Accessible bathroom with Curbless shower

[PC7060]

Thanks for the information, CX!

[PC7060]

Things have finally started to move on the accessible shower. It’s been quiet a long process getting demolition complete along with getting a 8’ deep basement foundation design approved and finally built. The new foundation had to meet strength requirements to address expansion clays soils and serve as a retaining wall for the original foundations which are 16”-54” shallower and poured without footers. The new foundation certainly has footers though; ranging in size from 16” - 36” wide.

Slabs were poured this week and although they are vary as much as 1/4” over 30’, this space is for my shop and the equipment doesn’t minds a little unevenness as long as the slab is strong. I did think it was funny that the foundation company required the excavation be graded and level within 0.2” of 4” above footer bottom but they couldn’t get those tolerance on slab flatness.

My framing crew showed up Thanksgiving Am (really) to do a portion of the first floor framing which included the accessible bathroom so we can finally get to the doing part of this thread. I’ll keep you posted as we go along.

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Progress!






P.S. Looks like you could use a sump pump.

[cx]

Originally Posted by PC

I did think it was funny that the foundation company required the excavation be graded and level within 0.2” of 4” above footer bottom but they couldn’t get those tolerance on slab flatness.

Just like how much easier it is to get a deck mud installation flat as compared to finishing the same area with concrete, PC. And the deck mud will stay that flat until someone moves it. Your concrete may or may not.

[PC7060]

Hello all - figured I’d post an update as not I’ve got my additions with two bathroom not to mention non-tile kitchen, laundry and two bedrooms under roof.

Roof went on last week and although there’s some wrap up details to complete it looks great.







Drain and vent line rough is in has passed pressure testing and Electrical rough in
Is nearly complete too.

Lots of work but good times!!!

Next phase is plumbing supply lines for potable water along with cast iron radiators. One bathroom will have a small CI radiator, the other accessible bathroom will be heated with ambient from adjacent room along with Ditra heat.

I’ll be posting some questions on DITRA Heat placement but this should do for now.

[cx]

Very uptown with the copper dormers, PC! Business must be good in your area. Those are just vents?

That garage roof looks like it could use a bit of love, too, though.

[PC7060]

Originally Posted by CX

Very uptown with the copper dormers, PC! Business must be good in your area. Those are just vents?

Hi CX, those are eyebrow dormer, nothing so useful as a vent. Purely cosmetic, but Mrs. PC likes em'.




The garage was definitely a work in progress at the time of that picture. The sheathing of the original home is 1x6 plank spaced with 1/2" gap. We added 5/8 sheathing over the entire roof (80 sheets total) before the new roof went up. We used 140 sheets of sheathing (almost 3 pallets) for the walls and roof of the additions and the roof of the original house. 84 Lumber gives you a pretty good price when you buy it by the pallet.

.

[PC7060]

It was really nice to be able to use the boom truck to get those bundles on the roof. A month ago we had a electrical line hanging in the way. Took a while to get the utility company to bury the lines but they wrapped in up in late January.

The job was a team effort. We trenched and buried the 2" conduit to the property lines and Dominion Energy pulled the new line into the meter base.

[cx]

Originally Posted by PC

...nothing so useful as a vent. Purely cosmetic, but Mrs. PC likes em'

Makes'em very useful in the grander scheme, eh?

[PC7060]

So true.

[PC7060]

I’m developing a list of USG shower materials for the two showers in this ongoing project. I’ve included two bundles of 3’x5’ Durock Ultralight 1/2” Foamboard. I believe this material is rated for installation over studs with 16” spacing; can anyone give me feedback on the stiffness of the installed board?


From the specification, the Ultralight looks similar to Kerdiboard with exception of screws only with sealant instead of washers and patches.

[ss3964spd]

Originally Posted by PC

can anyone give me feedback on the stiffness of the installed board?

Yup. USG's waterproof foam board is faced with their waterproof layer front and back. While I observed that it is stiffer than plain 1/2" foam panels it isn't as stiff as, say, Hardie or a CBU, of course.

What's it feel like once covered in tile? Plenty stiff, but my 12X24 tile probably helps with that a bit. But, while grouting with Spectralock, and therefor needing to really work hard to force it into the 1/16th joints, I did not notice any sort of deflection. None.

The waterproof layer is surprisingly tough, and the panels hang just like drywall. And like DW, don't over-drive the screws, drive them only a hair deeper than the face.

[PC7060]

Hey Dan,

Thanks for the feedback on the Ultralight. I’ll be running the panels with the 5’ side on the horizontal axis. The edges of the bottom panels will be fully supported on the edges by blocking but the top of the second sheet will be unsupported between the studs.

Did you block all edges or just let ‘er ride?

[smifwal]

So I am on the same page. You are talking about 1/2 foam backer board like in the picture. I use those or mud or both sometimes. I install it the same as I did CBU. They are plenty study

[PC7060]

Thanks Shawn, from the picture it looks like you cut the panel widths down to line up with the studs, is that correct?

Edit: ignore previous, I see the “cuts” are just marking lines for screwing to the stubs