Although I’m a carpenter by trade, I’ve recently been made a site supervisor for a general contractor who does mostly apartment renovations. Needless to say, there are quite a few things I’m not that sure of. My biggest current problem involves showers — and specifically shower curbs. None of my back issues of Fine Homebuilding covered my questions.
The plumbing sub that we use only uses lead pans for showers, and it can leave the bottom of the shower walls out of square and out of plumb. I’ve started closing walls with 3/8″ plywood held up 6″ off the shower floor (to allow for the lead pan), and then finishing with 5/16″ cement board on top of that (siliconed over the lead pan) down to the shower floor. This seems to provide a solid backing for tile, and it is plumb and square.
However, the shower curb really is supposed to have the lead pan wrap up and over the top, and tile won’t stick to it. My last curb was poured concrete, and I siliconed 5/8″ cement board directly on top of the lead pan, but I feel there has to be a better way. Right now, this whole thing makes dimensioning and bathroom layout a true headache.
What’s the absolute best way to frame, waterproof, and tile a shower curb?
Replies
There are a number of books that you'll find helpful, Taunton has one.
The short answer to your question is to learn how to pour a mud pan.
Here's a current discussion on lead pans. There's a good article on shower curbs here, and lots of reference material here.
...get an up-north attitude...
Thank you for the article and references. I really appreciate the input.
Thanks again.
JAscher
form the pan......lead or rubber ........extend the floor material up that walls...and up and over the curb framing.....
lay the diamond mesh......run that up walls and up and over the curb......and mud over that.
I dry pack the floor....than build a quick form for the inside and outside of the curb......level the form.....and pack with mud....and trowel the open top smooth and level.......and slighly pitched to the inside.....for most custom doors.
That way.......there's mortar to thinset to on both sides of the curb....and a nice flat/solid piece to thinset the threshold on top of.
Any way ya do it...the floors gotta wrap the curb.
Micheal Burns(sp?) book on Tile Setting should set ya straight.
Jeff..............Al-ways look on......the bright......side of life...........
.......whistle.....whistle.......whistle........
I know that according to this forum I shouldn't watch those home shows but......
They showed these preformed shower cubbies made out of a durarock material and they looked like a good idea and I was going to ask about them here and this seems like a good spot to do it. If anyone has ever used them let me know how they were. I am thinking about using the pans and curbs in my house (hopefully under construction soon). They actually come the closest to the pan size I need for my shower. Here is the link:
http://www.bonsal.com/tilepage.html?sid=1376
I've seen those preformed pans before. Look to be a good idea.
All of my showers are custom sized.......to fill new master bath areas ..usually where there were none before......so the designers try for maximum space usage....which can lead to some odd sized and shaped shower floors.....
The perform curbs might save a bit of time on the forming/concrete set time...but after a quick look...looks like they'd still need to be wrapped with the floor waterproofing material.
That pre-formed pan might be the way to go if you can design around it. Jeff..............Al-ways look on......the bright......side of life...........
.......whistle.....whistle.......whistle........
I am very interested in those Bonsal pans myself. Haven't had the occasion to try one yet but might have an opportunity coming up. If you're fortunate enough to have a shower the right size for the pan, they should work very well. Would eliminate this whole waterproofing/pan/mud issue and save lots of time. They claim to be approved by the TCA so it must be quality..
This is a question, not a suggestion, if the walls of the shower were lined with concrete backer would it work to build the shower curb out of 2x or other wood, wrap it with backer board, and tape and mud all the joints, I guess my real question is how could you tie this type of system into the pan, I saw it done hgtv, and thought that the joint at the bottom would be a weak point?