﻿We did it. We finally completed our biggest DIY renovation project to date. Over the past year,
we gutted our entire master bathroom and closets down to the studs,
redesigned the space and built it back piece by piece. We have put a lot of blood,
sweat and tears and brain power into this remodel and I’m so proud of what we’ve built.
My favorite parts of the space are the biggest and first walk-in closet I’ve ever had,
this vanity we designed and built that reuses doors from the previous vanity and, of course,
this huge walk-in shower that’s built with foam.In this video, I’m going to show you how
we redesigned the space and built the new shower with the Hydroblok waterproofing system.
We bought our 1970s home 2 years ago, knowing that it needed to be remodeled but I think it’s fair
to say that we severely underestimated how much work needed to be put into it. The bathroom and
closets were untouched for almost 40 years. They were smelly and moldy and attracted all sorts of
bugs. The tub drain was leaky and rusty and the window needed to be replaced too. The tile around
the bathtub had no waterproofing behind it, so the moldy drywall crumbled when we removed it.
While the lack of waterproofing was a big problem, it was exacerbated by the lack of
an exhaust. The ventilation in that space was terrible. The drywall in the bathroom and the
carpet in the closets were exposed to humid air for over 40 years so they had deteriorated.
Another issue was that the Jack and Jill layout created a lot of wasted space. The four doors
were a hindrance to both circulation and air flow. We decided to close the two main openings,
and create a new one in the middle. We converted one-third of the space on the right to a walk-in
closet, and the remaining two-thirds of the space into a larger bathroom. For simplicity,
we kept the tub and the toilet in the same locations. We added
a walk-in shower to the left. We also consolidated the vanity into a large
7 foot long one opposite the shower. We had experience with most of the remodel work
so it wasn’t daunting. We have tackled framing, new electrical wiring, new plumbing, exhausts,
installing a new tub, drywall work, etc. But the one thing we had never built before was a shower.
In our previous home, I used traditional waterproofing around a tub, but this time,
I wanted something more durable, something better. So I reached out to Hydroblok. They
have a 100% waterproof system that can be used in bathrooms and showers. Their
panels are versatile, incredibly strong and quick and easy to install.
Hydroblok’s shower wall boards and floor pans are made of 3 main components. The first layer is a
fiberglass mesh that provides reinforcement through tensile and flexural strength. The
second component is a gray polymer-modified cementitious coating. This custom-engineered
material increases the waterproof characteristics and strength of the panel. The third component is
the inner green core is made of a closed cell XPS or extruded polystyrene foam. Hydroblok uses a
foam free of HCFCs or hydrochlorofluorocarbons, so it has no ozone depletion potential.
Now let’s discuss the 5 main parts of the Hydroblok system. The wall boards come in
a variety of dimensions and thicknesses. I used a standard ½” thick panel to match
the surrounding drywall. The foam boards can be easily cut with a utility knife,
hand saw or circular saw. They can also be custom cut to bend around inside or outside
corners. Cutting openings for the mixing valve, tub spout and shower head was also very easy.
The floor pan and curb look similar to the wall panels, but they seem to be made of a denser XPS
foam core. This is probably to hold the weight of a user. I used a miter saw and table saw to
cut this curb down to size instead of a utility knife, to get cleaner and more accurate edges.
Another component of the systems is a joint sealant that holds the wall and floor panels
together. I’d recommend wearing gloves when handling this material. It is very difficult
to wash off your skin. The sealant fits inside a durable aluminum sausage gun that comes with
disposable plastic tips. Hydroblok also sells solid, waterproof niches that are extremely
convenient to install. They fit into a standard 16” on center stud bay. All these components
are secured to the studs in your walls with galvanized, rust-proof washers and screws.
Installing the Hydroblok shower system was very easy. I was able to install the shower
pan and the wall panels in the shower and around the tub in a single weekend.
I first cut down the shower pan to size and then cut a lip around the edge with a circular saw.I
used a utility knife to cut a slit in the foam horizontally. This lip allowed the wall panels to
sit in the shower pan, for better waterproofing. I used mortar on the underside of the shower pan
to fix it to the substrate. Then, I let the mortar dry overnight because I wanted
to make sure the shower pan wouldn’t move while I installed the wall panels.
The next day, I applied a bead of sealant on the lip of the shower pan that I cut out. I
carried the wall panels in the framed out space and placed them on the shower pan. I installed
the galvanized, rust-proof washers every 12 inches by simply pressing them into the XPS wallboards.
I used Hydroblok’s rust-free screws to secure every single washer and attach the wallboards
to the wood studs. Next, I applied a bead of caulk to the top edge of the wallboard. You can also use
this caulk on the face of the studs to hold the foam boards in place while you screw them in.
Just like I did with the previous wallboard, I used washers and screws every 12 inches.
The waterproof double niche was also installed the same way, with caulk, washers and screws. Now for
the messiest part of the install; covering all the screws, washers and seams with caulk. Even though
Hydroblok provided flat and corner putty knives, I found it pretty difficult to spread the caulk
evenly and feather it out. I needed to install an additional mesh tape on the bottom seam at the
intersection of the shower pan and wall board. In hindsight, I would use a disposable joint sealant
cartridge and a cartridge gun instead of this sealant sausage. Since I didn’t wear gloves,
I got it all over my clothes and hands and it took a week to scrub out.
Now just to clarify, there isn’t a problem with the joint sealant itself. It seals up any gaps and
it’s completely waterproof. The way I applied the sealant wasn’t ideal, but I know better the next
time. I have been using the shower for a couple of months now and I have had no issues with leaks,
puddling, loose tiles or wall panels. The Hydrobok system does not need a final coat
of waterproofing like a liquid membrane. Your shower or tub surround is completely waterproof
and has a vapor barrier built into the board. There is no need for any further waterproofing
for a standard installation. Once all the gaps are sealed up and the caulk has dried,
you can start laying tile on the shower pans and wall boards. I used a brown and gray penny tile on
the floor to work with the slope and to contrast the gray tile that I used on the walls. Here’s our
final product. The walls took about 2 weekends to tile because there was so much surface area
to cover. The cuts around the niche were a little tricky, but I think I did a pretty good job.
So, we have gone over all the layers in a Hydroblok board, the components of the
system and the installation steps. Now let’s discuss its pros and cons. I’m very impressed
with how well–thought-out the Hydroblok system is. They have all the components you could need
from the joint sealant to the waterproof line of shower pans, wallboards and accessories. It
is also very versatile. The wall boards come in a wide range of sizes from 36”x60” to 48”x60”
and a variety of thickness from ¼” to 2”. They have different types of shower pans, drains,
curbs, niches and more. Another advantage is the weight it can support. Even though the
boards are made of extruded polystyrene foam, they have a very high compression strength.
The cement and fiberglass mesh provide additional rigidity and strength.
The joint sealant comes with a 25 year warranty and is manufactured in the US.
Their closed cell XPS foam is considered to be environmentally friendly. It is free
of HCFCs , HBCDs and CFCs. The Hydroblok foam is also fire-rated. It will not burn or contribute to
flame spread. The seamless and watertight surface is also resistant to mold, moisture, and mildew.
The speed of install is another advantage. The joint sealant dries in about 30 minutes, after
which you can apply thinset for stone or tile. Finally, the Hydroblok system is an excellent
option for both DIYers and contractors. It is a simple and effective waterproofing solution for
bathrooms, tub surrounds and showers. It doesn’t require any specialized skills or tools.
Now for the disadvantages. I was not a fan of that joint sealant sausage. Like I said earlier,
I would choose the cartridge if I had a do-over. We also had a bit of an issue installing the
drain because the gasket took a while to spread out and seal any gaps. We had to tighten it,
let it sit for a while, then tighten it again. The process took at least an hour.
Finally, the cost. All the materials needed to build out my walk-in shower
cost around $2000. It’s obviously not the cheapest method of building a shower,
but I found it to be a much better shower system. It was faster and easier to install. Knowing that
the substrate is completely waterproof and mold resistant also gives me peace of mind.
I definitely recommend using the Hydroblok system and I would consider using it again on any future
remodels. Let me know in the comments if you have used this system and what you think about
it. I’ll link my Patreon page in the description. I’m now offering early access to ad-free videos on
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