Fixing showEr tray leak - retrofit upstand?

[Pheo]

So we are somewhat peeved this morning to see that our shower tray deal has failed again - manifesting in our hallway as a damp patch on the wall

This happened before - last time due to a trickle of water down the wall from the shower tray. Builder who installed and renovated the bathroom redid the silicone and we left it for 72houra to cure. However it looks like there is still too much movement in the tray for the silicone.

Tray is down onto a bed of mortar above 12mm ply ontop of the original floorboard. During the last repair they also chocked the tray at the edge between it and the wall underneath as the floorboards ran out and it was unsupported.

Now we have the same problem again - except now the hallway has been plastered and painted and carpets installed. So not best pleased.

Any thoughts on how we could adjust things to permanently seal the tray? I was wondering if we could remove the bottom row of tiles (we have spares) and fit an upstand of some sort? Or is the only option to have them take the tray out? (Major job, limestone tiled floor with electric underfloor heating... Which could get damaged.

Sigh - sometimes you just wish you'd done it yourself! Thoughts welcome!

[Pheo]

To try and answer some of the questions here:

- Its a cast tray. Low profile so no room for legs, but also I thought (prhaps wrongly!) less likely to flex and cause issues
- I think I've spotted where the silicone has pulled away from the tray and tiles (this silicone is 2 months old so shouldn't do this)
- They have tiled onto the top of the tray, not behind it
- I'm guessing they didn't silicone the wall/tray join, but can't be sure.

So I guess we have a couple of options:

- Silicone it again - probably not a good plan
- Try a polyuthrene sealant which stays flexible e.g. Sikaflex EBT+ or similar
- Bottom row of tiles off, seal between wall and tray, re-tile and then silicone/EBT
- Rip the tray out and start again

I figure probably ought to work down these solutions (e.g. if the poly sealant works then we don't need to do the disruptive works, if it doesn't. little is lost)

[Pheo]

Solid on the wall with the leak, other wall is aqua panel stud wall

[Pheo]

yellowtang said:

From the info you've given, I strongly suspect that the floorboards are the cause. Softwood boards move. A lot!

It seems pretty solid although detecting really small movements would admittedly be hard.

Atleast I hope it's not that because if it is we might as well start again!!

[Pheo]

Does a bit, but its a 1970s council house, so joists on 400mm centers, pretty decent size joists although I can't for the life of me remember the exact size.

But it is possible there is flex in the floor. They did seem to be doing a good job of screwing the ply down (I think they had a screw every 10cm or so.

Sigh, will get them back then, ask them to take the bottom row of tiles off, seal properly, then re-tile and re-seal and seal maybe...

[Pheo]

Builders response was that our shower tray must be warped and that would be the problem. They are just suggesting sealing it again. Don't see how warping should be an issue... Even if it was, they bedded it in mortar so that would take any rock out.

Sigh this is going to be great fun isn't it. Might consider that telesales above, don't really have the money to rip it all out and start again.

Next time I'll just do the thing myself.