Curbless, walk-in, floor-to-ceiling tile — waterproofed with Schluter KERDI, flood-tested before tile.
A custom tile shower is the centrepiece of a renovated bathroom. Done right, it's watertight, beautiful, and built to last decades. Done wrong, it leaks behind the wall — silently causing mould and structural damage until the problem becomes impossible to ignore. At Symmetrical Flooring, we build every shower on a proper waterproofing foundation, flood-test before any tile is installed, and bring the precision tools required to achieve the details that make a shower look truly custom.
A curbless shower has no raised threshold — the floor transitions seamlessly from the bathroom into the shower, draining toward a linear or point drain. This requires precise slope work and careful waterproofing at the transition, but the result is a modern, accessible shower that makes the bathroom feel larger. We build curbless showers with Schluter KERDI-PAN or sloped mortar beds depending on the design.
Walk-in showers with a low curb or partial glass panel are a practical upgrade from a standard tub-shower combo. We handle the full scope — demo of the existing tub or shower, framing adjustments if needed, waterproofing, and tile installation from the pan up to the ceiling.
Three-wall alcove showers are the most common configuration in Ottawa homes. We rebuild them with proper KERDI membrane on all three walls and floor, eliminating the moisture problems that older acrylic or fibreglass surrounds develop over time.
Converting a bathtub to a tile shower is one of the most popular bathroom renovations we do. The tub and surround come out, the subfloor is repaired, a new shower pan is built or formed, and a fully tiled shower goes in its place. This conversion typically makes the bathroom feel significantly more spacious.
We use Schluter KERDI membrane on every shower we build. KERDI is a bonded waterproofing sheet membrane — it goes directly into the mortar bed on both faces, so there's no air cavity where moisture can accumulate and move. It covers the walls, the floor pan, and every inside corner, seam, and penetration with KERDI-Band and KERDI-Seal accessories.
After the membrane is installed and before any tile is set, we fill the shower pan to the height of the curb (or to a defined level in a curbless shower) and leave it for 24 hours. If the water level drops, there's a leak to find and fix before it's hidden. If the level holds, we know the waterproofing is solid. This step costs us a day on the schedule. It's worth every minute of it.
For projects that specify Mapei waterproofing systems, we are Mapei Certified and apply their products according to manufacturer specifications.
Built-in niches and benches are what separate a custom shower from a basic one. We build all niches using Schluter KERDI-BOARD — a rigid foam tile substrate that's waterproof and doesn't require additional membrane on top. Niches are framed, KERDI-BOARD lined, and tiled with proper slope on the shelf so water doesn't pool. KERDI-BOARD-SN (the pre-sloped niche insert) is used where precision counts most.
Tiled benches are built from KERDI-BOARD or concrete block, waterproofed continuously with the rest of the shower assembly, and tiled to match the shower walls. We design bench placement and height as part of the overall shower layout so everything looks intentional rather than added on.
Linear drains — both Schluter KERDI-LINE and other brands — are another option we install in curbless and walk-in showers. They simplify the slope geometry (one-direction slope instead of four-point) and create a clean, contemporary look.
Large-format wall tile — 600×1200 mm, 600×1800 mm, or larger — creates the slab-like, continuous look that's become one of the most popular shower designs in Ottawa. It requires more preparation and more precision than standard wall tile:
The mitered corner cut — beveling the tile edge at 45° through the tile's thickness — is only achievable cleanly on a fixed-rail bridge saw. Our PIKUS bridge saw handles this with the accuracy needed for the tile edges to meet flush without a visible gap or chip.
Schluter Certified, owner-built tile showers across Ottawa and Orléans. Free quotes.
Get a Free Quote Call (613) 981-8903We use Schluter KERDI membrane on all showers. KERDI is a bonded sheet membrane set directly into the mortar bed — it covers all walls, the floor pan, and every seam and transition. After installation, we flood-test the shower pan for 24 hours before any tile is set. We also use Mapei waterproofing systems where specified, and are Mapei Certified.
Yes — niches and benches are a core part of our custom shower work. We build niches using Schluter KERDI-BOARD, which is a rigid, waterproof foam substrate. Shelves are sloped to drain, and niches are tiled continuously with the shower walls. Benches are built from KERDI-BOARD or concrete, waterproofed, and tiled to match.
A curbless shower (also called a barrier-free or zero-threshold shower) has no raised curb at the entry — the floor flows directly into the shower area, sloping toward the drain. It looks modern, makes the bathroom feel more open, and is accessible for people with mobility considerations. Proper waterproofing at the transition is critical, and we build these with Schluter KERDI-PAN or a sloped mortar bed.
Yes. Mitered tile corners — where the tile is cut at 45° through its thickness so two tiles meet edge-to-edge at an outside corner with no visible tile face — require a bridge saw to execute cleanly. We use a PIKUS bridge saw for these cuts. The result is a frameless appearance without a metal profile strip at the corner. It's one of the details that distinguishes a truly custom shower from a standard one.
A custom tile shower typically takes five to eight working days, depending on size and complexity. The 24-hour flood test is built into the schedule and is non-negotiable. Large-format tile, mitered corners, custom niches, and benches each add time. We'd rather give you an accurate timeline than an optimistic one that disappoints.
Custom tile showers across Ottawa and surrounding communities.