Shower trays improve the aesthetic of a bathroom and reduce the hassle of cleaning the floor. While proper installation of these shower trays improves our lifestyle and saves time, there are instances when the new shower tray creaks when you step on it.
Shower trays are a single unit primarily made out of acrylic, ABS, or fiberglass which makes both the life of a homeowner and installer easy. Homeowners find it easy to clean a single piece of shower tray than a tiled floor.
While installers only need to place shower trays in a mortar bed before the walls are finished and connect the tray with a drain.
We often receive complaints from homeowners that their shower tray is creaking or squeaking after a few days of installation.
There are several reasons why this happens like flexing, water leakage, poor installation, weight limit, and more and there are solutions to fix this as well.
Reasons Why Shower Tray Started Creaking
- Flexing
In the majority of cases, we notice that the shower trays are typically secured on the bathroom floor with a nail or screw as an installation process.
In a lot of households, these shower trays are not screwed in properly which causes the tray to be uneven and move. When you step on the shower tray, the tray starts flexing on that nail or screw which in turn makes a creaking or squeaking sound.
- Water Leakage
Water leakage is a common problem, whether it is in the bathroom or in the kitchen. In many bathrooms, a small amount of gap remains between the shower tray and the floor of the bathroom during installation.
Water from the shower seeps through these gaps and wets the bathroom floor causing the shower tray to squeak when you step on it.
- Poor Installation
Bathrooms and problems associated with the poor plumbing system and installation process go way back. Many plumbers often poorly install a shower tray which in turn causes the shower tray to start creaking.
There are quite a few reasons behind it: the gap between the shower tray and the bathroom floor can cause creaking along with the improper installation of the tray.
- Weight Limit
Many people install shower trays that come with a lesser weight limit than that of their own weight. While this sounds funny, it is a common problem that causes the shower trays to start creaking and eventually end up breaking or cracking.
When you apply a larger amount of weight on the shower tray than its given limit, it applies additional pressure on it which causes it to creak and eventually break.
How To Stop Shower Tray Creaking?
As we discussed above, there are several reasons that often cause the new shower trays to start creaking. However, there are solutions to these shower tray creaking problems as well.
Here, we will discuss the solutions below:
- Properly Secure The Shower Trays
As mentioned earlier, the flexing of the shower trays on the nails or screws causes it to creak. In order to avoid this problem, we will have to properly secure the shower tray to the floor of the bathroom.
The best way of doing so is to join the shower tray to the bathroom floor with the help of adhesive. The use of adhesive will make sure that the tray does not move or flex.
- Prevent Water Leakage
One of the most common problems in bathrooms when it comes to shower trays is water leakage. This problem does not only affect the shower tray squeaking but it also affects the flooring of the bathroom.
In order to prevent problems regarding water leakage, it is essential to make sure that there are no gaps between the floor and the shower tray during the installation process.
- Ensure Proper Installation
Whether it is about the shower tray in the bathroom or the sink in the kitchen, proper installation is essential in order to make sure that there are no problems in the plumbing system of the household.
Proper installation of the shower tray will cause this shower tray to last for a longer period of time without any problem. To make sure that the shower tray does not creak, proper installation of the tray is necessary.
- Replace The Shower Tray
In a lot of cases, the shower tray often gets damaged due to several factors which in turn causes creaking of the tray.
In cases like these, we recommend homeowners completely replace the shower tray and install a new one.
In the new shower tray installation, the tray is installed properly by following all the necessary precautions and proper steps:
- Remove the old shower tray and prepare the space for the new installation
- Make sure that the gaps between the tray and the floor is considered properly
- Finally the correct type of adhesive is used.
Don’t forget the weight!
- Check The Weight Limit
As we discussed earlier, each and every shower tray available in the industry come with a certain weight limit. Many people install shower trays that come with a weight limit less than their weight.
This causes excessive pressure applied on the shower tray and damages the tray which in turn starts to creak and squeak.
To avoid this problem, we typically suggest plumbers and homeowners take the weight limit of the shower trays into consideration before making a final decision on the installation.
Not only that, but the quality of the shower tray also makes a significant impact when it comes to the weight limit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Your fiberglass shower pan will creak when you don’t put any base under it.
You can stop your shower tray from creaking by simply shimming the shower base. It will prevent the shower base from rocking due to any shifting weight.
You can use silicon or tile adhesive to stick your shower tray down.
Conclusion
Shower trays are a great addition in almost each and every bathroom. Not only does it make cleaning of the shower space easier but also improves the overall look of the bathroom.
As we discussed in the guide above, there are several problems that come with an improper installation of the shower trays. However, these problems can be solved easily and the solutions we mentioned will help you to do so.
Before installing a shower tray, make sure that you properly pay attention to the new shower tray creaking problems and their solutions.
