styrofoam benches and curbs

[DAX-G]

My local supply house recently started carrying these molded styrofoam benches and curbs. Has anyone ever seen or used one of these? I was pretty skeptical.
I guess with the bench you mortar to the walls and just let it sit on the membrane and lock it in with your dry-pack. It already has a slope on it.
The curb has a slot to fold the membrane into. Then they say you can tile right over it, no waterproofing necessary. Crazy, crazy, crazy talk. Who in their right mind?

[Arn]

I have seen the preformed curbs and I dont likem. Even on a CBU shower, I still float the dams and they are tough! It wouldnt take much of a void in the dam to allow cracking.

[John Bridge]

I haven't seen the foam curbs you're talking about, but ProForm curbs have been around for a while. And Schluter makes foam curbs, too.

Now this foam seat might just put us out of business. That sounds like a good idea.

[Hamilton]

Arent the schluter curbs and shower pans(kerdi) made from styrofoam? I watched video on their website and it looks like styrofoam. How does this
system hold up to the test of time compared to cement? Another question
i had is how do you manage to get the corners flat, where all the extra layers of
thinset and kerdi overlap each other. I like nice flat surfaces to set on. Do folks
skim out the entire walls with straight edge and thinset to take up the bump that the 2 layers of kerdi and 2 layers of thinset in the corner creates?
Guess i need to attend the clinic.

[stullis]

I like to skim mine out but I hear of alot of guys just using a bigger notch trowel.

[cindy lou]

Where can I find out more on styrofoam benches? Where can I find a source? Nothing came up for me on Google. I would like to try in out.
Cindy Lou

[e3]

The foam benches are intresting and look like they would work great.Being in the foam Niche ,curb ,slope bussness we have looked at them..I know that they are avalible though Bonsal and a guy out of UT. Curb Blocks Inc..

[rspainhower]

I have used the foam benches before. They go in really easy and seem to hold up well. I still kinda Cringe when someone would go to sit on them. I just don't think of styrofoam as a very sturdy product, but it seems to be.

[Davestone]

We use a lot of molded styrofoam here for outside deco work,,,,,scrolls, copulas,crown, and such, and stucco over them...but the woodpeckers liked them so much they had to start covering it with fiberglass, and mesh before stucco....lot of bent beak woodpeckers around now.

[tilemanct]

Saw the foam benches down at Coverings this year. Not too impressed. They were way too expensive. I did like the Better Bench product I saw there. Go to the Innovis web site to check them out. A whole lot cheaper than the foam!!!

[John Bridge]

The Better Bench works well. http://www.innoviscorp.com

Bonsal sells foam seats and benches. http://www.bonsal.com

The "monument" mud bench is forever.

http://johnbridge.com/shower_seats.htm