Build a Recessed Shower Niche

Shower niches belong in that category of bathroom features that feel like luxury until you actually use one, at which point they reveal themselves as pure function. Bottles stand stable. Soap stays put. Water drains instead of pooling. The difference between a niche done right and one done poorly comes down to three things: structure that won't sag, waterproofing that won't fail, and a shelf pitched just enough that water moves toward the drain instead of sitting there growing things. Building one into an existing shower means opening a wall, which sounds intimidating until you realize you're just creating a box between two studs and making it waterproof. The hardest part isn't the carpentry—it's resisting the urge to make it too big. A niche that's 12 inches wide and 28 inches tall holds everything two people actually use daily. Go bigger and you're just creating more surface to clean. The goal here is a built-in storage slot that looks like it was always there, sheds water properly, and never becomes a maintenance problem.

1. Locate studs and cut the opening. Use a stud finder to locate two studs 14½ inches apart on the shower wall, ideally between chest and shoulder height. Mark your niche dimensions—12 inches wide by 28 inches tall is standard. Cut through the tile and backer board with an oscillating multi-tool, then use a reciprocating saw to cut away the backer board completely, exposing the stud cavity. Don't cut into the studs themselves.
2. Frame the niche box. Cut 2×4 blocking to fit horizontally between the studs at the top and bottom of your opening. Secure them with 3-inch screws driven through the studs into the blocking ends. These create the top and bottom of your niche box. Cut vertical strips of ½-inch cement board to line the sides and back of the cavity, fastening them to the studs with cement board screws every 6 inches.
3. Install the bottom shelf substrate. Cut a piece of cement board to span the bottom of the niche opening. Before installing it, apply thinset mortar to the top of the bottom blocking, then press the cement board into it at a slight forward pitch—about ⅛ inch of slope toward the shower. This pitch ensures water drains out instead of pooling. Screw it down and let the thinset cure for 4 hours.
4. Apply waterproofing membrane. Paint liquid waterproofing membrane over all cement board surfaces inside the niche, overlapping onto the existing shower walls by 2 inches on all sides. Pay special attention to corners and the shelf—apply two coats, allowing 2 hours between coats. Press waterproofing fabric tape into the corners while the first coat is still wet, then cover with the second coat.
5. Build up the sloped shelf with mortar. Mix a small batch of deck mud or thinset to a thick, workable consistency. Trowel it onto the niche shelf, creating a smooth slope from back to front. The back should be ⅜ inch higher than the front edge. Use a straightedge to check your slope, then smooth it with a trowel. Let this cure for 24 hours before tiling.
6. Install tile edge trim. Install bullnose tile trim or a Schluter metal edge profile around the niche opening perimeter. The trim should sit flush with your shower wall tile and create a clean finished edge. Apply thinset to the back of each trim piece, press into place, and use tape to hold pieces while the thinset sets. Let cure for 24 hours.
7. Tile the niche interior. Apply thinset to small sections of the niche interior and press tiles into place, starting from the back wall and working forward. Use spacers to maintain consistent grout lines. The shelf tiles should overhang the front edge slightly to create a drip edge. Work in sections small enough that your thinset doesn't skin over before you place tiles.
8. Grout and seal. After thinset cures for 24 hours, mix unsanded grout for narrow joints or sanded for wider ones. Work grout into all joints with a rubber float held at 45 degrees, pressing firmly. Wipe away excess with a damp sponge in diagonal strokes. After 72 hours, apply penetrating grout sealer to all grout lines, including where the niche meets the shower walls.