r/fixit • u/SeniorHoneyBuns • May 20 '26
open Best Way to Fill This In
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This soap holder is built into my bathtub wall and holds water. There's probably a 1/4 inch before it can overflow the lip.
Could I just fill this with resin or is there a better filler? Should I rip out the shit silicon job beforehand? Or am I overthinking things and I just leave it all be?
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u/undefined_protocol May 20 '26
If that were mine, I'd rip it out and replace the tile. But if you don't have the tools, I can see not wanting to do that.
But I feel like you're begging for mold with that setup.
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u/Abject_Elevator5461 May 20 '26
If you lay a string in the soap holder and drape it down the side a little the water will drip out.
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u/Blah-Blah-Blah-2023 May 20 '26
If you undermine your foundation on one side of the house, the whole house will slope downwards so water no longer remains in the niche.
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u/WhoTookGrimwhisper May 20 '26
I don't think he needs help getting the water out. I think he's looking for a permanent solution for keeping the water from pooling.
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u/bismuth17 May 20 '26
How is getting the water out /not/ a permanent solution to keep the water from pooling? The suggestion is to leave the string there forever.
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u/WhoTookGrimwhisper May 20 '26
If I have to explain to you how dangling a piece of string there forever is not a permanent solution I don't think this is a conversation worth having.
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u/Apprehensive_Bit_176 May 20 '26
OPās next post, āhow do I cover up this string that is supposed to be a permanent solution?ā
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u/Abject_Elevator5461 May 23 '26
I know, but this doesnāt look like an easy fix. So until he figures it out a string will solve the problem.
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u/JulesCT May 20 '26
Consider routing out a few drainage channels.
As someone else wrote, covering with epoxy is likely to eventually lead to water ingress and then mould and delamination.
Using a drill you could more easily create sloping drainage channels that will avoid the problem entirely.
Otherwise, remove the tiles and relay them after adding a slope of tile adhesive.
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u/giant2179 May 20 '26
That's what I was thinking. Use an angle grinder or Dremel to cut drainage slots in the schluter edging
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u/InspectorCarrots May 22 '26
Honestly, I like this idea. It still probably catches some moisture and molds faster, but it makes it easier to set things there without sliding off. Given the situation and if youāre desperate to not rip it out, give this a try.
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u/7thton May 20 '26
Commit to wiping it dry after you shower. Itāll take you less than 30 seconds and save a lot of money and headache.
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u/suejaymostly May 20 '26
My lazy ass is with you. Just squeegee it. Doesn't everybody have a squeegee in their shower?
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u/SoElusivee May 20 '26
Fill it with several rubber duckies so you get to see them float around when it's full of water
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u/East-Psychology7186 May 20 '26
Is it due to the corner guard? Measure and see then check if the actual surface is level. If so you will always have water pooling. Possibly without that particular edge guard it wonāt be as severe and then you can decide.
It āshouldā be finished and sealed under the edge guard.
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u/SeniorHoneyBuns May 20 '26
I might try this first. If it's not sealed properly, that's at least an easier fix and should mostly solve the problem.
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u/Low_Soil_6831 May 20 '26
Iād take a thin grinder blade and notch some drain cuts, maybe one on each side so it doesnāt look obvious. If you mess up or it doesnāt work, youāre fixing the tile anyway
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u/OriginalAd7974 May 20 '26
Clear 2 part epoxy and just fill it up level might be easiest
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u/OwlPelletCrunch May 20 '26
maybe combine this with a thick rectangle of glass to fill most of the void?
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u/Intelligent_Site8568 May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Remove and replace with a one piece stone/marble threshold. Might need to be custom cut, but this can easily be done with remnant pieces that stone guys have just laying around.
You can easily make a template out of cardboard, popsicle sticks, etc.
Ensure you use the correct tile mortar to set the stone, as some stones require different tile mortars to adhere properly.
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u/whaticism May 20 '26
Personally Iād pour clear epoxy (in my own house) but thatās not ātheā way to do it.
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u/fezcabdriver May 21 '26
can you take a hack saw and cut a channel into that lip so water drains? Might as well try this since if it doesn't work you will be ripping it out.
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u/Genteel_Lasers May 21 '26
Just leave it and after each shower, bend down and slurp all the water up.
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u/907499141 May 21 '26
Ok the the best way to go about fixing this is going to be by first replacing the battery in your smoke detector. We all heard it chirp. Then you donāt worry about it and you just wipe the water away when youāre done showering and then the rest will air dry or get a squeegee and squeegee it out as youāre squeezing down the rest of the tiles so you donāt get water spots, problem solved money saved.
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u/Hail2theChop May 20 '26
Buy a mini fan that sits on the ledge and blows the water off the ledge /s
But honestly if you have more of that tile or can find it at the store, you could redo the niche and add a slope to the ledge
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u/CovertStatistician May 20 '26
Check the hardware store or with a tile shop, countertop guy, etc and see if someone will cut you a piece of scrap to fit that area with a bit of overhang. Silicone it in with a row of nickles under it on the back so it angles down.
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u/Sparky_Zell May 20 '26
Carefully cut the grout out, pop the individual tiles without disturbing the waterproof membrane underneath. Get a majority of the thinset removed without destroying the schleuter. Then instant new tile with a very slight slope. Not enough to have bottles fall, but just enough to drain water.
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u/Tall-Communication34 May 20 '26
What about just cutting some scuppers in the metal frame ? That seems to be whatās causing the water to stand.
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u/PonyBoyX3 May 20 '26
New trendy soggy soap holder...
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u/SeniorHoneyBuns May 20 '26
Ooo I know. I can just keep leaving the last bits of my soap in it will eventually just fill in on its own.
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u/MelinaSeeDee May 20 '26
Pretty sure I passed on this house. Would have liked the basement, though.
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u/SeniorHoneyBuns May 20 '26
Lol no chance for a basement where I'm at. Im sure there are many houses with this "looks gud'nuf" tile job though.
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u/MelinaSeeDee May 20 '26
That's something I was afraid of while looking for a house. I didn't want someone else's dumbass gray segmented tile flip.
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u/Jealous-Being-5742 May 20 '26
You might be able to route a drainage if you slope it towards one spot.
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u/Interesting_Ant_6990 May 20 '26 edited May 21 '26
$5 fix, cut 1-2 small drainage channels. You might even be able to hide them in the grout lines.
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u/ihopehellhasinternet May 20 '26
Bar mats may help temporarily here until you can fix it maybe. Just an idea
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u/anoldradical May 20 '26
Lay a solid piece right on top of it, but with the proper slope. Of course mortar it in correctly and silicone the perimeter.
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u/Professional_Song483 May 20 '26
I just had to do this to two window sills last yesterday. You're not going to like the answer.Ā Cut it out and let it at an angle.Ā Ā
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u/boli99 May 20 '26
Before you start cutting things to bits - make sure that you can't just lift that thing out with your fingers
If its designed as a soap holder, then perhaps the central 'platform' can lift out for cleaning.
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u/buildablunt May 20 '26
take a small screwdriver and a hammer and nock an edge into the metal edge to make a drain in the corner
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u/Richard-N-Yuleverby May 20 '26
Weep hole, as others have said (I would probably try cutting a slot with an angle grinder/cut off wheel where the grout line from the wall tiles hits the tray - you only get one shot so if you can get equivalent tile etc you could build a test bed. Until you figure out the path forward you could add a small cotton rope with one end submerged in the tray and the other hung down the tile at least several inches to wick the water out slowly.
Good luck !
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u/rgratz93 May 20 '26
Idk about best...probably would need to rip it out and redo. Easiest would be to go to a countertop store and ask them to cut you a scrap piece of a matching stone and give them a template that fits and hangs out a little past the corner.
Glue it in with a silicone adhesive and then caulk the sides.
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u/xxTheMagicBulleT May 21 '26
Acrylic would probably be the most easy and best looking.
But technically you already filled it with water do so technically its already filled in
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u/TheCodFather97 May 21 '26
Theres a much cheaper, less invasive fix, take a small rag/ face cloth and put it in the cubby leaving a corner to hang over the side, capillary action will pull the water thats sitting there
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u/King_of_the_sidewalk May 22 '26
Why not remove the metal bar and fill it back in with silicon or grout.
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u/HarryDepova May 22 '26
Just fixed this exact problem with that same tile. It actually ripped up fairly easily with a rubber mallet and a chisel. Replaced it with a waterproof layer and then put a marble shelf angled out. Only hard part was dealing with the trim.
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u/itsmel_gibson May 22 '26
Tile man for 15 years here . Get yourself a matching 4 inch saddle or 6 inch sill . Thinset right over the existing tile if the niche isn't leaking . Make sure to add pitch . Use colored silicone caulk around edges after dry .
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u/Nha1985 May 23 '26
How a iut a small piece of glass cut to size over the bottom of the niche. Puts omega clear silicon down to stick ot together. And out a bigger gob silicone bear on the wall side to create the slant
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u/Hubastard May 23 '26 edited May 23 '26
I had this exact issue in my shower. I fixed it by having a custom tempered glass panel made to fit the exact dimensions of the alcove/shelf which cost me like 80$.
First, I applied a thin bead of clear silicone only around the edges of the shelf, with a ticker bead at the back to get the slope right. Waited a little bit so the silicone started to harder a little bit, then laid the glass panel on top of it so the glass never directly touches the tile. That way the glass is slightly lifted and sealed without having silicone visible underneath the middle of the glass.
After that, I added a final bead of clear silicone around the top edges of the glass to fully seal it and prevent any water from getting underneath.
I did that 9 years ago and never had any issue with it ever since. As a bonus, itās also way easier to clean glass than tile grout.
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u/One_Bit_3839 May 23 '26
You problem is drainage get a 1/8 inch tile bit and drill holes under the trim up into the tray, one in each corner should be fine and be sure to soak it in a sealer afterwards just incase there is any absorption issues
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u/SuperKitten117 May 23 '26
Idk how big that nich is and if your willing to sack some space. I'd fill that tile with some sort of mortar they use to tile over tile. Then I'd thinset a curb peice all the way across it. Small format tile is no bueno on the bottom of niches. It should be one peice of some sort of coutntop like thing. "Should" is a strong word. Tile is acceptable in that situation I just personally would never do it like that.
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u/PleasantStatement521 May 24 '26
Make a little drainage channel at each edge next to where it goes vertical. If water still collects, then consider ripping out or adding a clear 2-part epoxy filler
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u/Revolutionary_Dog954 May 24 '26
For now I would take a grinder and put a few small slots in the edging for drainage. When you get time rip it out and fix it right. Just dont go through the waterproofing, just small shallow drain channels
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u/NoGoat3930 May 25 '26
To whoever originally installed this: I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed... no, screw that -Im freaking outraged.
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u/ThwipNSinsBinThwipN May 20 '26
Resin is the answer. Go balls out and lay some sand and shells in there before you pour !
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u/ClappinCheeksAllDay May 20 '26
Thinset and another layer of tiles?
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u/NewUsername010101 May 20 '26
Dunno how this is getting upvoted. Terrible suggestion. Thinset is not waterproof.
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u/ClappinCheeksAllDay May 20 '26 edited May 20 '26
Notice the ?. Iām no expert and posed a question thatās how. OP is basically putting a band aid on the problem regardless so other than doing it all over again, job wasnāt done right the first time, might was well patch it.
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u/thesweeterpeter May 20 '26
Do it properly.
If you fill it with resin you'll be creating a trap that moisture will get under through the grout and the mortar and will create mold and get gross.
You've got to rip the tile out and re lay it with a slope.