This Cherry Creek condo remodel documents the complete transformation of two bathrooms and a living area — from demo and substrate through finished tile and hardware. The master shower was stripped back to framing and rebuilt as a full steam shower — a process that demands a completely different waterproofing standard than a conventional shower. Every surface including the ceiling was treated with Schluter-KERDI waterproofing membrane, ensuring the steam enclosure is 100% vapor-tight from pan to ceiling. The finished result is floor-to-ceiling gray subway tile including the steam ceiling, a herringbone marble floor pan, recessed niche, and brass Schluter trim throughout.
The secondary bathroom received a full tub surround replacement — Mapei waterproofing membrane, green marble-look porcelain tile set with leveling clips, recessed Schluter niche, and a matte black frame glass enclosure. The living room documentation captures the active construction phase with full poly containment and structural framing exposed.
A conventional shower produces liquid water that drains. A steam shower produces pressurized vapor that penetrates every unsealed surface — including the ceiling, upper wall corners, and any gap in the substrate. Standard cement board and thinset are not vapor barriers. Without a continuous, fully bonded waterproofing membrane on every surface, steam migrates into the wall assembly, causing mold growth, framing rot, and substrate failure within 2–3 years.
The Cherry Creek master shower was rebuilt from the studs using the Schluter-KERDI system — a fleece-laminated polyethylene membrane bonded directly to the substrate with unmodified thinset. KERDI creates a true vapor barrier that is bonded to every surface including the ceiling, corners, and niche. The result is a fully continuous, vapor-tight enclosure that performs to steam shower standards for the life of the installation.
Studs inspected and braced. Schluter-KERDI-BOARD installed as substrate — a foam-core panel with integrated KERDI membrane that eliminates the need for cement board and provides built-in vapor control.
KERDI membrane applied to all six surfaces — floor, four walls, and ceiling — using unmodified thinset. All seams, corners, and transitions sealed with KERDI-BAND and KERDI-KERECK pre-formed corners for a fully continuous vapor barrier with no weak points.
Pre-sloped Schluter shower tray set in thinset with KERDI membrane lapping up all walls. Herringbone marble mosaic floor set over the tray system — zero mortar bed, fully bonded, pre-sloped to drain.
Gray subway tile set on all walls and the steam ceiling using large format non-sag thinset. Ceiling tile pitched slightly toward the shower head wall to direct condensation runoff away from the entry. Brass Schluter RONDEC trim at all exposed tile edges.
A conventional shower produces liquid water that drains. A steam shower produces pressurized vapor that penetrates every unsealed surface — including the ceiling, upper wall corners, and any gap in the substrate. Standard cement board and thinset are not vapor barriers. Without a continuous, fully bonded membrane on all six surfaces, steam migrates into the wall assembly and causes mold growth, framing rot, and substrate failure within a few years.
The Cherry Creek master shower was rebuilt using the Schluter-KERDI system — a fleece-laminated polyethylene membrane bonded directly to the substrate with unmodified thinset. KERDI creates a true vapor barrier on every surface including the ceiling, corners, and niche. All seams were overlapped and embedded in thinset with no exposed transitions — a fully continuous, vapor-tight enclosure built to perform to steam shower standards for the life of the installation.
Framing inspected and any soft spots addressed. Schluter-KERDI-BOARD installed as the substrate — a foam-core panel with integrated KERDI membrane surface, eliminating standard cement board and providing built-in vapor control from the first layer.
KERDI membrane applied in unmodified thinset to every surface — four walls, floor, and steam ceiling. All seams lapped and embedded. Inside and outside corners sealed with KERDI-KERECK pre-formed corners. No gaps, no exposed cement board, no penetrations left unsealed.
Pre-sloped Schluter shower tray set in thinset with KERDI membrane lapping up the walls at the perimeter. Herringbone marble mosaic floor set over the tray — fully bonded, pre-sloped to drain, no mortar bed required.
Gray subway tile set on all walls and the steam ceiling using large format non-sag thinset. The ceiling is pitched slightly toward the shower head wall so steam condensation runs back into the shower rather than dripping on users. Brass Schluter RONDEC trim at all exposed tile edges and the entry threshold.
Full-scope tile installations from substrate through finished hardware — shower rebuilds, tub surrounds, Schluter waterproofing, and niche work done right the first time.