Shower Tile Installation & Waterproofing

A tile shower is only as good as what is behind the tile. Tile and grout are not waterproof, so every shower we build starts with the complete Schluter-Kerdi system: a waterproofing membrane bonded directly behind the tile, a sloped shower base and a drain that seals to the membrane.

Hands of Freedom builds walk-in, curbless and custom tile showers in Marietta, East Cobb and across Greater Atlanta. Wilson personally oversees the layout and every waterproofing detail, from the seams and inside corners to the niche and the bench.

Why the waterproofing matters more than the tile

In a traditional shower, water passes through the grout and soaks into a thick mortar bed before it reaches a liner underneath. That bed stays damp for hours after every shower, which is where mold, odors and rotted framing start.

A bonded membrane like Kerdi stops water directly behind the tile. The walls and the framing stay dry, the shower dries faster, and the tile sits on a stable, waterproof surface. It only works as a system, though: every seam, corner, valve and drain has to be sealed the way Schluter specifies, which is why we install the complete assembly rather than mixing products.