I am framing for a new bathroom. All the 2x4 studded walls are in.

On one side of the wall, I would like to have a nitch or two. Something like this.



So what I have is a "side wall", studs spaced 16" on center. It can be easily adjusted if necessary. I would like to frame in now a nitch or two. My assumption is when I put cement boards over the wall, the cement board would be cut up and screwed into the "frame" of this nitch and my waterproofing goes over the cement board.

First, is it necessary to use pressure treated lumber for this frame? Or it is OK behind the cement board?

Second, what is the "typical" height and dimensions of these nitches? Is there a typical? I assume it makes no sense to have one 24" tall, as there is nothing that is that tall that will use this space. So shorter height is better? Is two side by side better than one big one across? I am not asking in terms of difficulty in construction and tiling, but usage and convenience.

Is there a typical height to the bottom of this nitch? Would waist height be good as a guideline? and do you ever set it at a height such that it would be a multiple of the tile height, so that you can be at the seam of a full tile at that height?

Do you tilt the bottom of the nitch out a little so water will run out? If so, is that done during the framing (now) by tilting the lumber a little, or compensated later using spacer and thinset during tiling?

Thanks!

 

Use regular untreated lumber. Treated lumber will shrink and twist more than untreated lumber and tile doesnt like that kind of movement. The niche will be waterproofed, so you shouldn't have any issues of the framing getting wet.

Size of the niche really depends on its usage. Most niches I build are the full width of the stud cavity (14 1/2"). As to height look at the items you'll want to put in the niche, such as shampoo, conditioner, soap dish etc and add a couple inches for comfort.

The niche should be located such that it doesn't get direct shower spray in it. Height wise, it should be comfortable for all to reach. Side by side or one stacked over another will work fine, its really a personal preference. You can plan the niche to start at a certain row of tile. Be aware, that if you do that, it doesnt always work out perfect. By the time you get to that particular row, you could be a little high or a little low. I just happens that way.

Yes, the bottom and any intermediate shelfs should be pitched slightly toward the shower to shed any water and avoid standing water from pooling in the back and corners. Pitching the shelf can be done a lot of different ways. I dont pitch the framing or the cement board, but rather use 1/8" spacers up against the back wall under the tile. The final result is that the tile will be pitched a little less than 1/8" (more like a 1/16") when the tile is set in thinset. The framing is not always perfect so you sometimes have to play with it a little.

 

As only a DIYer I have built just 3 showers from scratch, including pouring my own base, and have done them exactly as described below in regards to the nitches but I also used the sticky cement board mesh tape with thinset on all of the nitch corners as well as on all of the cement board seams. Water can still penetrate grout lines and cause issues for example, some tile products are also more porus than others, and if I was to make another shower with a nitch and even a tiled bench I would probably wrap it all with a waterproof membrane like the Kerdi product to ensure that there was no future potential of water penetration over time.

 

Yes, all the seams, corners etc have to be taped and mudded. The niche must be waterproofed. A liquid surface applied waterproofing like hydroban or redgard is much easier to apply in a niche than kerdi. When I have done full kerdi showers, I still use a liquid waterproofing in the niche as all the cutting of many small kerdi pieces is a pia.

 

Thanks for all the replies.

As far as location. If I am standing in the shower facing the shower head. I am planning to put the recessed nitch on my left, the sliding door is to my right.

I prefer this way because the shampoo, sponge, liquid soap is more accessible this way. But it will have water splashed on it. On the other hand, if I put it on the wall behind me, it will have less water splash, but less accessible.

Decisions, Decisions.

May be I will put one on each side?

 

Of the showers I have done, and none of them alike, the woman of the house always makes these decisions, since they have the 14 bottles of whatever they have to use in the shower, all varying heights. I have them leave me a sample of their tallest favorite bottled stuff and make the niche according to that, plus a little in height, and as Johnny said, full stud bay width. I usually make a smaller soap niche just to keep the slime out of the area where the bottles are stored just below the shampoo/whatever niche. Likewise, I find redgard to be much easier to use to waterproof the cbu than trying to put kerdi, etc., much less your fat hands in to waterproof it. Takes less space, too.

 

The niche will be totally waterproof so direct spray is only an issue to the extent that it gets all your stuff in the niche wetter, including your soap. The only downside is maybe a little more cleaning/maintenance if it gets direct spray. As Larry said, asking Mrs. Miami for her input is a good idea. If the back wall is not an inconvenient reach, its probably a better choice.

 

If you use Kerdi to wrap your nitch all around. Do you attach cement boards on the inside of the notch to provide a base for attaching the cement boards?

I am asking as I frame this. The actual "hole" will be whatever the wood framed hole is, minus the depth of cement board, the thin membrane, and depth of tiles, right?