Replies

1. 
   EdJW | Jul 15, 2004 05:31pm | #1

   Ed, this may be what you're talking about, I saw them at the tile shop a few weeks ago.  http://www.quick-pitch.com/   -Ed

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Jul 15, 2004 09:20pm | #4

   Thx.  That's the product I had in mind.

   Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

2. 
   Scooter1 | Jul 15, 2004 06:51pm | #2

   Hey Ed:

   This is what I would do:

   First, the "ProSlope" Strips are nice IF you have a consistent quarter inch per foot slope, which means your drain MUST be the exact dead center of the shower with equal runs to the various walls. Nice plan, but it never happens, guy.

   On the pre-slope, this is what I do:

   1. Make Screed Strips. Get some 3/4 x 3/4 strips of wood long enough to go around the perimeter. Pre-dill some holes for small nails and set them aside.

   2. Set a Level Line. Make a Water Level or rent a Laser Level. Set a level line around the perimeter of the shower at about the 4 foot elevation. Doesn't matter where it is, it is just an accurate level line for everything else. I like to have installed 3/4ths of my CBU at this point down to the point where the pan membrane starts and stop there. You've firred out the CBU's with quarter inch lathe at this point and now have a nice level line all around the shower, OK?

   2. Calculate Slope. Figure out your slope and perimeter of the Pre-Slope. You are shooting for a quarter inch per foot on the longest run. So find the wall farthest apart from the drain, and measure than. If this is a coverted tub enclosure like I suspect, that would be about 50 inches or so, and the slope would be about an inch. Ed, I like to goose that slope a tad (makes the moisture go down and out easier) so I might make the total elevation gain an inch and an eighth. That is an inch and an eighth from the top of the bottom half of your drain, OK, so add that measurement. If if sits on the bottom of the subfloor, that would be about a quarter of an inch, we'll say and therefore the total elevation gain is an inch and a half. Make a tick mark at that point.

   3. Strike Another Level Line. Measure down from your level line to that tick mark. Lets say its 3 feet 10 and a half. Make a series of tick marks at 3-10-1/2 all along the perimeter. Connect the dots, and you have your Pre-Slope elevation.

   4. Set the Screed. Now take your little wooden strips and tack them into the 8-12 inch blocking at the bottom of your shower along the level line you've just made.

   4. Make Strikeoffs. You will be striking off from the top of that bottom half of the drain to the wooden screeds, so you will need a variety of lengths of strikeoffs. Tile guys have a nested sets of aluminum ones for $80, but you can make your own from straight 1x stock, or angle aluminum. Measure the distance between the drain and the various walls. You'll probably need 5-6 lengths.

   5. Lathe and Paper. Apply tar paper to the subfloor and staple some 2.4 diamond lathe to the subfloof above the paper. Go all the way from the screed strips to your drain.

   6. Mix Mud and Float. Mix up some mud, 5-1 sand to portland cement. No additives, just water. I buy mine pre-mixed at DalTile, its called DryPack. For a tub enclosure, you'll need probably two bags. Mix dry per instructions, very dry. Use your strike offs to screed the mud between the screed and the drain. Use a wooden float (nice rought surface) to really pack that mud in there. Smooth in out with the same wooden float.

   You're done.

   By the way, I hate you idea of having the drain all the way on the other end. It will make the short side have a very steep elevation and it will look terrible and will be dangerous to walk on. Move the drain, Ed.

   Regards,

   Boris

   "Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Jul 15, 2004 09:17pm | #3

   I skimmed your instructions, and will print them for future use ... they look good.

   I agree, sort of, on the off-center drain ... but the HO wants to keep costs down.  Once I figger out the details, I may recommend moving it.

   Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell'em "Certainly, I can!"  Then get busy and find out how to do it.  T. Roosevelt

3. 
   ezslope | Feb 24, 2013 07:00pm | #5

   shower floor slope tool

   hey,

   the easiest, simplest, cheapest and best way to get a consistent and even slope to your shower pan, is to use EZ Slope float strips.

   They are simple to use, cheap, and give a perfectly sloped final product!

   Thanks

   Link removed

1. 
   DanH | Feb 24, 2013 07:14pm | #6

   I certainly hope they're cheap, since they appear to just be strips of styrofoam.