Project Overview
Transformed an existing tub-and-shower bathroom in Greer, SC into a spa-style enclosed cave walk-in shower with large-format porcelain tile, quartz details from JL Solid Stone, a complete Schluter waterproofing system, and Delta brushed-nickel fixtures. The cave-style design uses a high enclosure wall with an open doorway instead of a swinging glass door — private, dramatic, and zero glass to keep clean.
The Challenge
The Marchbanks family's bathroom had the classic late-1990s Upstate layout: a freestanding garden tub no one used and a cramped standard-size shower. They wanted to reclaim the tub footprint, get a luxury walk-in shower with a real bench and niche, and avoid a fragile swinging glass enclosure.
Our Solution
We removed the existing freestanding tub and capped its plumbing below floor level for future flexibility, then demoed the old shower including drain, curb, underlayment, and waterproofing. We framed a new ~9-foot shower enclosure wall with an open doorway, plus a wide built-in shower bench and a horizontal niche. The entire assembly was waterproofed with a complete Schluter system — shower pan, walls, drain, seams, penetrations, and corners — before installing large-format porcelain wall tile, hexagon shower pan tile, and bathroom floor tile. Quartz caps, a quartz threshold, and a quartz bench top from JL Solid Stone tie the stone elements together. Delta brushed-nickel fixtures (main showerhead, handheld wand, valve trim), a recessed light + can-fan combo for ventilation, and a fresh coat of moisture-resistant paint complete the room.
Scope of Work
- Removed existing freestanding tub and capped plumbing below floor level
- Removed existing shower tile, wall tile, drain, curb, underlayment, and waterproofing
- Built new ~9-foot shower enclosure wall with open cave-style doorway
- Framed wide built-in shower bench and horizontal niche
- Installed full Schluter waterproofing system (pan, walls, drain, seams, penetrations, corners)
- Installed large-format porcelain shower wall tile, hexagon shower pan tile, and bathroom floor tile
- Installed quartz threshold, wall caps, and bench top by JL Solid Stone
- Installed Delta brushed-nickel shower system (showerhead, handheld wand, valve trim)
- Installed recessed light + can-fan combination for ventilation
- Painted walls, ceiling, trim, and doors with moisture-resistant interior paint
Materials & Products
- •Schluter waterproofing system
- •Large-format porcelain wall tile
- •Hexagon shower pan tile
- •Quartz bench, caps, and threshold by JL Solid Stone
- •Delta brushed-nickel shower fixtures
- •Moisture-resistant interior paint
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes this a 'cave-style' shower?
Instead of a standard glass-door enclosure, we framed a tall partition wall with an open doorway. You walk in like a doorless steam-room. There's no glass to squeegee, no door swing to plan around, and the enclosed feel is genuinely spa-like.
Was the shower fully waterproofed?
Yes. We used a complete Schluter system — Kerdi membrane on the walls, Schluter pan, sealed seams and corners, and properly bedded drain. Done right, this is the highest-grade tile waterproofing approach available residentially. We document the install during the build.
What luxury details were included?
Large-format porcelain tile (fewer grout lines = cleaner look), a quartz bench top and quartz wall caps, a wide horizontal niche for product storage, recessed shower lighting, and brushed-nickel Delta fixtures throughout.