Guide category
Waterproofing & Construction
What sits behind the tile: membranes, pans, drains, niches and the junctions where showers actually fail.
Short answer
Shower waterproofing explained: bonded membranes, sloped pans, drain types, flood testing and the junctions where showers leak.
How shower waterproofing actually works
Tile and grout are not waterproof — water passes through them. What keeps a shower dry is a continuous barrier installed behind the tile, bonded to the substrate, wrapped through every corner and connected properly to the drain. If that barrier is interrupted anywhere, the shower will eventually leak there.
Seven signs your shower is leaking behind the tile
The reliable warning signs are loose or hollow-sounding tile low on the wall, a persistently damp corner, soft or discolored flooring just outside the enclosure, a stain on the ceiling below, musty smell with no visible mold, efflorescence on grout, and a curb that stays wet long after the shower is off. Most indicate the barrier behind the tile has been breached, not that the grout needs attention.
Planning a shower project?
Tell us about the shower you have and the one you want. We will come back with questions, then arrange to see the room before anything is quoted.