Just re-built a shower enclosure in our 1st floor en-suite. Did it in 2004 and had to do it again when the hall ceiling showed damp.
Used a Mira Flite tray with 4 upstands, and Reef PVC wall panels on 3 sides, all fitted inside the upstands so water cannot get behind the panels and away into the stud walls. Used the manufacturer's recommended adhesive and sealants.
Then a bifold door with no central frame along the hinge, so less visual intrusion.
Junked the old MIRA mixer as this was behind the old wall panels. Wasn't leaking and worked OK, but didn't fancy ripping all my new investment out when the old mixer (25yo) eventually packs up. Went for a new MIRA bar mixer that simply fits inside the enclosure, so if it ever malfunctions I can get at the bits to fix it.
Had previously used wall panels, but laminated wooden ones - never again. Any leaks and the wood begins to rot, hence the problem. The new pvc ones are never going to rot.
Loads of challenges, like new tray not same size as the old one, so walls had to be re-battened to take the new panels, nothing quite square, so lots of measuring before cutting, and lots of deep breaths with the panels at £100 each.......
Anyway, all went well in the end and v pleased.
I think robustness, simplicity and fixability is the watchword with shower enclosures on a wooden floor - everything moves a little bit, and mastic joints eventually leak. You have to beef everything up, and double, double engineer it.
I'm 62, and that's the last time I'm doing this...... If you ever hear of a recumbent cyclist leaving his bike on the Britannia Bridge and jumping off, it's because the sodd*ng shower's leaked again.......
