Shower Tile Solutions

Ceramic Tile Showers

John P. Bridge

"I wish I could have a tile shower without the grout joints. It’s impossible to keep them clean."

I suppose tile showers arrived in this country along with inside plumbing over a hundred years ago. The tiles then were imported, mostly from Europe but from other areas also. Back then the joints between the tiles were filled with portland cement grout, which was hard to keep clean.

Nowadays, most tiles used in showers (Standard four-and-a-quarter inch wall tiles) are made in this country from the same materials used to make ceramic figurines. There are many colors and surface textures available, but one thing has not changed over the years: The joints between the tiles are still filled with portland cement grout, which is still hard to keep clean. It’s not so much dirt as it is mold and mildew.

Throughout my three decades of building showers I’ve answered questions on how to keep tiles and grout clean hundreds of times. I’ve directed people to various products available at tile supply houses as well as at super markets and hardware stores. I can’t really tell you which specific products are best. People have had varying levels of success using a wide variety of cleaners.

There is one thing, however, that is guaranteed to keep your shower looking new, and it is the only thing you can do to accomplish this. Each and every time the shower is used, it must be completely dried out. Some people use a window washer’s "squeegee" to pull the water down from the walls and then use a towel to sponge it up from the bottom of the shower. At our house we simply use our worn out towels to do the job. When I shower I take two towels into the bathroom: one for me and one for the shower. I have seen showers built years before that still look brand new, having been maintained in this manner.

If you fail to wipe down your shower each time it’s used, two things will occur: the grout between the tiles will breed mold and mildew, making an ugly mess that’s hard to clean up; and minerals in your water will etch or pit the glaze on the surface of the tiles, making them impossible to clean as time goes on. Etching also occurs on your glass shower door (usually toward the bottom) if it is not dried each time the shower is used.

Now, what to do about a shower that has not been maintained in the above manner since it was new. Use cleaners that do not contain acids of any sort (This includes vinegar). Acids "clean" by removing desirable material, i.e., layers of grout from tile joints and elements of certain ceramic glazes from the surface of the tiles. Not good at all.

You need a good alkaline cleaner/stripper to remove built-up soap scum and mineral deposits. Tile Your World is a distributor of StoneTech Professional, and StoneTech makes a good cleaner. It's available in the Tile Your World Store: http://tileyourworld.com/catalog Get the tile and grout as clean as you can. Make sure to rinse everything thoroughly and allow it to completely dry.

You should also seal the grout and tiles with a penetrating tile sealer both when the shower is new and periodically through the years. Grout and ceramic wall tiles are not waterproof and will absorb quantities of water as the shower is used. Water is the element necessary for breeding mold and mildew. Sealing the grout and tiles will exclude much of this water from the tile installation.

There are many brands of tile sealers, all of which fall into two general categories: mineral based and latex or acrylic based. Use the latex based products. They won’t stink up your house like the mineral based ones will. If you buy your products (cleaners and sealers) at full line tile supply stores, you’ll have the best chance of obtaining the very best products available. The people who work at these businesses are much more knowledgeable about tile products than, say, people who work at home centers. Home center employees simply have too many products to know about.

Sealers do not last forever. A new breed of sealers are available that are purported to last up to fifteen years or so. Although I’m a little skeptical of that level of durability, I would certainly go for the product that will last the longest. In the past, sealers were only good for a year at most. It will come as no surprise to you that StoneTech makes sealers too. You can order them online at: http://tileyourworld.com/catalog . Aqua-mix also makes fine products.

Sealing a shower is easy. Make sure the shower is completely dry. It usually takes about five days for the moisture to evaporate from behind the tiles. The five days applies to all showers built with lath and mortar whether new or old. If your shower has only sheetrock behind the tile, the walls will usually dry in two days . . . unless the sheetrock is saturated, in which case you have problems that can’t be fixed with sealer. See Copperfield Showers. Shower floors can take weeks or months to dry out after having been in use for a period of time. You might want to forego sealing the floor in that case. In new showers, the floor can be sealed along with the walls, but never use an old fashioned sealer on a shower floor. The floor needs to "breathe.".

If your shower is tiled with large floor tiles which are dense to the point that they won't accept sealer, you should use a small piece of sponge to apply sealer to the joints only. Wipe the edges of the tiles with a damp cloth. Be advised that all floor tiles are not super dense. Some of them will accept the sealer. Do a little test. Dap sealer on a tile and notice whether the tile absorbs any of it. It it does, seal the tiles and grout. If no sealer is absorbed by the tile, seal the joints only.

Check the directions on the container. Generally, you wipe the product on with a sponge or rag, allow it to soak in for a minute or two, and wipe the excess from the surface with a damp rag or paper towels. To make sure you’ve done a thorough job, repeat the process the following day. Allow the shower to dry overnight before you use it.

It is imperative that you remove all sealer from tile surfaces before it has a chance to dry. Some of the water-base sealers are not "strippable" after they've dried. Pay attention.

For routine day-to-day cleaning of showers and other tiled surfaces, a pH neutral cleaner is recommended. Can you find the the link the Tile Your World Store above? I'll place one down below just in case you can't. :-)

So here’s the recap: Clean it, seal it, and wipe it down each time it’s used. Do this and most of your shower maintenance problems will be behind you.

Water Penetration Through Exterior Walls

Weep holes provide the best protection against serious problems.

Rainwater penetration through exterior masonry walls to the interior space is causing serious problems around the country, even in some new buildings. Most contemporary walls are designed and built as a cavity system with a masonry veneer (clay brick, concrete brick, stone, etc.), air space, and backup materials.

This wall arrangement is normally designed under the assumption that some moisture could penetrate the exterior cladding, but should not migrate through the recommended 2-inch clear air space located between the masonry veneer and backup system. Any moisture getting through the exterior cladding should migrate down within the air space and drain out form the wall system through the weep holes. Most design guidelines and details focus on the limitation or avoidance of water penetration through the masonry veneer, rather than the functional and safe drainage of the cavity wall system.
I normally make several exterior masonry wall investigations per week, and in many cases, find problems. Many homes have no weep holes and water actually puddles up behind the walls until it is dissipated into the interior structure. These walls are typically on completed homes where weep hole problems are difficult to correct.

Rectangular or circular plastic tube weep holes are installed at base of the brick veneer with a proper spacing, but contractors forget to install, or the designer did not specify, a drainage material behind the masonry veneer. Moisture accumulates above the flashing line, but does not have any passage to the weep holes and out from the wall system. In many cases, mortar dropping block weep holes or the contractor filled the collar joint with mortar that completely plugs the weep holes.
I employ a non-destructive test method to check installed weep holes for drainage. I use a device consisting of a toilet shut-off valve with an adapter for a garden hose at one end, and a 3/8-inch diameter copper pipe on the other side. I attach the device to a garden hose and pour water into one weep hole. Water should drain out from the other weep holes. Otherwise, it is non-functional drainage system.
Unfortunately, far too often there are negative test results because water was not draining out through the weep holes.

Author’s preference
In my opinion, the most effective drainage material is a product from Mortar Net with a dovetail shape. Mortar droppings could accumulate at a lower or upper level of the product, but it eliminates the possibility of a complete horizontal blockage of the cavity.

Many wall systems are designed with insulation inside the cavity and a vapor/air barrier sandwiched between the extruded polystyrene insulation board and an exterior face of the wall backup system. This energy efficient wall system also could improve the wall’s water resistance with the introduction of cavity air space ventilation or a rain screen system.

Rain screen systems
Canadians started using rain screen systems in 1960s. The basic idea behind the pressure equalized rain screen wall system is to provide weep holes at the bottom of the masonry veneer and vents at the top within each floor. Air circulation through the cavity should equalize pressure on each side of the masonry veneer and minimize water penetration into the wall system. This approach should be used on projects located in areas that receive high volumes of wind-driven rain and when resistance to water penetration is a prime concern.
Brick Industry Association Technical Note 27, “Brick Masonry Rain Screen Walls,” contains valuable information for designers of this system. Besides functional weep holes and vents, the air space located behind the masonry veneer should be divided vertically into compartments, specifically on each side of the corner. Designers could follow locations of the clay brick veneer vertical expansion joints to locate vertical dividers inside the cavity.
Drainage material installed at the flashing line to protect weep holes from mortar droppings also should help air circulation through the weep holes. Masonry veneer cavity airflow testing was conducted at the Architectural Testing Labs in York, Pa., in April 2004.

Comparing Shapes
ASTM E 283-91 “Standard Test Method for Determining the Rate of Air Leakage Through Exterior Windows, Curtain Walls, and Doors Under Specified Pressure Differences Across the Specimen” was used to compare the dovetail shape cavity drainage material with horizontally straight versions installed into the cavity wall system with an even amount of mortar droppings inside the cavity. Each test panel was 5-feet wide and 10-feet high, with three open head joint weep holes at the base of the panel. There was 9% airflow reduction at the test panel with the dovetail shape cavity drainage material with the wind speed ranging from 15-50 mph.
The test panel with the horizontally straight cavity drainage material had a significant air-flow reduction ranging from 15% with a wind speed of 15 mph to 47.5% at 50 mph. The horizontally straight cavity drainage material had a continuous accumulation of the mortar droppings, which reduced airflow and circulation through the cavity.
My conclusion is that the best water-proofing of the exterior walls with a masonry cladding is to provide the functional drainage of the wall cavity system through the weep holes. The designer should specify the testing of the weep holes with a minimum of one pour of water (approximately 5 gallons) for each 10-feet length of the masonry veneer located above the flashing line. Water should be pouring out from every weep hole.

Maintain your most valuable investment

Welcome to the Q&A forum for Master Masonry. This is the place to find answers to your questions about problems or concerns about your homes brick and mortar. Many people feel that a residential homes brickwork is indestructible and will never need attention. If your here, you've discovered this is not the case. Having a professional evaluate and repair your brick problem is your best move in maintaining your homes full value. Don't take the shortcuts of using a caulking gun and fill mortar cracks with plastics or silicone. Evaluations in most areas are free and you'll rest better with the piece of mind in knowing a professional has inspected you homes brickwork.

Brick repair before selling?

Sir
We have a few areas on our home that need repair 2 stair step cracks on our side walls, a crack above our arch entry and several cracked brick at the corner of the garage thanks to our teenager driver. We are wondering if it's better to have them repaired before we sell our home, or to just let the new home owners deal with it.

Thanks for your help
Richard Dempsey
Plano, Tx

Sealing brick in water problem areas

Dear Brick Mason: I have a problem with my brick veneer house. It develops leaks during wind driven rains. I can't seem to locate the source of the leaks. I purchased a brick sealer to solve my problem. I saw water repellents at the store, but the salesperson said they don't work as well. What do you think? Chris.

Dear Chris: Slow down! Do you still have the receipt for the sealer? You may need it. The sealer you purchased may actually harm your brick house. A water repellent may be a better choice.

The leaks you are experiencing are normal. Brick walls are by no means waterproof. Unfortunately, many homeowners think just the opposite. Bricks and mortar have a great capacity to absorb water. Both contain tiny passageways that actually suck water into the wall. Water can also enter through tiny cracks between the bricks and mortar.

This shine after you first apply the repellant goes away completely once the silane / siloxane water repellent dries.
Water leakage into older homes is rarely noticeable. These houses often were constructed using two or three layers of brick or block behind the face brick. As such, they can often absorb all of the rain water until such time as a storm passes. When the sun appears after the storm, the water is released back into the atmosphere through the tiny passageways. In your case, you only have one layer of brick. Once this layer has been breached, the water finds its way into your house.

Look again for cracks or small holes in the mortar. Pay particular attention to the small vertical (head) joints between each brick. This is the most likely place where water is entering. Rarely are these joints filled solid with mortar. The horizontal joints (bed) in your brick wall are usually filled solid and resist water penetration. If you find small holes or cracks, repair these before applying any coating.

There are two categories of clear brick coatings: film forming sealants and penetrating water repellents. Film forming sealants create a continuous barrier on the surface of the brick and mortar. They block the tiny passageways in the brick and mortar. Not only will they stop water from getting into the brick, but they also stop water from getting out. These compounds frequently contain acrylics, mineral waxes (paraffin), urethanes, and silicone resins.

Water repellents work in a different way. These products are designed to penetrate deeply into the brick and mortar. Some can reach as far as 3/8 inch into the surface. They coat the insides of the tiny passageways in the brick and mortar. However, the passageways remain open allowing the brick and mortar to breathe. These water repellents often contain silanes, siloxanes, or a blend of these chemicals.DEAR TIM: I have a problem with my brick veneer house. It develops leaks during wind driven rains. I can't seem to locate the source of the leaks. I purchased a brick sealer to solve my problem. I saw water repellents at the store, but the salesperson said they don't work as well. What do you think? B. N.

DEAR B. N.: Slow down! Do you still have the receipt for the sealer? You may need it. The sealer you purchased may actually harm your brick house. A water repellent may be a better choice.

The leaks you are experiencing are normal. Brick walls are by no means waterproof. Unfortunately, many homeowners think just the opposite. Bricks and mortar have a great capacity to absorb water. Both contain tiny passageways that actually suck water into the wall. Water can also enter through tiny cracks between the bricks and mortar..

This shine goes away completely once the silane / siloxane water repellent dries.
Water leakage into older homes is rarely noticeable. These houses often were constructed using two or three layers of brick or block behind the face brick. As such, they can often absorb all of the rain water until such time as a storm passes. When the sun appears after the storm, the water is released back into the atmosphere through the tiny passageways. In your case, you only have one layer of brick. Once this layer has been breached, the water finds its way into your house.

Look again for cracks or small holes in the mortar. Pay particular attention to the small vertical (head) joints between each brick. This is the most likely place where water is entering. Rarely are these joints filled solid with mortar. The horizontal joints (bed) in your brick wall are usually filled solid and resist water penetration. If you find small holes or cracks, repair these before applying any coating.

There are two categories of clear brick coatings: film forming sealants and penetrating water repellents. Film forming sealants create a continuous barrier on the surface of the brick and mortar. They block the tiny passageways in the brick and mortar. Not only will they stop water from getting into the brick, but they also stop water from getting out. These compounds frequently contain acrylics, mineral waxes (paraffin), urethanes, and silicone resins.


Water repellents work in a different way. These products are designed to penetrate deeply into the brick and mortar. Some can reach as far as 3/8 inch into the surface. They coat the insides of the tiny passageways in the brick and mortar. However, the passageways remain open allowing the brick and mortar to breathe. These water repellents often contain silanes, siloxanes, or a blend of these chemicals.

Film forming sealants can cloud and haze over. They can contribute to brick spalling (flaking) in colder climates. Water repellents rarely discolor brick. Because they soak into the brick and mortar, sunlight has a tough time breaking them down. Check the label on your product to see what chemicals it contains. If it is a film forming sealant, think long and hard before applying it to your brick.



Film forming sealants can cloud and haze over. They can contribute to brick spalling (flaking) in colder climates. Water repellents rarely discolor brick. Because they soak into the brick and mortar, sunlight has a tough time breaking them down. Check the label on your product to see what chemicals it contains. If it is a film forming sealant, think long and hard before applying it to your brick.