Is this a silly idea?

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I'm about to tile an alcove shower. I'm using 13mm marble tiles on to tanked Aquapanel. I want to put some small shelves in for shower gel and stuff. The chrome ones look tatty quickly I've found. And I haven't got the right studwork now for an alcove.

So how about just using the tiles, seeing as they're solid natural stone? Embed a small shelf in the corner, cement and grout them in like normal (and cut the tiles in the row above shorter (by thickness of tile plus an extra grout line). Total size of shelf probably about 300 x 140mm. I'd round off the corner, or even go for triangle shape, then polish the edges to match the faces. I'd try to slope them into the shower very slightly to run water off. And seal all sides of course.

I've attached a quick sketch but let me know if it's not clear.

But I've never seen anyone else do this. Is there a good reason why not? It would be a real mess if I had to dig them out!
shower shelf.jpg
 
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The weight of such a large tile would make it unsuitable for a shelf that'll have limited space for anything much, and would be overkill for a bottle of shower gel.
 
The weight of such a large tile
"Total size of shelf probably about 300 x 140mm"

But I've never seen anyone else do this
Faced with a choice between buying some cliched glass and aluminium twenty quid corner shelf set from Amazon, and paying a tradesman 50 quid an hour to take 3 hours to create 2 small triangles of stone in the corner, most people's originality extends to choosing...


I think it's a great idea. Get on with it :D
 
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I don't see a mess to remove it. Cut it up with diamond discs/blades and grind it out with diamond bits. No reason why not. Installers don't do it because too much time and work needed. If you ask and pay, I am sure they can do it.
 
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"Total size of shelf probably about 300 x 140mm"


Faced with a choice between buying some cliched glass and aluminium twenty quid corner shelf set from Amazon, and paying a tradesman 50 quid an hour to take 3 hours to create 2 small triangles of stone in the corner, most people's originality extends to choosing...


I think it's a great idea. Get on with it
Sure, why not.
As 'nutjob' says, however, it's a lot of time and work for something to put a bottle of shampoo on.
I wouldn't do it, but it's his shower and if he thinks it's worth the time n' trouble then have at it.
Polished stone looks great with water dripping around it but can enough of the surface be seen for the full aesthetic effect?
 
I reckon you could tile the wall as normal and then just silicone those to the tiled walls, silicone is mega strong and would easily keep those up, then if they proved impractical or whatever they could be removed easily.
 
If it is going to be supported between the top and bottom tile edges, then there is little support for it. You would need to cut a slot in the backing panel as well to sink it in deeper. Just trapped between tile edges will flip the tiles out when you put any weight on it. You could add some extra support underneath by the use of triangular pieces stuck in place with some suitable silicone adhesive.
 
A tiny shelf like that, sandwiched between two tiles to a depth of 15mm definitely isn't going anywhere. Although I'm inclined to agree with Freddie that a decent silicone or PU adhesive would probably secure it against the face of the tiles well enough (you could get a really big decent bead underneath where it's out of sight). Personally I don't have a problem with the baskets, but I'd only ever use chrome plated brass, not the cheap ones.
 

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