Adding shelves to your shower. Using stone remnants to make shower shelves
I can’t take credit for this post; it was actually my step-dad that came up with the idea and implemented it. He just very kindly took photos for me so that I could share it here with you.
Do you wish you had built-in shelves in your shower? Those posh-looking niches that you see on HGTV? Just because you don’t have a designer shower, doesn’t mean you can’t add this designer element into your existing shower/bathtub… quite easily and inexpensively too!
My parents recently did a bit of a bathroom remodel and had new countertops installed in their bathroom. As with any countertops – stone or otherwise – the sink sections need to be cut out.
For my parents – with square, undermount sinks, the sections cut out were squares – I know that’s obvious, but it needs to be said in case someone asks why their oval sink leftovers won’t make shelves. It happens, there are people eating tide pods after all. 🤷🏻♀️
Even if you aren’t in the midst of a bathroom reno, many stone places will sell off (some even throw away) the scrap pieces from sink cutouts. Contact a few manufacturers and you’ll see that often they are available for next-to-nothing for cutting boards or hot plates.
In this case, my step-dad asked if they would cut is remnant diagonally to create two perfect triangles with a 90° corner.
It ended up a perfect size to hold a salon-size bottle of shampoo and a few shower items as well.
My step-dad determined the height he wanted the top shower shelf to be at and then cut some scrap wood to length.
He checked for level and then taped them in place with duct tape. These are the supports for the shelf while it dries.
After you have checked for level, it is VERY IMPORTANT that you set your shower shelf so that it actually slopes towards the drain. You don’t want water and later mould to accumulate in those corners. To account for this, my step-dad added a tiny shim – about the size of a toothpick to the top of each wood board to ensure that the shelf was slightly higher in the back than in the front.
Carefully rest the shower shelf in place and check that it is sloping forward enough to shed any water accumulation.
Using a generous strip of bath & kitchen silicone in translucent,
he pressed the shelf firmly into the corner and then used duct tape to hold it in place until dry. Carefully remove any oozing caulking with your finger or a damp, disposable cloth.
Let dry per the manufacturer’s instructions and then cut your boards down to length for your second/lower shelf.
I have to tell you, I was totally skeptical that these shelves would hold. The stone is heavy, the shampoo bottles are heavy and I didn’t see how a bead of silicone could carry all that weight… but it is how showers are installed, so I stand corrected.
The contrasting colour goes well with the veining in the marble and better still, it is a perfect match to the bathroom counters!
Much less expensive than buying tub to ceiling shower racks and much more custom/designer looking. Not to mention you won’t get the soap build up or caddy rust that comes with time with the metal shower caddies.
Thank you Papa for sharing this genius idea and for taking the time to photograph it all for me – I love it!
Have a great one!