How to make a custom niche out of foam board for your shower
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- čas přidán 26. 07. 2019
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I show you how to make a preformed niche for your shower so it is exactly the size and depth to fit exactly between grout lines of your tile. This is a simple tutorial on how to transform a piece of foam board, like Schluter Kerdi Board or a similar type of board, into a water tight box that you can insert into a cutout in your shower wall to create a recessed niche the exact size you want. A shower cubby is a very popular solution to hold shampoo, soap and other shower items, it creates a little nok in the shower wall to keep everything in a convenient place that can be easily reached.
All tile installed by Sal DiBlasi, Elite-tile Company, in the Boston North Shore area. This video contains affiliate links, which means I will receive a small commission if you click on the product link.
#tile #transformthetrade #howtotile #installingtile #howtoinstalltile #Schlutersystems
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Why anyone gives a thumbs-down on any of Sal's vids is a mystery. Guy is an artist and craftsman, old-school attention to detail. Would hire him in a nano-second.
And he knows how to pronounce niche properly contrary to most tilers saying ni(t)che
You are one of the most intelligent bathroom remodeling on CZcams channel.
👍😊
I'd have to agree John!
@@tastylemonschris3415 😊👍
Well done, great video+explanation+presentation! Thank you for sharing - NEW SUB 🙏🏻
I love you, Sal! You're videos have helped these two, old DIYers to continue to make improvements to our new, down-sized, builder's basic, empty nest, in our "retirement". Thanks so much! Never stop improving!
You are so welcome!
Absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your exceptional skills with us. It was fun to watch and when I followed your steps carefully, our custom niche turned out perfectly the first time. Hats off to you!
This is why I love foam boards, easy to work with and very versatile.
Really cool approach! I installed a pre-made kerdi niche, but then my wife wanted a built in foot rest, so I used some extra pieces of curb to build one. I'll be using the kerdi membrane trick for sure!
Perfect fit, nice work Sal.
Wow, I am no longer stuck with shallow niches or cookie cutter sizes. Great video, thanks for taking time to post.
ẞ
great layout so important for the finish,thanks for the education sal
I admire your job , you are so professional
Awesome awesome awesome. Can't thank you enough for taking the time to create this uber helpful content.
Impeccable timing! I have to make custom niche on the 30th :) Thank you, Sal
👍😊
Thanks for the video boss! I made (2) 16”x30” niches this way. My client is very happy with the work. I appreciate your hard work and talent.
Fantastic!
Sal thnx, good example, very helpful.👍
Excellent job.
Thanks Sal!
All your content is amazing
Used this method today with GoBoard. Much appreciated Sal!
Glad to help!
Wow!! That was awesome to watch! Great job!! Learned a lot from you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Brah this guy is a true G
Thank you Sal!!!!!
Perfect!!!
Nice job!!👍👍
Excellent, excellent strategy and video
Glad you liked it!
Super!! I like how you folded board
Thanks for liking
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Love u Sal.. you rock brother!!
😊👍
Master craftsman at work . Anyone giving a thumbs down knows sweet f.a
mannnn that's brilliant
Beautiful Sal. I already have lots of kerdi board . Is it ok to use it over 1/2" drywall in a tub surround? I guess I'll have to get some longer screws too? The tub fits perfectly in the surround with the existing drywall there.
Happy New Year Sal to you and yours.
Nice one
👍
Hey Sal. GoBoard came out with a shower system. It is pretty much a wedge board like their wall boars and a draim system they designed. It is much simpler than Kerdi. Only thing I see is that the wedge itself is not that thick but it could be a money and time saver. Have you have a chance to look at it? It would be great if you play with it
Subscribed when I heard your pronunciation of 'niche'. It already sounded like you knew what you were doing and I wasn't disappointed. Great upload. I'll do the same, thanks.
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CREATIVITY + KNOWLEDGE = BEAUTY ATTA BOY SAL That is on my business card by the way
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Thank you for the video Sal. Did you screw the custom niche into the kerdi board when securing or did you have blocking there?
Thanks for the cool video. Love watching you work. I know this might be a stupid question, but what tool did you use to cut the stud out with?
An Oscillating saw amzn.to/32ZFaXs one of the most versatile saws ever made
sharp blades when you're cutting that kerdi membrane...there's the trick. informative video sal
👍
Yes would definitely enjoy a reply on how that's going to be waterproof on the corners.
The Kerdi fix adhesive he used in the corners is their water proof sealant and should be water tight/proof.
Did you use kerdi fix for those corners? Wouldn’t it be the same effect to use 100% silicone?
Damnit sal I hope one day you start some type of maybe annual subscription to answer questions people aren't knowledgeable of to avoid problems.....
Isn't there a potential leak point at the front bottom corners? I don't know why kerdi doesn't sell corners for this. You can get them for windows and they work great.
So clever, I will have a go at that, when I do my bathroom, thanks
40 years ago, or more, my old man set tile right over sheetrock and I came behind and grouted. I think he told the owners to seal after a couple weeks, but that was about it. Many of those showers are still in use today. I have two thirty year old showers in this house, right over sheetrock. I'm getting ready to redo one of those. I'll be interested to see what's behind it, but everything feels solid. Was going to go back with hardi-backer but your pink stuff looks real easy to work with, might give it a try.
I'm impressed with all thee new "systems" but wonder how we got by without them for all those years ?
gotta let everyone here know what that old shower looked like when you get around to tearing it out
How'd that 3 year old shower look behind it, genuinely curious
@@cmbmail42 It was fine. The only bit of water damage was around the water spout. You could see stains back about an inch. Keep in mind this is a rental, so not cared for as much as most.
The big damage was down the back side of the tub. The calking had failed maybe 10 years ago and no one said anything. Had to replace about a foot of sheetrock there.
great work; no need for kerdi corners at the outside corners of the niche?
Everything is sealed with Kerdi fix and sheet membrane, but if it makes you feel better about it, why not.
@@SalDiBlasi Having been to the Schluter workshops, they tell you that Kerdi Fix isn't recommended as a sealant for Kerdi Board (which is why you can't use it to cover your screw/washer heads). Without inside corners covering the Kerdi Fix isn't there potential for leaks?
Hi , i love the videos ! I had a question, I feel that the Schulter system is very good and better than other stuff on the market , I work for different contractors and mostly like to use the cement boards and what not , how could I convince them to use the schulter system?
I suugest you do a Schluter workshop, get to know the system very well, once you know exactly what it is and how it works, you will be able to speak with authority about it and explain the differences and benefits over a traditional system.
HI Sal. I have 2 questions. Whats your favorite way to shim walls so that they are flat, plumb, square when using something like kerdi? I am currently getting ready to hang kerdi board in a shower. I was going to cut out and frame in my niches but then It's hard to determine layout and I want a tile to end right at the niche so that a bullnose will wrap it perfectly. Should I cut a hole in the wall and frame the niche once I have already started setting tile, or try to figure it out before hand?
Here's the second questions and there isn't 1 single video on it on youtube. I am using bullnose tile for the trim. Lets say i wanted to float/mud the walls and wanted the finish float to be in plane with the sheetrock. So that i can tile the shower and bring the tile out just past the mud/sheetrock seam. How does one float a shower in this way? make sense?
Thanks.
Travis
Wet shim when using foam board, czcams.com/video/e2yYse0cd_E/video.html and I pretty much always cut the niche in after I start tiling. As far as matching the depth of the mud to the sheet rock if you are trying to match an existing wall, probably not going to happen.
Good job but bit hard to take notes to build one. Maybe i can find pattern somewhere in print
Sal Love your videos I know this is a couple of years old but question? if you can answer it.What side of the Kerdi board is waterproof? I see you used the back side for the niche and I assume the printed side is the waterproof side Also will this hold up to a steam shower with the kerdi fix? Thanks again for great videos and helping all if us
Waterproof on both sides, steam shower always take extra precautions.
How do you address the slope for water?
A question on framing of this shower. Is there any reason not to frame in the niche cavity before any of the panels go up? My thought is that I could make that cavity a lot stronger if I was running screws from the out side of the studs. Thanks again.
I'm guessing it's "wasted" time only because he was able to bond to the back wall
I wish you made these and sell them 😩
Hi
Will the membrane make the tiles you set on it sit out further than the ones below? Or can you compensate for this with thin-set? Or is it negligible?
Thank you
If you do it properly, it is a non issue, especially for large tiles.
You are good, like me😀
I wish I would have seen this before I started my Niche. Did you come up with this method yourself or from the Shlutter training /course? Nevertheless, great method. I very much enjoy your video. Thanks for sharing.
Not my idea, saw someone else do it.
Hi Sal this video is amazing. When doing this type of niche is there no need to put kerdi inside and outside corners? The kerdi fix will be enough to waterproof at the seems?
good question. I was wondering this myself.
No.. kerdi fix is not waterproof !! Fact !!
My question would be how do you deal with the sound transfer from the next room after cutting out the insulation isn't it noisier after doing this ?
i highly doubt there was any insulation in that wall, most interior walls do not have insulation (at least here in Ohio)
Wouldn’t you want to surround the niche with 2x4’s so you can fully secure it? Also I noticed the you used a whole sheet of the waterproof membrane, could I just use the 5” wide kerdi banding to go around the niche?
that's what I would think BUT as he's got it bonded to the back wall I don't think it's going anywhere. Band around the corners should be fine, just preference I think.
Don't you need to deduct 1/2 an each on all four sides of the niche so it will fit into the 12" x 24" hole?
do you add slope on the bottom part with extra thinset?
You can do it that way.
Question: could this same method be applied to a box built with Harie Board to creat a simple box? Then meshed & thinset it into a hole?
Nope
I had thought the checkered side was the waterproof side of the kerdi-board. For the walls, why does the checkered side face outwards, but for the niche is does not?
Both sides are the same, makes no difference which way you turn it.
Hey Sal! Quick question..Installing Ann Sacks ceramic subway tile with imperfect tiles , almost a certain look is obtained? Any suggestions or advice ?
Used the Ann Sacks tiles many times, the irregular sizing requires that only a few rows be installed at a time, a level is then used to shim and adjust the spacing to obtain a straight line, then a few more rows are installed and repeat. Time consuming and very tedious
@@SalDiBlasi Yes Very Tedious , very hard to maintain lippage free install with bowed tiles but looking good and level! Using spacers to adjust height as each tile is unique..thanks for the responce , Im a Tile guy that taught myself and watch your videos often to pickup anything i can from you!!
@@smokedog6603 👍😊
Sal, I've seen videos making a niche with laticrete hydroban that solely uses the hydroban adhesive to seal the niche (no tape or membrane of any sort). Would you agree that is enough with that product as long as the whole joint is sealed with the hydroban caulk/adhesive?
yes
For hydro ban yes, but last I read kerdi fix doesnt allow you to do then same as laticrete. Unless schluter has changed something all seams and corners need require band and corners. Don't think this niche would pass inspection per their instructions but have no doubt its water tight.
Could you do this with dens shield?
no
no need to do anything with the stud you cut out?
What’s that caulk (glue) you’re using?
Kerdi Fix
Is it possible to build a niche from Denshield with Hydraflex to waterproof it?
Does not work well with gypsum products.
@@SalDiBlasi OK, good to know, I saw your video where you used Denshield and Hydraflex for gaps so thought it might be ok
I think I would have used Kerdi-Board ZT washers in the niche, Also Kerdi-Fix is NOT waterproof, It's not silicone. It's ok to use it to keep the box closed while building BUT Kerdi band should have been applied in the corners, The way you cut the 45 degrees is cool but it still leaves the corners of the box exposed with just the Kerdi-Fix keeping the water out, which doesn't work. It looked like you were about to tile right after that. Also, are you using the same mix for the Kerdi Band & Tile?? You shouldn't do that.
Yes, there are videos showing how Kerdi Fix isn't a barrier and Schuster states it shouldn't be used in this manner. To make this niche correctly, you would need four inside corners and 4 outside corners. By the time you spend that money, you should just buy a Kerdi niche and extend it in the middle and use Kerdi band to cover the seems like in the video on their website.
Feel like after labor and materials it would be a wash as far as buying a pre made niche. Still cool though, maybe you want a custom size that isn’t orebuiltt
Sal, I’m pretty certain Kerdi Fix is not water tight when used as a caulk like you did on the inside corner seams. Issac and others have shown that it leaks as a sealer. It is only a mechanical bonder. Therefore, don’t you need a band inside those corners?
Definately need banding on inside corners...
I thought banding was "required", certainly for warranty. But if Sal says no I may just go with it
I would definitely see a use for an inside corner on the bottom corners for sure.
What is that ruler called
Drywall T Square 48-Inch amzn.to/32ZQWR3
Can you use your method of scoring through the foam, but not cutting the paper facing to do shower walls? So instead of kerdi banding the inside corners you're just putting a band on butt joints in the center? 🤔
You could.
Didnt use the kerdi corners,
😍👍👍👍
Thank you for pronouncing "Niche" correctly. 90% of the videos says Nitch it drives me nuts lol.
I think that Americans say it that way? It is a french word.
Well, I was incorrect in a comment on an earlier video on the Schluter Kerdi Board. Someone asked about cutting the Kerdi board for a corner, and not using the Kerdi Band to waterproof the corner. Basically they wanted to do without the expense and labor of using the Kerdi Band. I said that I wouldn't because I'd be worried about cutting through both sides.
This video shows that a person can use that technique. I'll still use the bands, because Murphy's Law.
The Membrane on the board is the same as the sheet membrane, so why not.
@@SalDiBlasi You certainly have proven that it can work.
@@pinkiewerewolf there wouldn't be any support behind the membrane in the corner. When you score and bend for an inside 90, the membrane will be the only thing in the corner.
@@iancurry6458 That’s why I used the bands. Better safe than sorry.
FYI -- I tried to do this with GoBoard. IT DOESN'T work. The GOBoard is waterproof but it does not have the flexibility of the Kerdi-board waterproof outer layer.
I would have just added 3/4 to the backside in-between drywall and niche 🤷♂️
I didn't realize that you are a fellow Bostonian.
North Shore 👍
Sal DiBlasi ditto!
That last step seems unnecessary. Why not just use kerdi inside corners?
I’ve always made my neiche , can’t understand anyone who buys them as they expensive for what they are
no short cuts with you sir.
Hey sal, watched: czcams.com/video/Fls1asNV9ug/video.html and had a question. You use thinset on the studs to plumb everything out, but you also use screws after that is done, doesn't the compression created by the screw undo all the work you just did? Or do you wait for it to setup a bit before screwing?
Thinset is allowed to set before adding the screws
The kerdi fix seems like just regular latex caulk
Not even close
You cut a stud out!? And didn’t cross stud it off lol
Well actually I didn't, the GC did, and it is a partition wall, the only thing the wall is holding up is the Sheetrock.
Good practice too but I understand 👍🏻
Yeah. That is not an approved method by schluter. You have potential leak points at the inside corners and edges of niche. Schluter fix is not approved for this application and schluter requires a min of 2 inch overlap of water proofing material at any joint. This method would not be covered by the schluter warranty if it were to fail.