Gap between shower tray and wall

[DrFoxtrot]

Hello, I had my main bathroom and en suite done about 5 years ago and for the last few months we haven't been using the main shower as it leaked and water dripped into the kitchen below.

I have finally got round to redoing the grout and decided to strip the sealant yesterday. I'm shocked to find a gap all the way round the shower tray, approx 8mm at the widest part. I've read online about tanking the shower area to ensure water tightness and I'm sure that this will not have been done in my house.

What can I do to stop future leaks, apart from ripping everything out again and doing it properly? The only thing stopping water going down the gap was sealant. Has anyone got any ideas?

Weird! No wonder it leaked. The usual way would be to fit the tray hard up against the walls and then tile down to the tray. Not sure how best to fix it from here, though!

Thanks, the wall has been tiled first then the shower put up against it! Although not right up against it. I had no idea at the time that I should have been looking at the techniques used and maybe questioning what they were doing.

If it’s at the point of dripping in the room below I’m thinking there’s a lot of sodden plasterboard, joist and floorboard between.

which makes ripping it out and assessing the damage the proper course of action.

Is there a risk that the ceiling will collapse eventually? I was hoping that it would dry out and be safe.

Assuming the water isn’t dripping from a man made hole like a light fitting, then in my experience (slow drip from a water tank in the loft ) the plasterboard ( and insulation) soaks up the water initiative, but eventually gets so sodden that it no longer retains it and it drips through.

in our case we had ‘tide marks’ on the ceiling indicating the dampness.
the ceiling fell in, mainly due to the weight of the wet insulation I think.

if you stand on the shower tray, do you feel any give in the floor?

you might be able to fill the gap, then top it with sealant and you’re sorted.
I guess you could start there , that might be all you need to do.

Your show tray needs to be taken out and installed correctly, and the tiling done after. Wet wall is often a better choice as there’s no grout to go mouldy/fail

*shower

We had this and sealed it with one of these kits to cover the gap.
You cut the strips to size fill the gap with sealant and the seal the strips in place very easy and has been very effective.

www.byretech.com/acatalog/ShowerSeal-Ultra-10-Half-Seal.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ZeUBhDyARIsAOzAqQLsgsx0ZVq8p1SZXWvckVAUHa7SY7jZs1zoSkJ5rUUtsHVWeFlq8iEaArXlEALw_wcB#aSSWK03_2f06_2f10

Thanks everyone. There are tide marks on the kitchen ceiling. Do you think it's worth taking all the tiles down for a proper waterproofing or could I get away with simply removing the bottom tiles then pushing the tray further in?

I'll have a look @katcatkat

I really wanted a short term option until I have chance to do a full repair but I'm wondering whether that's a bad idea.

Wet wall looks like a good option.

@tanstaafl there's no give in the floor/ tray

You probably could get away with removing the bottom tiles if the rest is in otherwise good condition.
We had a wet room with new wet wall but it was depressing. We kept the shower and had an enclosure fitted. The plumber cut into the bottom of the wet wall so the lip sits above the tray.
You need to address it one way or the other. Resealing as it is and you'll be back in the same position in no time

Thanks, I haven't decided what to do yet but probably will remove the bottom tiles and reposition the tray. Then get someone to redo the whole area at some point soon.