Desperately need help to fix moldy wood cupboard in the middle of bath/shower tiles.?

Question

Believe it or not, our bathroom has a cupboard with two doors(where the window used to be), in the middle of the wall around the bath / shower, which is mostly tiled. (This apparently was a contractor's bright idea when a large extension was put on behind this side of the house). Despite various attempts to patch, cover or fix this, after many years of water & moisture, the two wooden doors, and the trim, including what looks like the original window sill, is in desperate need of a major repair, but due to other major projects, the budget for this is limited. Would tileboard work here? How durable is it?

Answer 1

i agree with the guy who suggested removing the cupboard.  how odd to have a cupboard in a shower.  i'd like to meet this contractor.  it ought to be rather simple to remove, and hopefully any insulation behind the wall and the studs are in decent shape.  if not, it is recommended to remove and replace the insulation and repair the studs.  i would go back with a 1/2" durarock cement board and tile to complete the shower.  if the tile is not able to be matched, choose a listello or a border tile and create a design in the shower.  think of a picture frame effect--like a border tile making a rectangle on the wall, and tile inside the border on a diagonal or brick pattern.  it's an inexpensive way to "fancy up" your shower. i'm including a link to some tiled pictures.  check out the backsplash with the diamond tiles (the 9th photo) and the shower picture (the 17th-18th photo) to give you a couple ideas. good luck!

Answer 2

why not take out the cupboard completely, put some 2x4 studs in and dry wall it over and then tile it with the rest of the shower.   You are going to have to break out the rot completely anyways.?

Answer 3

You mentioned that the sill and trim are damaged (rot). How are the wall studs? Are they also rotted? Is this a load bearing wall and how has it effected the integrity of the house? Assuming all is OK then I would put in new insulation into the cavity and repair the wall. Yes, tile board will work as will "green" Sheetrock. Another option (and there are many more) is paneling. Whatever you decide on...make sure it's sealed and watertight.