i poured my second half of the shower pan this weekend. Does not have a dam, I do not want a dam. where the tile floor will meet the bathroom floor I thougth about a tradition strip. Maybe 1 1/2 inch wide about 1/4 inch higher than the tile. wondering if a strip of corian will work.
Edited 1/23/2005 10:59 pm ET by BROWNBAGG
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If I read this right the shower floor and bathroom main floor will be "divided" by a 1/4" curb. You are thinking of using Corian? It will do the job. But you might be better using a stone type material because of expansion differances.
A 1/4" strip will keep water running out to the rest of the bathroom during daily use, however when the drain clogs - and it will - 1/4" does not offer you much reaction time. That's when you'll have more problems.
Reaction time will also depend on how big the shower pan is and the length of its slope. You might be better off considering a 3/8" or even 1/2" tranSition strip. I like the idea of stone. Regardless of what type of tile you use, there is probably a marble, granite limestone or other relatively available stone out there that will fit your color scheme.
F
I have a 1" difference between the shower pan and the drying area. You can see the thermostat on the left for the electric mat which is installed in the drying area. The fan keeps mold and mildew from forming and makes it very easy to keep the shower clean.
I recommend that if you have a drying area, you should make the slope 1/4" I made mine 1/8" and it would shed water faster at 1/4" The difference would not be noticeable as I cannot tell there is any slope there now.
I also recommend that the last inch of tile all around the base of the shower pan should be tilted at 45 degrees. Nobody steps in this area as it is next to the wall; however, this would help to prevent damp spots at edges and corners.
This shower was in the final stages of construction, but already in use when the pic was taken.
Edited 1/24/2005 11:20 am ET by Les
the tile will be the same height as the floor. my slope is 3/8 per foot. i do not want a dam due to I have an artficle knee and one day might be in a wheelchair. i was thinking of a transision stip not higher than 1/4 to 1/2 higher than the floor
The shower I pictured is designed to be wheel-chair-accessible, as is anything I build. I have made a personal commitment to not build anything that is not handicapped-accessible.
I installed 2X10 blocking behind the walls IAW ADA guidelines to support the necessary railings and more. I did not actually install the rails as I do not need them at this time. The shower can be converted in about an hour.
It was not practical for me to lower the pan below the subfloor on this existing home, so I raised it as little as possible. The plan is that if I or someone else needs to use a wheelchair, the vanity will be reduced to a single sink to make room for a six inch wheelchair ramp. When I build my new house or if I build for someone else to my own design, I plan to have the shower floor levels matching the room's finished floor level with a 1/4" slope. I am not worried about overflow. If you have a shower four or five feet wide and ten or twelve feet deep, a 1/4" slope will give you a lot of capacity before water runs onto the bathroom floor. In addition, I am considering having an overflow drain installed near the entrance of the shower in case the shower drain becomes clogged. This should be relatively easy to accommodate.
I would recommend to others to incorporate ADA accommodations wherever possible. It is very inexpensive if done in the rough framing stages.
I think this application will leak, and if on the 2nd floor the damage is likely to be great and expensive.I have no quarrel with ADA showers, and built a few. There are only two ways to do it per Code and TCA guidelines.1. Traditional Membrane. The traditional membrane goes over a pre-slope and extends out into the bathroom floor at least 4 and preferably 6 feet. The preslope is sloped at a quarter inch per foot so the setting bed at the drain level is quite thick. This traditional method does not work very well, and involves severe framing issues to sink that shower low enough.2. The Kerdi Method. Kerdi is a surface applied membrane that is applied directly onto the setting bed, with no preslope. You can use plywood or even dryall for the substrate. One Kerdi's the entire floor. You have to use their proprietory drain set up. Regards,
Boris"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934