Bathroom remodel with steam shower and in floor heat

[c snyder]

Hi


I am in the process of remodeling a bathroom for some clients and they have decided to add a steam shower. I am already planning on using 3/4 plywood, concrete board, and schluter ditra (and kerdi at and on the walls and ceiling in the shower) and the kerdi drain system is there anything else I may be missing in the shower area if they should decide to use a steam shower system?

Also, now they are talking about MAYBE wanting in floor heat in the near future. I would like to give them the option of having the system in place if they would like to have it hooked up later. I have been told that I could use the kerdi bekotec system and just use pex tubing and leave the ends accesible to be hooked up when the new heat system is installed (not by me). The only access will be from the ceiling below. One more question, if I use the bekotec system can I just lay in the pipes and thinset over them and then add my ditra or do I have to pour a bed?

[John Bridge]

Hi C, Welcome. Please give us a first name.

Also, it sounds as though you are a pro. Maybe we'll move this to the Pro Hangout.

I don't think the Bekotec is a good idea under the shower. It is a system that is designed to accommodate heat tubes, true, but it takes up nearly two inches of space, and then you'd still have to build your sloped floor above it. And I personally don't think in-floor heating is needed in a shower to begin with. Just my opinion on that.

Other than that, the Kerdi system is a natural for a steam shower. I'll be my buddy David Taylor shows up and comments on this.

[Davy]

Hi c snider, welcome aboard.

[tileguytodd]

A friend of mine completed an infloor heated shower system about a month ago.he absolutly loves it.
Now of course i would never consider disagreeing with John,everyone knows that
Keep in mind, you will need a fairly high curb

[David Taylor]

Hi C.

I'm glad to see you're thinking ahead about the in-floor heat. The combination of Bekotec, Ditra and the Kerdi shower system will not only look great, it'll save you a great deal of time and give you a fully-waterproof solution. It'll also keep the weight low.

Once you have the pipes in the Bekotec, you can place a gypsum-based pour or do a mud screed over it. The nubs on the Bekotec make it easy to have a flat floor. After that, you'll install your Ditra over top. I wouldn't recommend putting the Bekotec in the shower area because there's a limit of 1" levelling mud for what's over top of it (see below for options).

Here's what I'd do. Get the drywall up in the shower and Kerdi everything, including the outside of the curb. Put your Bekotec and pipes on the bathroom floor and mud over it. Add your Ditra and use Kerdi-band to seam it, in addition to where it meets the curb and flash up the room walls. Fill in the waffles of Ditra. Start setting tile in the shower, then in the room.

You won't need a high curb going this route. If I'm thinking correctly, the finished height of the curb will be roughly 3.5". If you let us know how large the shower is, I might be able to figure out a way to use the Bekotec in there.

[c snyder]

First things first.... my name is Chris.

Now thats out of the way.
The way I would like this to work out is for the whole floor to be one level with no curb. I am taking the floor all the way to the bare joists that way I can put a slight slope on the rest of the floor and then a steeper slope in the shower area.
In floor heat is still up in the air with these people. Now they are leaning more towards the Nu Heat system. I informed them I would not feel comfortable putting this system near the shower area because it is electric.
When I contacted the company they said it should not be a problem as long as I install it under the Ditra and be sure everything is sealed according to Schluter.
I do not particularly care for "should not be a problem" and was wondering about opinions from the experts.

As far as being a pro.....I did sell the Schluter system before becoming a contractor and fell in love with it.

I will keep you informed of any updates on my progress with the clients. If you like I can probably take a few pictures and send them to you and let you see my progress periodically.
Any preference to sinks WC and fixtures. As it stands now I am leaning towards the Grohe line for faucets etc.

Thanks again for this forum. What a fabulous way for ideas and opinions to be passed on without all the hassels and aggravation of 'chat rooms'.

Chris

[David Taylor]

The Nuheat/Schluter combination is a great one. If you can, I'd notch out the joists and sister them in the shower area to lower that part and keep the rest of the bathroom floor at the same level as it is. Stop your Ditra at the shower, install the Nuheat and sloped mud and continue with Kerdi, overlapping them to make it waterproof. Use a custom-made Nuheat mat for the shower area.

After that, you can set your tile as normal, except you'll be cutting down the tile to 4" for the shower area.

You will have to flash up the walls and seam the Ditra with Kerdi-band, too - but you already knew that.