Custom Shower Floor

Posted by BobR on January 13, 2007, 2:27 pm

Glad that I could be of help. By the way, if you order the shower kit
they include a vidio training CD with the materials. It was very
useful in understanding the proper series of steps but like every
how-to vidio, they made it look SO EASY. Reality...it really was easy
but not as easy as the professional who made the vidio made it look.

PS: I also used the same liner material under my tile floor. A
shifting foundation caused several cracks in the concrete floor. The
liner will help to not transfer those cracks through the new tile floor
even if there is still some movement in the foundation.

Leonardo wrote:

> BobR wrote:

> > Just went through the same problem and I used the Schluter Kerdi
> > Waterproof lining and shower system. This was a first time use for me
> > and it has worked well. Check out the various web sites using a Google
> > Search.
> > http://www.schluter.com/english/articles/showersystem.htm
> > Hope this helps.

> Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.
> The winner for me is the Kerdi system. I'll be giving up a little in
> dimensions by using the 32X60 shower tray but the simplified process,
> and peace of mind that comes with it, makes it well worth it.......the
> price is right too. I haven't done full material list but the 32X60
> presloped offset shower tray and the drain system comes to about $150.00
> The membrane price is also very reasonable. I also checked out the PDF
> install brochure
> http://www.schluter.com/english/products/2002/pdf/showersystems_brochure.pdf
> Yes it did help, Bob.
> Lenny

> > Leonardo wrote:

> >> We have decided that we are going to live in our current house for the
> >> duration, so 'My Big Plan' is to Seniorize the house. I've just
> >> completed all the lighting upgrades and I'm now moving on to the one of
> >> the big ones. I will be tossing the shower/tub surround unit and
> >> building from scratch a fully enclosed, floor to ceiling shower only,
> >> with a low or no stepover, in the same space using the existing plumbing
> >> layout. There is one hitch (so far). Those stock size, overpriced box
> >> store fiberglass floor pans won't work for me. I need a custom dimension
> >> floor.
> >> So far its been suggested that I use a cement board underlay then trowel
> >> out some kind of mix on top to get the slope to the drain, then tile.
> >> Someone tried to describe a method where a waterproof membrane is put
> >> down first... I didn't really catch what he meant.
> >> The framing under the surround was properly built up to support the
> >> current unit, so weight shouldn't be an issue
> >> I'd appreciate hearing your ideas
> >> Lenny

Posted by kellyj00@gmail.com on January 16, 2007, 12:45 pm

This type of thing requires much research. I haven't done mine yet,
but I've read about a dozen how-to's on the internet from "the mudman"
and such. They're all very informative, and they describe the process
well...one even showed how to create a "lipped" version for handicapped
folks, sounds like what you want to do as well.

Building your own floor doesn't *look* all that simple. You've gotta
do all kinds of stuff with mud, such as slope it, and you HAVE to use a
membrane and a special drain. Also, you can't put any holes in the
membrane, so you've gotta use construction adhesive to hold it to the
mud, and you have to reinforce the mud with mesh, but don't leave any
mesh poking out or you'll puncture the liner.

There's a huge advantage to this extra effort though, you can make it
look however you'd like and it's way cheaper than buying one of those
$500 tile redi bases...and you can make it any size you'd like.

common sense tells me that this, like anything else around the home, is
not impossible as long as you research it first and actually take a
while to think about what you're doing and be patient while you're
doing it. It always helps to bounce it off the fellas here, or
buddies who may be professionals before you go at it.

Remember, the purpose of the shower stall is to keep water where it's
supposed to be. Just as long as you don't lose sight of that and think
about all the different ways water COULD find it's way to where it
shouldn't be, you won't make a critical mistake....cosmetic mistakes
are just part of life.

Posted by HerHusband on January 17, 2007, 1:37 pm

Lenny,

> I will be tossing the shower/tub surround unit and building from scratch
> a fully enclosed, floor to ceiling shower only, with a low or no
> stepover, in the same space using the existing plumbing layout.

I'd recommend you visit the John Bridge tiling forum. You'll find lots of
helpful advice there.

You may also want to read the thread I posted a few years back detailing
our various tiling projects, including a large 6'x6' curbless shower we
built using the Kerdi system. I posted lots of photo's.

Here's the address (all one line, watch the word wrap):

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=12876
&highlight=anthony%27s+house

Anthony

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Custom Shower Floor - Page 3