Shower Floors

[Dave Ashton]

The hardest part of a tile shower for me is floating the floor. I like to set and grout all my wall and curb tile first then do the floor. This way I don't have to worry about all the "droppings." I use my lowest tile course as a screed guide and I made a little wood float out of a piece of board with a 1/4" gauge cut in the end. I still have trouble getting it just right all the way around and sloped down real nice (yes, I'm a perfectionist) to the drain. I have never done a tile shower that has a square base. All of mine are either rectangular or have an angle in there somewhere.

Any tips or tricks that you mud pros can share? Or is just practice, practice, practice.

Thanks

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[John Bridge]

Dave,

I was taught to form a mud screed all the way around the perimeter of the floor and use that as a guide. You have to be careful not to dig into it with your straight-edge, but it's quick and sure once you get the hang of it.

http://www.johnbridge.com/pics2/sprad108-1.jpg

[Sonnie Layne]

I prefer not to beat on my levels with a two pound hammer, but the same technique aside from that. :)

[Bud Cline]

Sonnie that type level is made to tap (beat) on, notice he's using a rubber mallet.

Dave,
Try using some 1" X 2" and place them level around the perimeter. Then use that surface to set your muds elevation all around and about four inches out from the wall. Once you have firmly packed your perimeter then remove the 1X2's and backfill carefully using the already filled 3" (or so) as a guide.

Now you have a level floor at your wall and something to work from to complete the floors interior.:)

[John Bridge]

Bud,

Why not just beat on the level? Then Sonnie will be ragging you, too. :)

Sonnie,

You can't be a mud man if you refuse to hit/tap the level. It's the only way I know to get shower walls plumb, for example. Of course if you're using one of those 7.95 things, I wouldn't tap it either. :D

[Dave Ashton]

John:

Are you tapping your perimeter mortar to just below the bottom course so your floor tile can slide under them or are you getting it so the tile will butt into them.

I have been packing my mortar high then scraping it off with my gauged float. Seems like it takes a long time and its hard to get it all just right.

BTW...I tap my levels too and try to give them an extra whack when the trim carpenter comes in to check his hair in the bathroom mirror. Love to see him cringe.

[John Bridge]

Yeah well I have some of those flimsier levels, too, that I don't beat on. ;)

I've never worried about running the floor under the wall, but if that's what you are doing, your "trick stick" is probably the best way to go. I've sometimes used a piece of the tile that will end up on the floor to do the same thing. Wet is so it won't grab onto the mud.

[Edited by John Bridge on 11-27-2002 at 07:18 AM]

[Rob Z]

Hi Dave

Same as John and Bud said...I just started doing it that recently, although I use 2x4's to form the perimeter of mud. This is a good way to use up scrap lumber, and I don't have to beat on the levels. :D

John explained to me once over the phone, and then I saw Peter Nielsen do it at Schluter School. It really does save time.

[Bud Cline]

OK OK....Sonnie I lied (a little) I'm afraid I must admit that I too "beat" on my level, but only the one. In fact I use the same rubber mallet John is showing in his illustration. Now understand that aggressively "beating" on the level isn't necessary all the time. Mostly taps are all that is required.:)

[Sonnie Layne]

poor li'l levels
keeping sight within our eyes
tryin' their dead level best
to keep us from wakinkg at night.


and then we go beatin' on 'em??? Where does justice lie? Whithin who's eyes are the tears of the beaten levels?

ohh... never mind :):)

ain't no rhyme or reason... :D

[Rob Z]

Sonnie

How much wine with dinner, buddy? :D

[Cisco]

Sonnie here's a top quality level thats made to be beaten

http://www.stabila.com/images/imagedata/Product26_38.jpg

[tileguytodd]

I beat on 2 of my levels all the time and i aint gonna stop till they start fightin back!! ;)
I always run my floor under my wall tile. I set the bottom course of tile as i am setting the floor.Our other crew does it like John.6 of this 1/2 dozen of the other.I just do it the way i was trained.I like the look better with the wall on top of the floor(personal preferance) .

[John Bridge]

Sonnie,

Maybe you need to start a "Save the Levels Campaign." ;)

[Sonnie Layne]

If you will look closely at the photograph (as in CorelDraw or it's ilk) you will see the photo of John's hammer crashing down has been re-touched to resemble that he's actually using a rubber hammer. This guy will do anything to get my attention!

Wine was good, some would say a bit tool much. Some would. Say.

Now back to beatin' on yer levels, who was it now... let me go look... that said that some levels were made to be beat (tapped, as in the two pound phase) with a mallet (a kind word for a hammer)??? Oh, Bud... I'm really disappointed.

Not surprised, just disappointed :D You, of the huge machinery modus; of the "do as I say, not as I do percentile"; of the mind of "it was only a curb" while driving down the freeway at 70mph...:):)

Now Bud, I was really counting on you to uhhh,,, well, not back me up, but certainly not to run me down in the middle of the highway. :):)

Maybe he's got a rubber level. Not a rubber hammer, huh? :D

[tileguytodd]

That would be a Playskool Level sonny,They are made to be handled rough ;) Childproof i hear :rofl:

[Sonnie Layne]

I knew there had to be someone who understood what I think I was saying!!! :D

thanks