Karin's Bathroom/Shower Re-do

[Brian in San Diego]

Karin,

I'm neither a pro nor a conventional shower builder but I was under the assumption that wooden screeds, if employed, were removed after the preslope was packed in. I know when we make a mud floor for the kerdi method the screeds are "made" with the deck mud. Maybe a pro will chime in because i'd like to know as well if the wood screeds stay or go after mudding the preslope.

Brian

[queenofthetile]

Alright. Somehow I got the impression from somewhere that I could use the screed boards, and that they didn't have to be removed, since they were underneath the membrane. Who knows. Anyhoo...... I went ahead and removed them this morning, but at least they gave me the opportunity to make a nice dark level Sharpie line all along the top of where the screed is supposed to be.

I am now heading off to make my mud! Wish me luck!
**crossing fingers**

Any input as to how long I have to let the first pre-slope mud cure before I can put the liner & final mud bed in?

Thanks to all for your incredible help! This board is wonderful!

[bbcamp]

The screeds can stay in the preslope. It's no different than if you mudded up against the blocking.

[queenofthetile]

Dang it! I wish I had read Bob's post before I took them out, but oh well.

As it turns out, the sharpie marker line worked out just as well as a screed as the boards would have (I guess). I didn't have any problems anyway.

Just had to share a few "pitchers". I'm kinda proud it turned out as smooth as it did, and the slope is dead-on. After reading all the various posts about types of trowels everyone else uses, I was afraid my cheap steel ones wouldn't be up to the task. I'm actually looking forward to making the final bed now.

[Mike2]

Karin, the mud bed looks perfect, it really does. But it doesn't look like you notched the studs as discussed earlier in this thread. What's up with that?

Going to use furring strips instead?

[queenofthetile]

I actually did notch the corner ones (I really did, it just doesn't show very well in the pictures) with my dremmel tool. I shaved off a little less than 1/4". Do I need to notch all of them, or just the corner ones where the membrane will be folded? I also didn't notch the ones in the front of the shower because that is where the excess is lapped over the curb, right?

Please let me know if you think I need to notch more. This is definitely the time to do it, if I need to.

Oh, and thanks for the compliment on the mud bed!

[Mike2]

The corners are most important because you'll have 3 layers of folded liner there. But I'd recommend notching the others as well. A single layer of liner material at 40 mils is a little less than 1/16" thick. Not much but you have such a good start so far, might as well do the rest right.

[johnnyhomeowner]

just making sure that light is for wet areas!
other than that looks great
but lets wait on the pros before you start mixin that mud

[queenofthetile]

Is there some type of high gloss sealer for tile that would help it to be a little shinier? The tile we got for the wall tiles in the shower have a matt finish (we got them on clearance/sale), but I would preferr a glossier look. Is there anything you can put on after installation that would shine it up some? I'm not talking about mirror finish, I just don't like the chalkboard feeling when I run my finger over them. These are ceramic tiles.

[Mike2]

An enhancer would accomplish that look nicely if you were using natural stone but it would be relatively ineffective on a non-absorptive ceramic tile. I'm afraid that any topical coating you might apply to those tiles now to create some gloss would wear off and require repeated re-applications.

Maybe you need to re-think your use of those tiles. Given all the work involved, Karin, do you really want to install a tile you are not completely happy with?

[queenofthetile]

Okay....lotsa progress since last post, and I am now to the point where I am ready to mud my curb. I bought a bag of masonry mix from the big box store, but I don't know how much mud I need to mix for this. Is there a curb mud calculator similar to the deck mud calculator anywhere? Or can someone just give me an estimated # of lbs to mix? I have a 36inch shower curb made with 3 2X4's stacked on top of each other, PVC membrane wrapped completely around curb and stapled only on outside, and Metal lathe over curb (stapled only on outside.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

[cx]

Karen, you just gotta do some simple math and recognize that mud is cheap and you'll hafta throw away the rest of that bag anyway on accounta it'll get old before you use it again, eh?

You have about three square feet to cover, yes? You decide how thick it'll be. Figger an inch with lotsa waste. That's about 432 cubic inches, yes? There's about 2/3rds of a cubic foot in that 80lb bag, right? That's maybe 1150 cubic inches, right? So if you mix up half a bag and you do a neat job you get to make at least one medium yard bunny, too, and still have half a bag to try again if it doesn't work the first time.

Try not to overthink this. Just mix up some mud and see what you can do with it.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[queenofthetile]

Okay...I know it has been a long time since I posted, but I just finished sealing the grout last night & wanted to show off my finished shower! I still need to put up some trim pieces around the outside of the shower, and repaint the wall (I'm going with Burgundy for the walls), but I thought I'd show off the finished shower at least! I think I might be able to take a shower in it tomorrow morning (that will be 48 hours on the sealer)

Here are a few photos from the progress y'all did not get to see. I'll post the finished product in the next reply.

[queenofthetile]

Okay....it definitely is not perfect by any stretch, and definitely shows how much of a rookie I am. I have a little wider grout/caulk joints where the ceiling and floors meet the walls, and I did end up having to do a skinny row at the top, but overall I am very pleased with myself. I went from a girl whose plumbing experience was limited to a plunger & replacing a toilet flap, to sweating copper pipe, and replacing subfloor & joists. I am very grateful to everyone on this site. Thanks!

[queenofthetile]

A few more...