"Shower Pan Installation" - Do It Yourself And Save!
I knew I was in trouble when I saw the wet spot on the bedroom floor across the wall from the shower.
I hadn't noticed the deteriorated grout at the bottom of the shower. (I don't usually wear my glasses in the shower!) A trip under the house confirmed the leaks and damage to the floor under the shower.
Did you know that shower floors are water-resistant but not water-proof? The floor depends on a liner being properly attached to the drain to control any weeping of water through the masonry floor!
Then I learned that the tile guys in our area are all very busy, so you wait for someone to get to your job. I paid close attention when Mr. Davis finally got there, because it looked like this could be an interesting do-it yourself project.
After watching the whole job, I still think a handy person can handle shower pan installation.
Here's how you do it.
1. Repair damage.
Damage is usually to the sub floor below and around the shower pan. Remove rotted material and replace it. If water has damaged walls or ceilings in floors below, you could be looking at big repair bills.
2. Install the drain base.
Tile floors are not water-proof. The mortar that's exposed to water absorbs some water. If you don't mix the mortar properly, it will crumble and fail. Install the drain properly so whatever water weeps
into the mortar finds the drain. Now rough in the drain base.
Build a sloped mortar base.
Build your slope in here. The slope moves all the water to the drain preventing standing water. Build a two inch thick base that sloping to the drain. Let this bed cure before the next step.
3. Install the shower floor pan liner membrane and the drain top.
A waterproof rubber-like membrane goes over the mortar base. The membrane goes up the sides of the wall a few inches. One of the tricks to shower pan installation is properly folding the liner in the corners.
4. Install the top mortar bed.
A second mortar bed is installed over the liner and reinforced with wire.
5. Build the threshold.
Build any threshold forms and pour mortar mix to establish the correct shape.
6. Install tile.
After the second coat of mortar cures, install a coat of thinset. Then install tile. Let thinset cure then grout.
7. Shower pan installation tricks:
There are several places to make mistakes and many questions can come up.
How do you build the threshold?
How do you get the right amount of fall in the floor?
What tools do you need?
How is the pan attached to the drain?
What kind of mud is best and how do you mix it?
How do you get the liner in the corners?
How do you run the pan up the walls?
There are "secrets" about shower pan installation that the tile guys don't want you to know. You will find all of them here:
Click Here!
About the Author: Al Bullington writes about rural living and small business topics from his homestead in the country. He works on one home repair project after another.
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