How to Repair Water Damage in the Shower

Fixing shower damage can save you money over the long term.

The shower is one of the most regularly used places in your home. People use it in the morning when they wake up and sometimes in the evening when they go to bed. Even though the shower area is constantly exposed to water, most people do not worry about encountering water damage in this area of their home. If you have a shower with tile, water damage may eventually occur in the shower area, requiring you to fix the problem before it spreads further.

Things You'll Need

• Medium-size drop cloth
• 3-inch putty knife
• 1 gallon mold-resistant primer
• 3-inch paint brush
• Majestic adhesive
• Tube of shower caulk or grout

Instructions

1. Lay down a drop cloth in your tub or shower area. Remove the tiles on your wall to expose any and all mold using the putty knife to break the tile free.

2. Remove tiles until you find the extent of the water damage on the underlying drywall.

3. Remove the damaged areas of the drywall using a putty knife. Remove the damp and moldy portions that have been causing the drywall damage.

4. Let the shower wall dry while open to the air if still damp.

5. Paint the exposed area of drywall with mold-resistant primer. Apply two coats of primer with a brush, with a drying period in between to properly seal the drywall.

6. Remove the caulk and old grout from the tiles you previously removed with the putty knife. Install the tiles on the shower wall by applying majestic adhesive to the wall, and let the tiles cure for 48 to 72 hours.

7. Apply waterproof grout or caulk in between the tiles, and let dry before using the shower.

References

• House Repair Talk: Water Damage Near Shower Wall
• The Tile Doctor: Need Advice Repairing Water Damage Under Shower Seat
• Likenu: Shower Wall Damage

Resources

• Seattle Times: Water Damage, Mold From Tile Showers Can be Fixed and Prevented
• This Old House: Saving a Soggy Shower Wall