New guy looking for some guidance

[cx]

Well, Travis, appears you've made an 11:1 mix there, and even if mixed with too much water (common), I'd expect it to be rather porous, but I'll admit I've never tried a mixture that lean.

Bottom line? I got no eye-dee why that wouldn't drain.

[Tjdecker83]

Where do you get 11:1 from? The mix was 3 cups total. 5 scoops of sand to 1 of the Portland. All with a 1/2 cup measuring cup. And it has ZERO drainage.

[cx]

Originally Posted by Travis

I did 1/2 cup of Portland cement and 5 1/2 cups of Sakrete sand.

I got it there, Travis. I count 11 half-cups and 1 half-cup.

[Tjdecker83]

I see the confusion. It was a 1/2 cup used 5 times. It set almost like the ratio was backwards. It wasn't but I just made another batch and I bought some of the mapei 4 to 1 to see how it acts. Not sure what would cause it to dry so dang hard.

[cx]

The MAPEI material is a completely different product from sand and Portland cement, Travis, and I would not recommend it for the top mortar bed in a traditional shower receptor.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Tjdecker83]

What's wrong with Mapei 4 to 1 pre mix? It is advertised as a sand and portland cement mix. I realize it is a little rich as it's not 5 to 1, but what issue do you see with it?

[cx]

I may be confusing it with a Laticrete product, but I find the "synthetic" deck mud mixes to be difficult to work and too "plastic" in texture. And not particularly porous.

A sand/Portland mix of 4:1 proportion is the ANSI Standard recommendation for shower floor mortar, by the way. I prefer a 5:1, as do many others.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Tjdecker83]

I'll post back how the current test turns out.

[Tjdecker83]

The current test all drain very slowly if at all. I mixed up 3 different batches. The 4 to 1 Mapei, 5 to 1 all purpose sand and portland cement, and 5 to 1 play sand and portland cement. All were mixed to a damp consistency. I cannot for the life of me figure out how such a simple recipe can yield such widely different results.

[cx]

Me, too.