Cavity Slider and Shower

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Cavity Slider and Shower

meekzone

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#284115 31-Mar-2021 17:01

Hi guys, bit of a tricky one this.

We are looking to install a cavity slider door. So there will be a huge gap where the cavity slider fits in, no wall/studs. We also want to install a box shower against the same wall.

Problem is, shower needs studs, cavity slider means no studs.

Anyone ever encountered anything like that? Any possible solutions? Short of building a second wall against the cavity slider?

Cheers

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#2684908 31-Mar-2021 17:04

Why does the shower need studs?

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2684916 31-Mar-2021 17:23

I assume you're planning to install a shower with glass on two walls, requiring additional framing to support the shower frame and glass?

If the space allows (i.e. suitable access and lighting), you could consider a shower with three fixed walls, hanging the door on the far side of the shower. Using a shower curtain instead of a door is also an option.

Personally, I'd ditch the cavity slider.

mentalinc

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#2684933 31-Mar-2021 17:29

You could create a second "wall" for the cavity slider to slide into. Will take up a bit of room and make for a thick wall, but will give you both outcomes...

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elpenguino

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#2684935 31-Mar-2021 17:33

Presumably there's something that stops your door hypothetically sliding in the other direction?

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meekzone

25 posts

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#2684936 31-Mar-2021 17:35

Dingbatt:

Why does the shower need studs?

That is a good question.

I was under the impression that the shower will need to be affixed to the wall at some point, somehow. Bear is mind, this is a standard box shower with acrylic on two sides, glass on the other two.

But I could be overthinking it. Sounds like you just need the tray to slide under the gib.

Handle9

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#2684947 31-Mar-2021 17:54

SirHumphreyAppleby:
I assume you're planning to install a shower with glass on two walls, requiring additional framing to support the shower frame and glass?

If the space allows (i.e. suitable access and lighting), you could consider a shower with three fixed walls, hanging the door on the far side of the shower. Using a shower curtain instead of a door is also an option.

Personally, I'd ditch the cavity slider.

Yeah cavity sliders are a fairly crappy solution. They are adequate for things like pantries but I'd never want a toilet behind one. Some things do not need to be heard.

Dingbatt

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#2684950 31-Mar-2021 17:55

meekzone:

Dingbatt:

Why does the shower need studs?

That is a good question.

I was under the impression that the shower will need to be affixed to the wall at some point, somehow. Bear is mind, this is a standard box shower with acrylic on two sides, glass on the other two.

But I could be overthinking it. Sounds like you just need the tray to slide under the gib.

I am not a builder, but a sheet of marine ply instead of gib and then cover it with villa board and glue the acrylic liner to it.

Just be careful if the mounts for the glass returns require to be screwed to the wall that the screws don’t project far enough into the cavity to scratch the cavity slider. Same goes for the fixing of the wall lining.

Edit: The reason for the plywood is to provide support for the villa board and something to screw into.

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Wheelbarrow01

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#2685112 31-Mar-2021 23:42

I've installed a cavity slider where the cavity was directly behind the shower. Didn't have any problem whatsoever. The cavity slider has a timber slat frame where the door recesses into, and this is what the gib gets affixed to (glued and screwed with short screws). All I did was measure the height of each slat of the timber frame during installation just in case I needed to affix anything to that wall later. From memory I didn't - I mounted the taps and shower slider on the other wall. I'm sorry I honestly can't recall if I had to screw the glass frame to the wall or not. If I did, I would have spaced the screws to match the height of the timber slat frame in the recess.

I got my slider from Bunnings - it was similar to this.

meekzone

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#2685564 1-Apr-2021 20:30

Wheelbarrow01:

I've installed a cavity slider where the cavity was directly behind the shower. Didn't have any problem whatsoever. The cavity slider has a timber slat frame where the door recesses into, and this is what the gib gets affixed to (glued and screwed with short screws). All I did was measure the height of each slat of the timber frame during installation just in case I needed to affix anything to that wall later. From memory I didn't - I mounted the taps and shower slider on the other wall. I'm sorry I honestly can't recall if I had to screw the glass frame to the wall or not. If I did, I would have spaced the screws to match the height of the timber slat frame in the recess.

I got my slider from Bunnings - it was similar to this.

Thanks mate. That's very reassuring.

The installation instructions from the shower's website shows double stud walls and what not. Was starting to worry that the puny slat frame might not be up to the task and cause the doors to start leaning in a year or two.

elpenguino

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#2685614 1-Apr-2021 22:24

There are structural cavity sliders also.
These have solid sides. MDF in the case of two I bought.

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Daynger

430 posts

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#2685900 2-Apr-2021 22:38

Fill the gaps between the slats in the cavity slider with plywood of the same thickness as the slats.

Make sure to use screws that wont permanently keep the slider open.

meekzone

25 posts

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#2686425 4-Apr-2021 21:37

Daynger:

Fill the gaps between the slats in the cavity slider with plywood of the same thickness as the slats.

Make sure to use screws that wont permanently keep the slider open.

Yeah I am leaning towards a similar idea. Would give something other than the weak looking slats to screw onto. Also ply would help with the rigidity, somewhat.

Was also toying with the idea of putting a 12mm ply all over the frame, but the groove only supports 10mm gib so can't use anything other than direct gib.

Shanemc

76 posts

Master Geek

#2971743 22-Sep-2022 14:32

Hi, apologises for bringing this topic back to life, but I am faced with the same dilemma and wanted to hear how you got on.

I am starting on a renovation of our ensuite, and wanted to change the swing door to a sliding cavity door. To give more space in the room, and I didn't want the door swinging against a glass shower we planned to put in.

My intention is to replace the current built-in liner shower, with a glass curved liner shower.

We will then tile around the remaining walls and up to the shower.

The cavity slider section of the wall would therefore be partially tiled, then have half the shower against it. before continuing with regular wall. Therefore half the tray and liner would need to be against it and shower supports would need to be screwed into it.

I see a cavity supplier recommending replacing the battens with a sheet of marine ply.

I'm wondering how to get this to match with the installation instructions - with the tray against the floor plate, the plasterboard above the tray and the liner slipping into the tray lip.

If you did it this way, did you attach plasterboard to the ply sheet? So the liner comes out far enough to fit into the tray?

boingoboingo

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#2971788 22-Sep-2022 16:43

yeah, same, interested to hear about this and how it turned out.

Pics or plans?

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#2971858 22-Sep-2022 21:03

We have a cavity slider behind our shower. We decided to do it to save space that a standard door would require. It works well for us - and we had a second wall done (never mind the gap on the outside as we are renovating that side now):

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