Most bathrooms aren’t replaced because they look old. In our experience, the main reason bathrooms and shower rooms fail is water damage caused by incorrect bath-to-wall or shower-to-wall connections.
Although fitting a bath or shower tray can look simple, achieving a truly long-lasting, watertight installation requires experience and the correct method. Over many years of installing and replacing bathrooms, we’ve learnt there are countless ways to get this wrong and only one reliable way to get it right.
There are no clear building regulations or certifications that govern how baths and shower trays should be installed, and many manufacturers offer little guidance. As a result, installations are often carried out based on assumptions rather than proven techniques. Even skilled trades working alone can miss critical details.
When these connections fail, water damage usually spreads behind walls and floors, meaning repairs often involve removing large sections of the bathroom. In many cases, homeowners find it makes more sense to replace the entire bathroom rather than repair one failed area.
That’s why we focus on building bathrooms that are properly supported, watertight and built to last for decades, not just look good on completion day.
Golden Rules for Leak-Proof Baths & Shower Trays
1. No movement – ever
Baths and shower trays must be completely solid. Any movement, even minimal, will eventually cause seals to fail.
2. Install on a proper solid frame
Manufacturer-supplied legs alone are not enough. Baths and trays should be installed on a solid timber frame and bonded to it.
3. Mechanically fix to the wall
Baths must be mechanically fixed to the wall at multiple points to eliminate movement. Relying on brackets alone is not sufficient.
4. Support all four sides
Baths and trays should be fully supported on all sides with timber framing, not just partially supported.
5. Use only water-resistant materials
All connecting materials, fixings and adhesives must be suitable for wet environments.
6. Correct any gap over 2mm
If the gap between the bath/tray and wall exceeds 2mm, the wall must be levelled before sealing. Ideally, there should be almost no gap.
7. Apply a triple-seal system
A proper installation uses multiple sealing stages so water cannot reach the structure even if the visible seal fails.
8. Tile correctly above the bath or tray
Tiles should finish around 2mm above the bath or tray to allow the final silicone seal to work properly.
9. Build it to last, not just to look good
A bathroom should still be watertight years down the line, even if the visible silicone ever needs refreshing.
The simple truth
When these rules are followed correctly the most common failures in bathrooms simply don’t occour. Following this method bathrooms and shower rooms are still watertight years down the line, even if the visible silicone ever fails. That’s the standard we work to and it’s why our installations are built to last for the long term.