How to build a Steam shower

We are excited to see what 2018 will bring!  We are located in Fairfield county in Lancaster Ohio.  We would love the opportunity to be a part of your kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel, basement finish, room addition or whole house renovation!  Please go to our website www.bergerbuilding.com and click on the "Free estimates" button to request an estimate. We look forward to working with you!!

This is a picture of a steam shower we did in a custom bathroom remodel in 2017.

If you are thinking about building a steam shower like the one in the photo, there is a lot to know! It's not as simple as just running a pipe from a steam generator into the shower and just letting the steam fill the room. The first and most important thing to know is that the shower needs to be built properly and also properly water proofed.

1. Frame the shower and make sure that it is sound with no give in the floor of the shower. This will lead to cracked tile later. Maker sure to include blocking in the walls for grab bars, shower doors, and any other accessories that you may need. Also, a steam shower requires a sloped ceiling in order to shed the condensation that will collect on the ceiling from the steam.
2. Install your shower pan and tile backer boards. We personally prefer to work with a German made product made by a company called Wedi. Go here to learn more about Wedi
3. If you are building a steam shower, it is essential to water proof thoroughly.  If you are working with the Wedi product, they sell a special product that is applied to the surfaces of the shower to provide the water proofing.  I would recommend that you contact the rep for whatever product you are using and get some info from them on the proper way to prep there material for the steam shower.
4. Now its time to install the tile.  
5. Make sure that you are using a grout that is suitable for a steam shower.  This may be an epoxy grout.
6. Silicone all corners and finish trims on plumbing fixtures.  You want to keep the steam and moisture inside the shower.
7. Now you can hook up your steam generator which will require its own dedicated circuit for the electrical.  Check with your local electrician.
8. You will need to run a water supply line to the steam generator which the details should be spelled out in the instruction manual for your specific unit.  Make sure to follow all of the directions that are included with your unit.  They will specify what types of materials you can use for the plumbing required.

That's it in a nutshell!  I hope this was helpful!  Feel free to ask me if you have any other questions!