cut off any excess foam and re-silicone.

I have done the above for shower trays within landlord properties.

Hope that helps.

Andy

 

[StevenUK]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the reply.

Foam filler? That stuff that hardens and is a nightmare to get off? It would go everywhere as under the tray is around 10-12 cms from floor to tray base where the feet are holding the tray up.

 

[HERTS P&D]

That's why you will have to mask up with newspaper and masking tape. Once dry you just cut off the excess and remove the masking tape and newspaper.

Andy

 

[StevenUK]

I think it would destroy my bathroom, Andy.

I have used that expanding foam stuff before to fill in gaps, and it sticks to everything in sight, and a nightmare to get off. It would stick to all the waste pipes, tiles underneath, floor, walls, everything.

There is a 10-12 cm X meter squared void underneath the show tray.

Edit.

Just seen this about expanding foam under the shower tray: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfsbXx78Kjs

I suppose it could work, but would be extremely messy.

Not sure I want to do that

 

[kbdiy]

Whatever you do you need to stop the tray moving otherwise it will continue to leak. The supporting structure needs to be made solid. As you have said you already have some signs of damage then leaving it or continuing to mess about with sealant will result in a major repair further down the line. Your choice.

 

[StevenUK]

Thanks anyway.

I am tempted to give Teleseal a try.

 

[Jamesie]

7 years of constant water penetration.......not good! do the tiles come down to the top of the tray? or is the wall tiled all the way down and tray stuck in?
Are you capeable of removing the shower tray yourself? if so, i would remove it, find out whats causing the movement (slight uneven floor, floorboards not tight to joists etc. not all legs touching perhaps?) build a decent timber frame with a ply top, and reseat the tray in with lashings of silicone where the wall and tray meet. further silicone beadl from tray to tiles

 

[StevenUK]

Hi,

The tiles come down to the top of the tray, but the tray seems to flex a few millimeters after sealed, and because the shower frame has a few deviations from being square the water just seems to get in some how, not entirely sure how.

Driving me nuts, to be honest. This will be the 3rd time I have ripped the silicone off and redone it. I think I will give the teleseal 10 a go. The idea seems good.

I phoned them yesterday actually, and they said they are posting about 18-20 a day, and no bad reviews yet (I searched), so think I will give it a last try before blowing silly amounts of money on a 'sealed/waterproof' shower pod.

 

[RattamahatAL]

Hi Steve,
I was wondering how you got on with the teleseal?
I have used shower panels and sealant just won’t stay stuck.
Alex

 

[Madrab]

Hi Steve,
I was wondering how you got on with the teleseal?
I have used shower panels and sealant just won’t stay stuck.
Alex

unfortunately not been here for 4 1/2 years, so little chance you'll get a reply.

Teleseal is like every other after market DIY fudge. it's there to try and cover over a problem rather than fix the underlying cause. As such they never ever seem to last.

 

[aveatry]

I have fitted 2 miria flight trays that have 4 upstands and the tiles come down the wall and go over the upstand and the cubical also fits inside the up-stands so its impossible for the tray to leak at the bottom of the cubical. I fitted it raised up on 4x4 wood blocks and on top of that is 2 layers of 22mm ply. The tray itself is also very heavy and strong with no flex.