Planning Shower Niches- Eight Essentials to Keep in Mind
- On June 06, 2016
- By Habitar Design Team
- In Uncategorized
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Walk-in showers never seem to have enough storage. All your bottles end up on the floor or a bench where they’re in the way or can be easily knocked over. Niches are the perfect answer. They’re cleaner than many wire storage devices and don’t take up any room in your shower.
If you are in the process of remodeling your bathroom, here are a few things to keep in mind while you are designing your shower niche:
- When putting a shower niche in an existing wall, 12”w x 24”h is a good size. It allows the niche to fit between studs which are often 16 inches apart. With a glass shelf at 12 inches this creates 2 feet of shelf space.
- The typical depth of a shower niche is 3.5 inches, the width of a wood stud. In a high rise building, the steel studs may be 2.5 inches deep and this should be considered. This is still wide enough for most bottles.
- Niches should not be against outside walls if possible in cold weather climates. The niche space will replace valuable insulation. If you must use an outside wall, be sure to put in some form of polyurethane insulation or the tile may frost up on cold winter days.
- Niches can be larger in new walls where your contractor can adjust the width of studs and make sure any plumbing or electrical pipes are not in the way. Wider niches are difficult in pre-existing walls but still possible. Keep in mind that every time a stud is cut there will likely be cosmetic damage to the wall it supports, so expect a little patching and painting in other rooms.
- Keep the tile dimensions in mind when specifying a niche. It’s best for tile to be symmetric around a niche. The tile line can end right on the niche for a very clean look. One thing to avoid is a very small tile on one or both sides of a niche. One solution is to frame the niche.
- Remember your niche may require bullnose tile, particularly when using ceramic tile that don’t have color through the clay body. This may be problematic with porcelain but is rarely an issue with stone.
- Specify all sides and back of your niche. If the niche is mosaic resting in larger field tiles, it often works best for all 5 walls (back, sides, top and bottom) to be mosaic. If the tile is glass, it allows you to hide the cut edge behind the field tile which is often easier to work with.
- Make sure your contractor waterproofs the niche with a product like Red Guard and ensures there is proper drainage into the shower area. This is particularly important with mosaic tiles. A leak from a niche will cause substantial damage over time.
Conclusion
With proper planning niches are practical and create a great visual focal point in any a shower or bath area.
Looking for more advice and inspiration?
- Get inspired by our bathroom remodeling portfolio
- Enjoy this beautiful bold, blue tile in a recent bathroom renovation
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- Learn more about Habitar Design, Chicago’s premiere interior design firm!
Hannah Tindall is an assistant interior designer at Habitar Design specializing in kitchen and bathroom design in Chicago. Mitchell Newman is principal at Stratagem Construction, a leading Chicago construction company focusing on high end kitchen and bathroom remodels as well as custom wood work, built-ins and cabinetry.
Joanne
Hi Hannah – Great tips…I am planning to put a linear glass tile in my shower niche. I would like to put it on all sides so it looks better, but I’m wondering whether the glass would break easily if I put it on the bottom of the niche (shampoo and soap containers…), and if so, would you recommend tiling the sides and top as well as the back or just the back of the niche?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Habitar Design Team
Hi Joanne! I would recommend doing just the back of the shower niche in the glass tile, and the top, bottom and sides should be in something more sturdy.
– Hannah
Joanne
ps I am doing a horizontal niche that stretches all the way across my long shower wall.
Carrie Chavez
Where does one find the metal framing pieces
Glass Glazing
I am putting a linear glass tile in my shower niche. I would like to put it on all sides so it looks better, but I’m wondering whether the glass would break easily if I put it on the bottom of the niche. I like your post and I am happy to share this post to my friends.
Zane Wiersema
It shouldn’t break easily if installed properly, but it may be more susceptible to scratches if something metal will be going inside the niche.
Zane Wiersema
Project Manager
Habitar Design / Stratagem Construction
kathleenbowie
Hi,
Thanks for sharing this article. Its very helpful to every people.
Concetta
Thanks for all the information. How high off the floor should a shower niche be placed? How high should a shower/tub niche be placed? How high should an air tub (no shower) niche be placed.
Habitar Design Team
There’s no standard, it depends on aesthetic and utility. For example, in a shower, you would want the height of the niche at about chest height. More important than the location is the water proofing. If the niche will be lower than the water supply lines – as it usually is in a shower – then you want to use cement board on the walls, red guard the entire niche and install the bottom tile so that it has a slight pitch and sits on top of the wall tile (as opposed to butting up against the wall tile).
Hope this helps!
– Zane, Construction Project Manager, Habitar Design
Marina Wellis
I like how you suggested making sure that the contractor waterproofs the niche to ensure proper drainage in the shower area because a leak from a niche will cause substantial damage in the future. I was planning to get the bathroom remodeled next year, and adding a shower niche is among the things that I’m considering. Seeing this article gave me ideas of what to look for and ensure. Thanks a lot!
Habitar Design Team
Great, happy to help! They’re a great space saver, keeping out the clutter and maintaining your stylish bathroom remodel. We still love niches!
Beth Trotter
Is it possible to add a shower niche to an existing tiled shower or is that just too impractical?
Habitar Design Team
Unfortunately, adding a shower niche to existing tile will extremely compromise the waterproofing of the shower, and lead to mold and decay over time. We recommend a nice bench or shower caddy to hold you over for storage until you are ready for a full re-tile.
Rita lipham
My installers have put in my shower neich and I don’t like it. It is not symmetrical and the stone looks horribly lined up around it. What can I do? I went in there and told them that I didn’t like it and that I didn’t order it.
Habitar Design Team
Rita,
Not sure I have an answer. That’s really an issue with your contractor. Sorry to hear that. Hope the final product comes out OK.
Mitch