inherited shower project

[fathom]

Inherited my now deciesed fathers new shower project. At present shower is 8'x5,. Walls have been sheeted with OSB and shower pan has been presloped and moped. I am finding that old school floating is a better way to go which probably is the reason that it's done that way. Trying to figure out what to use and how to use something as a guide to achieve my 1/4" per foot slope on the floor to top of drain minus 1/2" for 3/8"tile and thinset 1/8" or so.

[Davestone]

Check our Liberry section, and there's always this..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDFtzGNRpvs

[Hamilton]

Hi Fathom

Gotta first name we can use? You can edit your signature in the User Cp I am going to move your thread over to the tile advice
forum where more people will find your questions and respond.

[ceramictec]

Hi fathom,

please give us a first name to use by adding your name to the (Signature Line).

Inherited my now deciesed fathers new shower project.

first off, sorry about your loss.

At present shower is 8'x5,. Walls have been sheeted with OSB

your going to need to remove the OSB and put up a vapor barrier and cementboard.

Trying to figure out what to use and how to use something as a guide to achieve my 1/4" per foot slope on the floor to top of drain minus 1/2" for 3/8"tile and thinset 1/8" or so.

what you will need to do is place (screw) your drain where you want it, then measure to the top of it. then add a 1/4" per foot to the furthest wall. so say it's 4' from drain to wall, add 1" to the height of the drain and make a level line around the wall.
you can pack your mud to the line and use a straight edge to make the pitch to the drain.
I usually notch out the end of my straight edge the thickness of the tile/thinset...or I just
screw the drain up for the tile/thinset thickness.

[Hamilton]

Not sure why the walls were sheeted with OSB unless they were shear
walls. I assume you live here in cali with me lol, its the only state I am
aware of still mopping pans. I could be wrong and I am sometimes. Unless
the hotmopper notched the studs back to accomodate the thickness of
the tar you are going to need to either float the shower or install a CBU(cement board).
Floating shower walls can be done, but usually not something recommended
for beginners to tackle on their own. You can instead shim the studs with
something like 1/4" wood lattice so your CBU doesn't poke out around the
shower floor where the pan is. Sounds like you are just getting started, so
I would suggest moving one step at a time.

[Deckert]

Get a little more info before you go tearing that OSB out. I agree with Jack, it sounds like you are in California. If thats the case and the OSB is part of a shear wall I would leave it alone. If you are having the job inspected, you will get mucho grief from taking apart a shear wall.

Where are you located?

[fathom]

I agree with Jack and Brannigan. My name is Rick by the way. I'm from Orange County California. Still haven't figured out how to change my name from Fathom to Rick. Anyway, the house i'm doing is over 100 years old. Therefore there is no shear panel. The OSB is only there for strengh and convienence. I can assure you that it will be papered as soon as I get there. For now I,ve figured the highth that I want along the walls and marked them with tape after filling the hot moped pan with water 1 1/4" over top of drain to accomadate 1/4" per foor foot rule. Next I plan to rip some 1X's that I will lay on edge in each corner (maybe a couple more) streching all the way to top of drain minus 1/2" or so. Tile is 5/8" thick. Then I think I should be ok to float each section at a time and remove 1X's as I go. I hope this makes sense to you guys. If not shout back cause I'm gonna float it today. lol.

[cx]

Originally Posted by fathom

I agree with Jack and Brannigan. My name is Rick by the way. I'm from Orange County California. Still haven't figured out how to change my name from Fathom to Rick.

You can't do that, Rick, nor do you need to. Just go to the UserCP, find Edit Signature and enter your first name there. It will appear at the bottom of each post for folks to use.

Originally Posted by Rick

The OSB is only there for strengh and convienence. I can assure you that it will be papered as soon as I get there.

I, for one, still don't understand anything about that.

You really don't want OSB walls in the shower, regardless what else you may be planning. If you're fixin' to do mud walls over the OSB, it might work out OK, but I'd still advise against it.

I think you'll do better making your mud floor without those sticks, but you can give that a try if you like.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[fathom]

Yes I'm planning to float over the OSB after it's been papered and lathed. Thing is my father always over did things. For example, we repiped this house about 10 years ago. Guess what he used. Brass pipe. And no I don't mean copper. lol. I mean brass. $$$$ The sticks i'm using only for a guide to help me keep it right. I'll remove them when i'm done. Also, anyone know proper mix for sand/plastic cement? I think it's about 5 to 1. This isn't my first shower, just been a long time that iv'e done anything eccept point when I wanted stuff like this done.

[Deckert]

Rick, If I were you and determined to float this, head to Morena Tile or Big D or wherever and get bagged Wall Float. No reason to cart the stuff around to mix it yourself in my opinion.

[fathom]

Still working on project. I want to include photos but cannot figure out how to attach them to my reply.

[bbcamp]

Scroll down to the Manage Attachments option. It'll allow you to upload pictures from your own computer, provided they meet the size limits.

You can also link pictures if you have them hosted out on the web somwhere. There's a little picture icon over the reply box that wraps image tags around the link to your pics.

[fathom]

Still have not been able to download pictures. Apparently files are too big. I'll get to that problem soon. However, I'm faced with a different delema. Looking ahead I can see a new tile saw in my very near future. I've always said MK101 but I've seen the ads on this website and I also like the new one from Rigid. However, today went to order tile and found that quarter round is not available in carrara marble. Considering a profile wheel to cut bulnose on 18"X18" marble. Any other ideas or tips? I have a brand new MK brick saw but I think it might be a little too big of an animal for this.

[ceramictec]

you can use these 2 moldings to pretty much solve your problems if they work with your type of install.

[cx]

Mmmmm, I musta had one of them problems, then, Brian, on accounta I pewt some of them pieces onna wall and my customer was happy.