Shower Pan thickness

[scooter42]

I have poured the sloped layer of the shower pan and am ready to install the CPE. My question is how thick do you make the layer above the liner? The first layer was easy because I used the rim of the lower part of the drain half and the top of the wood screeds that I installed around the perimeter of the shower. I can't find any info as to how thick the second layer of deck mud should be before the tile installation. I was looking at somewhere between 11/2 and 2 inches. Is this adeqate? I know if I use 2 inches in the shower pan plus 3/8" for the tile and 1/4" to 3/8" for the thinset we are looking at 3" and my shower curb is only 4 1/2" leaving me about 2 inches after curb tile is installed. Is this okay?

Any reply would be great!

Scott

[Arn]

Scott:

I pound a solid border around the entire shower floor that is 1/4" per foot above the drain with my levels. I cut it nicely with a DULL margin trowel. Then I drypack the the rest of it in flush with perimeter/drain. I use my aluminum straight edges to make it perfect( small sticks too). Lastly I notch a small stick the thickness of the floor tile and a little thinset ( about 6-8" long for a 3x3 shower) I carve around the drain with the notch sitting on the drain rim. This will create a perfect recession that allow the floor tile to flush up the the drain.
~on a well done shower floor with proper slop, it is hard to tell it is even sloped, that is until you run the water

Best of luck

[Mike2]

Scott, we have a Shower Construction thread in the Liberry with responses to your specific question plus many more. There is some good information in there, Click here . Happy reading and come back here if you have any additional questions.

[scooter42]

I had already printed this article to help me with the install. I only see where the author has a tape measure that looks to measure around 2" as the final height to the top of the drain. If I make mine 2" that will only leave about a 1 1/2 inches from the pan to the top of the curb. I will be installing a glass shower door, so is this an adequate height on a finished shower pan.

Scott

[scooter42]

If possible could someone be so kind as to answer my question about the height of the second layer of deck mud. I have the slope and pan liner in, the water check is complete and now I am ready to float the curb and the second layer of pan mud but I am not sure how high to make the second layer. If I go 2" that will only leave me about 1 1/2" at the curb is this enough. I was leaning toward maybe an 1" to 1 1/2" and give myself an extra 1" at the curb, but then that will only give me about 1 1/2" of mud near the drain.

Queston 2: What is backer rod that is mentioned in several articles that should be used at a wall/floor junction? I was just planning on caulking or grouting but do I need to be using this backer rod instead?


Thanks for all the expert advice that I have been getting for this project. All you guys are an amazing resource. I could not have done it without you


Scott

[cx]

Your planned 1 1/2 to 2 inches for the final deck mud is fine, Scott. It will be the same thicknes everywhere if you are installing it over a properly built pre-slope, which sounds like the case. The 1 1/2 is about optimal.

For your curb, just make it as high as you want it. If it's already built, just add mud to the top when you get to that point. It's common to install tiles to the front and back sides of the curb, then fill to the top of the tiles (ensuring a little slope to the shower side) and then tile the top. Makes it look like you planned it that way - which, of course, is now the case.

You shouldn't need any backer rod at your floor/wall junction. You will have set your CBU bottoms a little (1/4 to 1/2 inch) above the pre-slope and your deck mud will run right up against it. Only the tile will have a small gap for you to caulk.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[scooter42]

As the saying goes there is most always 2 ways to do something. What I am refering to is installing the last piece of the backerboard down to the shower pan. What I am seeing in Michaels book it shows to shim the backerboard above the pan liner and then lay down your last layer of deck mud. What I am reading from one of the articles in the library is that you bring the last row of backerboard down to 1/8" above the finished height of the shower floor. Which way is recommended?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Scott

[John Bridge]

Well, I keep a copy of Michael's book for situations just like this.

On p. 209, and again on p. 215, Michael shows the backer board going down below the level of the final mud floor. The mud holds the bottom of the CBU in place. Michael has some of his usual excess stuff in there (the shim under the bottom of the backer board), but I don't see a conflict with anything that is said aorund here. He uses 1/4 in. "lattice" to fur the studs out prior to installing the CBUs. A better way, I think, is to notch the studs at the bottom where the liner will go. You can make room for the liner without furring out the studs (which would cause your CBU to be further out than your adjoining sheetrock walls).

Also, the JLC article on shower floors we reference in the Liberry is written by my friend (let's hear it, folks) Michael Byrne.

[cx]

And don't pewt that god-awful black pookey onna floor before you pewt in your pan liner, like you see ol' MB doin' on page 113. Then you won't hafta wear no respirator to do your shower pan.

See, y'all didn't think I really had Michael's book, didja?
No, wait.......that was another thread.





And note that JB even spelt MB's name right this time.