Bathroom Wall Repair

[Taneshia D.]

Good Morning Everyone!!
My bathroom wall is affected by moisture and I would like to repair it but I am unsure of the materials needed. I am a new homeowner and I am learning new information, can you let me know if someone professional needs to repair or can I repair? Thank you!

 

[Snoonyb]

Welcome.
Well, 1st you'll need to address the cause of the moisture intrusion.
Which appears to be the lack of a deflecting devise, or the proper use of one.
It appears that you use a shower curtain, since there does not appear to be a rail for a door, in the photos.
With your wet hand, wipe both perimeters of your shower enclosure, fold about 3" of the shower curtain and seal it against the dampened area, on both ends, and when you are finished, use your drying towel and wipe any water that has leaked past your curtain.
And, therein lies the reason I only use shower doors, as enclosures, and, they have towel bars.

For repairs you'll likely need to replace the base, and the wall repairs can likely be addressed with spackel or another patching material.

 

[Taneshia D.]

Welcome.
Well, 1st you'll need to address the cause of the moisture intrusion.
Which appears to be the lack of a deflecting devise, or the proper use of one.
It appears that you use a shower curtain, since there does not appear to be a rail for a door, in the photos.
With your wet hand, wipe both perimeters of your shower enclosure, fold about 3" of the shower curtain and seal it against the dampened area, on both ends, and when you are finished, use your drying towel and wipe any water that has leaked past your curtain.
And, therein lies the reason I only use shower doors, as enclosures, and, they have towel bars.

For repairs you'll likely need to replace the base, and the wall repairs can likely be addressed with spackel or another patching material.

Hi! Yes! I do use a shower curtain and I do have bathtub splash guards I will be putting up to avoid the moisture intrusion… so I will use sparkle to patch the damaged area after the splash guard. Thank you!

 

[Snoonyb]

Just be sure the area is allowed to dry, and using a hair dryer, as an accelerator, will not allow the absorbed moisture to dry, as well as time, and often toweling.

 

[Taneshia D.]

Just be sure the area is allowed to dry, and using a hair dryer, as an accelerator, will not allow the absorbed moisture to dry, as well as time, and often toweling.

Ok thank you

 

[slownsteady]

If the moisture has had time to soak into the wall, you may find the plaster or drywall will crumble. It may look messy but you can take out the crumbles and still repair the wall with new material. Let us know how it goes.

 

[bud16415]

I had a similar reoccurring problem in our shower that the previous owner had put in that was a handicapped accessible shower.



The fact is that’s just too close to have drywall next to a shower. I ended up ripping the drywall out and installing trim I made from both PVC lumber and PVC trims.

It now gets steam and misting all the time and still looks like the day I put it in.

 

[PJB12]

This seems like a kind of fun project. You'll be able to tap into your inner artist, Taneshia!

I, too, use a shower curtain and water does escape. The drywall & wood trim stay A-OK because I used the products mentioned below, plus good quality primer & paint.

I hope the stuff below is not too detailed or tedious to read, but perhaps you'd enjoy learning the suggestions:

Wall Repair:
For the drywall or plaster repair, you'll absolutely have longer term results with Setting Type drywall joint compound than with spackle or with pre-mixed drywall joint compound. It is much, much stronger than spackle or pre-mixed compound.

Setting types are extremely water resistant when primed & painted. Plaster is also quite water resistant, but is very difficult to sand.

For setting joint compound, it'll be easier to sand if you get the "Lightweight" or "Easy Sand" version. (Brochures are attached below). I like Pro Form Quick Set Lite because it sands beautifully & no topping is needed for a glass-like finish. (I think Lowes sells it.) Downside? It doesn't wet sand easily because it is so very water resistant. You have to use a screen or sand paper.

I also respectfully suggest drywall taping knives instead of trowels for this small area. The blue steel type drywall knives are more flexible than stainless, so you have more "feel" when you're working.

Setting type joint compounds come in various "speeds".
I suggest starting with 90 or 210 minute so you have plenty of time to work with it before it becomes unworkable. The number on the bag is the approximate minutes of working time. (The attached brochures explain more.) After a few jobs, you'll graduate to 5 minute!

Wood Trim:
Kill any mold first.
If the damage has not made the wood weak, you might be able to fix the wood trim with the joint compound mentioned above.

If the damage is extensive, Durham's Water Putty is very water resistant when painted. It's quite strong & durable.
I've used it indoors & outdoors for decades. Some that I put more than 20 years ago (and gets rained on & snow piled up) is still like new. It never pops out.

Try to get the best finish possible, as it's kind of tedious to sand because it is made of plaster & dextrin. Multiple, thin coats make it easier to get a no-sand finish. It must be painted to withstand long-term water.

There are also waterproof auto body fillers, but the VOC level is dangerously high for indoor use.

Water Stop:
To prevent shower water from going behind the wall & wrecking it from behind, be sure to caulk the tub-to-wall seams well.
Remove all the old caulk and (this part is critical) all of the left over soap residue.

Then fill the tub and caulk while standing in it because tubs settle when full. Caulk and leave the water in the tub until the caulk is at least partially cured.

I like caulks titled "Elastomeric". They stretch.
PPG Top Gun 300xi lasts about forever, holds tightly, is easy to use & stretches more than 300%. It has very low VOC. (Water cleanup, too.)

Enjoy The Project!
Paul

 

[Snoonyb]

Dry mix drywall compounds come in a variety of work times, also, to improve moisture absorption resistance, use a vinyl add-mix, instead of water.

 

[PJB12]

Dry mix drywall compounds come in a variety of work times, also, to improve moisture absorption resistance, use a vinyl add-mix, instead of water.

Proform Quick Set Lite has the admix already in it, so no need to buy more.
Diluted PVA glue works well, too (Elmer's white glue, Titebond glue & similar are PVA glues.)

 

[Snoonyb]

I actually prefer RAPID SET (one pass), for small projects, because you can ad retarders or accelerators to adjust work times. As pkg'ed sands in 45min, paint in 90min., 1" deep fill.