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I moved into a new apartment, and it features these shower curtains around the shower, which barely do anything, and water gets everywhere. Subsequently, because of the leveling, water flows towards the kitchen and floods it. Also, there is a questionable AC outlet, where the washing machine is plugged in, about 50 cm from the shower.

This is why I decided to install a shower cabin to block off any splashes of water and contain it inside. The problem is that I am not allowed to install anything and must vacate the apartment and leave it as it was before. Moreover, even if I somehow got permission to drill, I have little experience drilling into tiles and am unsure whether the drywall would hold.

Can a shower cabin be mounted with just some sort of water resistant glue? I found some cheap options on amazon which seem light weight (pvc foldable doors, no glass, etc.) Any advice would be much appreciated.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31jmxxu8wkL.AC.jpg

enter image description here

FreeMan
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Yordan Aleksandrov
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    I'm all for diy, but have you considered approaching the landlord to discuss this flaw in their apartment? It is in their best interests that the floor not flood. (Granted, they might just be cheap and insist that their shower curtain solution is adequate.) – Aloysius Defenestrate Jan 26 '24 at 14:31
  • Assume you have a hard surface, like tile, to which it could be attached? – Huesmann Jan 26 '24 at 14:51
  • Yes, it is in a corner, just like in the picture, with tiles going up to about 2m (cabin height is less.) – Yordan Aleksandrov Jan 26 '24 at 14:53
  • I would think that the biggest issue you'll have is getting the shower pan drain to line up with and seal against the existing floor drain. When you center the new pan's drain over the existing drain, will the walls of the new shower actually meet up with the existing walls? If not, there won't be anything to support them. How are you planning on sealing the drains together? Usually they're glued together or the drain comes with a thick rubber gasket that attaches the shower drain to the house plumbing. All in all, I don't foresee this working well even if you were to screw it to the walls. – FreeMan Jan 26 '24 at 16:43
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    Maybe a picture of what you've currently got would help clear things up. Are you just installing doors/walls, or are you installing a whole shower surround, including a new shower pan (that would be the white part sitting on the ground in the 2nd pic)? – FreeMan Jan 26 '24 at 22:18
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    This is really an XY question. A better question might be "How can I prevent water from escaping from my shower?" with pictures of the actual shower and explaining the constraints under which you're operating (e.g., you're renting). Such a question would allow people to evaluate the underlying issue and circumstances and offer solutions for that. Such solutions may or may not include your currently chosen method of resolving the issue. – Makyen Jan 27 '24 at 18:22

3 Answers3

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Have you considered some double sided, waterproof tape? I have used this for attaching items in showers and hot tubs: cup and soap holders, mirrors, etc. and have found it very strong but can remove it with a single edge utility blade. Use continuous pieces of tape at the bottom and more sparingly up the walls where water might not be hitting and securely at the top. See picture below from Amazon

enter image description here

JACK
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  • I haven't, it definitely seems like a possible solution. I have yet to order the shower cabin, and wanted to see if such a feat is feasible first, not that I am left with an unusable item. If you think that such tape could hold it well enough, I can go ahead with it. Its weight will be held by the small ceramic tub-thing (where the drainage is, I don't know the names in english) on which it will sit, so only need to stabilize it and secure it enough so it does not move/fall while the doors are being opened and closed. – Yordan Aleksandrov Jan 26 '24 at 13:48
  • I would be somewhat concerned that "foam" tape would allow movement (even if very small) between the walls and the shower. This could (maybe, potentially) lead to the plastic shower stall cracking at some point in the future. I'm still more concerned, though about lining up and sealing the drain (as noted in a comment on the OP). I think that's got a strong chance of not going to plan... – FreeMan Jan 26 '24 at 21:38
  • @FreeMan I don't think the drain is involved. The OP is just installing door and frame on top of the existing pan. As far as movement, It's a PVC frame/door and no glass so maybe some stretching of it. If it did crack, the OP could fix it while repairing the caulk and grout. Plus using the tape more sparingly as stated it my answer might help too. – JACK Jan 26 '24 at 22:00
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With proper surface cleanup beforehand, glue can form very strong bond to tile. I have a clothes bar attached in bathroom by glue only, and it has held for many years of use. Be sure to apply glue only over the glazed area, getting it out of the grouting could be difficult. From glaze any flexible glue like silicone or polyurethane can be removed with a sharp blade.

It's hard to say from the image, but if the structure seems wobbly when assembled, it could slowly work the glue loose. A diagonal brace at the top would help reinforce the frame against twisting.

Whether you use glue or tape: cleaning the surface is critical to getting good adhesion. Use acidic cleaner to remove any mineral build-up, and then give it a good scrub with a melamine sponge.

jpa
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Here's some assembly instructions for a random shower door:

enter image description here

It is held to the wall with these aluminium profiles which you are supposed to fasten with screws:

enter image description here

However you can also glue these profiles to tile with silicone caulk. It should work just as well.

In my bathroom, I have several wall mounted gizmos, glued on tile with MS caulk. About 10 years so far and they didn't fall off. MS is much harder to scrape than silicone though.

Silicone can be removed from tile with a scraper and bit of elbow grease. It's harder to remove it from grout without damaging the grout, so it would be a good idea to place some adhesive tape on the grout lines to protect them. Once it has set, you can cut off the excess silicone and tape.

bobflux
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