New construction walkin shower ??

[Jimbo2015]

Getting ready to pour a slab foundation soon, I saw a house nearby where the slab was recessed.

see pic

I was going to just slope the floor with concrete 1//4" to the drain and tile it all, not using a curb at all .

it will be 42x60 floor area center 2" drain pvc.

Now I'm reading a membrane should be used.

I thought that was for a wood sub floor not with a slab foundation.

What are my options to do this correctly and keep the costs reasonable.

.the location is Ga

[Davy]

Hi Jim, there are many different methods and materials you can use and all of them require some sort of water containment barrier. A PVC liner is part of the traditional shower pan method of building a shower. You don't want to tile right to the slab in a shower.

Curb less showers are popular these days. Keep in mind that if you want a shower door, you won't be able to have a rug outside the shower door because the door will hit it. Most folks want some sort of rug.

[Jimbo2015]

Ok so if I get the slope to the drain all I need to do is get a membrane glued down, go up the walls a few inches and continue it to the level floor a bit.

Is there a special floor drain that seals the membrane?

Do I use thin set over the membrane with tile?

[cx]

Welcome, Jim.

If you'll add that geographic location to your User Profile it'll remain permanently in view to aid in answering some types of questions.

It is very, very difficult to finish concrete in a proper slope to drain in a shower area while placing an entire SOG foundation. You will not find finishers who will do that for you. On this I will wager large dinero.

And even if you did find those finishers, you still won't have a method to waterproof your shower receptor to a proper drain, as Davy points out. And you still must have a way to waterproof your walls and the junction between waterproofed walls and floor.

I started dropping the shower area in my first SOG new home construction in 1985 and have done the same with every one since. Gives you the option to build even traditional shower receptors (the kind Davy builds) or the newer direct bonded waterproofing membrane system receptors. Also gives you a lot of good options for curbless or doorless or whatever else you want. You can bring the shower floor up to level with the bathroom floor if you want (do heed the caution about doors in that arrangement) or you can have a small step down into your shower (many of my customers like that arrangement).

If you have the option to drop the shower area, I recommend you do that. There is no downside no matter what decisions you make or change later. The charge for that option in your slab design should be minimal if there is any charge at all in a new construction slab.

See you got some new questions in there while I was typing:

1. For that kind of shower design your membrane must cover the floor and walls up to above the shower head supply pipe.

2. Yes.

3. Yes.

My opinion; worth price charged.

[Davy]

Some methods call for tiling right to the membrane, others require a second mudbed over the membrane and tile to that.

Check out the "shower construction info" thread in the liberry. That will get you started.

[Jimbo2015]

"It is very, very difficult to finish concrete in a proper slope to drain in a shower area while placing an entire SOG foundation. You will not find finishers who will do that for you. "

CX that's why in the picture it looks like they blocked out about 1-1/2" recess for the shower. I assume they will mortar in that recess on a slope to the drain.

Plan is a walkin with a L entry not requiring a door, the water is contained from the rest of the bath.

I found this one says it works with a membrane?

[jadnashua]

There are two general methods (and lots of variations) on building a shower. The drain you showed is called a clamping drain and is designed for what is considered a conventional shower with a preslope, liner, setting bed, then the tile.

What some find easier is to just build a slope, then attach a surface membrane. Those require a different drain. A conventional shower needs weep holes underneath the top layer because the tile is not waterproof and water will get down to the liner. Most of the water goes out via the top of the drain.

A surface membrane shower has the waterproofing directly bonded to the drain and the tile is attached directly to it. An example of that type of drain looks like this:

[cx]

Jim, if you'll visit our FAQ you'll find a brief tutorial on how best to post and properly attribute quotes here on the site. Very simple once you see it.

That clamping drain is fine for traditional shower pan construction, but for your no-curb design that's a poor choice.

The direct bonded waterproofing membrane with associated bonding flange drain that other Jim is showing is the better choice for what you wanna do. I recommend the USG Durock Shower System. You can even purchase the necessary components online from Amazon.

My opinion; worth price charged.