Tile with Style handles shower pan installation, shower pan replacement and shower waterproofing in Greenville, SC. The pan is the sloped, waterproofed floor under the tile that carries water to the drain. If it fails, no amount of new grout or tile on top will stop the leak.
Since 2011
15 years in Greenville
Family-owned
The owner is on every job
Licensed & insured
In South Carolina
Free estimates
Written, no obligation
What goes under a tile shower?
Under the tile of a shower there is a pan sloped toward the drain, a waterproofing membrane on the pan and walls, the drain body set to the finished tile height, and a stiff subfloor. Each layer has to connect to the next without a gap.
Slope built into the pan itself, not shimmed under the tile
Drain set to the finished tile height so water does not pool at the edges
Membrane carried continuously from the pan up the walls
Curb wrapped on all three faces, a common leak point
Niches and benches built into the membrane and sloped so they drain
Corners and seams reinforced before the membrane goes on
Do I need to waterproof a shower before tiling?
Yes, always. Tile and grout are not waterproof. Water passes through the grout and reaches whatever is behind it, so a shower needs a dedicated waterproofing membrane on the pan and walls, installed to the manufacturer’s specification.
It is the most common corner cut in the trade, because it disappears the moment tile goes over it. A shower tiled onto plain drywall looks the same on handover day as one built correctly. The difference shows up years later as a stain on the ceiling below.
Shower pan replacement: signs your pan has failed
A failed shower pan shows up as loose or hollow tile around the shower floor, a stain on the ceiling below, a musty smell that does not clear, and grout at the floor-to-wall joint that keeps failing after repair.
When the pan has failed, the fix is to take out the shower floor, build a new pan and waterproof it properly. Regrouting or sealing the surface will not reach the problem. We show you the evidence first, so you are not taking our word for it.
Shower leak repair: can it be fixed without a rebuild?
Sometimes. If the leak comes from a failed silicone joint, a drain connection or one damaged spot, it can be repaired locally. More often, a leak that is already visible means the waterproofing has failed as a system, and patching one spot buys you a year.
We tell you which of the two you have and show you why. We would rather lose a small repair than sell you one we know will not hold.
Curbless showers start in the subfloor
A curbless shower needs its slope built into the subfloor, so the floor is lowered or recessed before the pan goes in. That makes it a decision for before demolition, not after.
Done right, it is the most accessible shower there is. Done as an afterthought, it sends water across the bathroom floor.
Who does the work
Written by the team at Tile with Style, a family-owned, licensed and insured tile installation business working in Greenville, SC since 2011. Work is carried out by Javier Rincón and his crew.
Updated:
How the job runs
From first call to final walkthrough.
01
Inspection
We look at the actual assembly: moisture readings, tap testing, and the room below if there is one.
02
Honest Scope
You hear whether this is a spot repair or a system failure, with the evidence in front of you.
03
Pan & Membrane
Pan built to the correct slope, membrane installed to spec, corners and curb reinforced.
04
Tile & Handover
Tile set over a sound system, then grouted, sealed and walked through with you.
Shower Waterproofing · FAQ
Questions we get on every job
No. Tile sheds water but grout does not, and water passes through the grout lines to whatever is behind them. Without a membrane, that water reaches the backer board and the framing. Tile is the wear surface, not the waterproofing.
We use industry-standard sheet and liquid membrane systems, chosen for the specific shower, and we install them to the manufacturer’s specification, including the corner treatments and seam overlaps the manufacturer requires.
No. Waterproofing goes behind the tile, not on top of it. Products sold as a coating for an existing tiled shower are sealers, and they do nothing about water that is already getting past the tile.
It depends on the system and the conditions, and every manufacturer publishes a cure time. We follow it. Setting tile over a membrane that has not cured is one of the ways a well-specified shower still fails.
Serving Greenville, SC and the Upstate within 60 miles: Simpsonville, Five Forks, Mauldin, Greer, Taylors, Travelers Rest, Fountain Inn, Easley, Spartanburg and Lake Keowee.
