Slate Shower Problems..

[Tra2]

No surprise, I know - but I really need some advice. Oh - my name is Traci. We remodeled our house recently and the last project was the master bath. The problems have been endless. 1. Our handyman grouted the bathroom slate floor without sealing first which resulted in my spending hours trying to wash, chip and dremel it off. 2. Then he said we didn't have to seal the slate at all so no surprise we have what I think is efflorescence all over the shower floor and starting on the walls 3. Water is pooling on the uneven places in the slate and won't even squeegee off and is also pooling heavily in one corner. 4. The new addition to our house is polysteel (foam) and concrete block. I know they used hardyboard (sp) behind tile; but I am concerned about the moisture barrier I have read about as I do not think that was used.

We can't redo the massive errors of our past - but alcohol has helped. :neesie:
At this point I just need advice. BTW The slate is what I have now learned is cheap multi-color slate from a home improvement store.
1. Is there a particular cleaner that will get rid of the efflorescence?
2. If so, what sealer is best to follow up with (in the shower)
3. Advice for the shower floor? This may be a stupid question but if suggestion is to start over with the floor, could we lay tile over the slate and make it drain properly. (not us obviously - a professional this time!)
4. If sealed properly, will we be okay without moisture barrier?
5. We do have a mildew smell starting - could it just be from the pooling water?

Sorry for the length of this post - you guys really seem to know your stuff so I decided I might as well get all the info I can.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Traci

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[ob1kanobee]

Being that you have a slate shower which is tough enough to do right with a proffessional doing the job and you had a handyman do it, I see a lot of potential problems going on there from what you have described.

First question I would have to ask is did he install a preslope under the shower pan liner?

Even if he did, doesn't sound like it is draining all that well anyway.............

Probably be some others coming along to ask a bunch more questions.

[Tra2]

When we first noticed the problem we asked about the preslope and was told it was installed, but to be honest...I don't have much faith at this point that was true. We have learned a valuable lesson - he was a master at working with wood and great at detail work but the slate was definitely not his forte. I have tried to reach him in the last few weeks with no luck so we are on our own.

Thanks and I'll keep checking in.
Traci

[ccarlisle]

1. Yes there are 'efflorescence' removers but they'd probably desstroy the slate at the same time. But you may not even have efflorescence.
2. None that I know of.
3. Start over, with porcelain tiles.
4. Nope. Nothing replaces a proper waterproofing plan.
5. Nope. The mildew is behind the slate.

Sorry to be so terse but in my - and I'm sure others' - opinions here, slate showers are a recipe for this type of disaster. Slate is pretty but not for use in showers...and no amount of sealers will help out once an improperly designed shower is in place.

And yet you have said nothing about that actual construction, so OK I am assuming a few things here. I may be off base, but if you read other posts here, one that was posted just recently with pictures if I recall, you'll see some of the same problems. But a handyman may not be on top of the current requirements for a stone shower, few are. So I would prepare yourselves for many other opinions that center around a redo.

Done by yourselves perhaps - but with plenty of help beforehand, not-after- the-fact. Sorry.