Nick’s Linear Drain Shower Build

[xkse]

Hi all

This is a great site and I have been reading up on a lot of questions I've had. However one issue I am currently confused about.

I have a 34"x34" one piece fiberglass shower that I'm removing. I'll enlarge the area to make it a 60"x34 (48" shower tray, 12" bench). Large(r) format tiles on the walls/bench.

I don't really like the thought of an acrylic tray, so I have been searching for a solid surface tray. I found a Silestone tray that looks great, however it doesn't have any tiling flange.

How does one waterproof the backerboard to shower tray transition with no flange? It seems like many of the (European style?) solid surface trays do not have a flange and, as a DIYer, do not like the thought of relying on that interface to send the water towards the drain once it is buried behind tile.

I've attached the documentation I've received, it does nothing to alleviate my concerns

Any help or advice would be appreciated!

[greenjp]

Maybe use something like Wedi or Kerdi board and put a bead of Wedi Sealant/Kerdifix at the joint?

Swan's solid surface trays have a flange, if those are available to you in a style you like.

[xkse]

Yeah that's probably an option, it would just be nice if they had some recommendations on how to properly do it

I saw the Swan ones, didn't seem like they had any left hand drains (only center??).

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Welcome to the forum, Nick.

Yeah, there are manufacturers that do stuff like this. I've had a lot of Silestone countertops installed over the years and a very small number of shower walls. It is my opinion that they haven't put enough engineering into what they consider "adequate". Silestone directions say they are "good" with a silicone bead between the panels and the pan. I'm not.

I'd want a secondary waterproofing flange. While many molded tiling flange are ideal, you'll have to settle for less if you want to use Silestone pan. There are several companies that sell a "press on" tiling flange that could be used for your case. But I'd ditch the double sided sticky tape that they supply for something high quality like KerdiFix to attach the tiling flange. If you install cement board over the flange and apply a surface waterproofing to it, the waterproofing plane is in front of the tiling flange.

[xkse]

Thanks!

And yeah I'm beginning to understand that now...Silestone has some cool designs but I'm not really comfortable using it. Are there any other solid surface trays you would recommend that come with a flange? I'm looking for 48"x32 (or 34"), left hand drain...

This will be my first time installing a shower, waterproofing, etc so I don't want to leave it to a 3rd party tiling flange (after spending $800 for the tray!!).

[Tool Guy - Kg]

Like Jeff said, Swanstone has an integrated flange. I don't know of another, but I can't say I've been looking for one in quite a while. I'm comfortable installing an aftermarket flange like this, but it's time consuming and fussy. And time consuming. Not to mention fussy.

If you do go looking and you manage to find an integrated flange, that would be encouraging. But it's not likely due to the way the material is manufactured. And I wouldn't expect too much technical info from the manufacturers and salespeople if I were you.

[xkse]

Yeah fair enough.. will look again at Swan and try to find some other options. If i have to go acrylic I will, just not the look I was trying to achieve

[Tool Guy - Kg]

You know, we could help you build the shower out of tile and you could have just about any look or flavor you like.

We've taken a lot of folk through the process step-by-step. Just an idea.

[xkse]

Yes, I’ve gone back and forth on that notion many times. Maybe I can be convinced!

[jondon]

Hi Nick

So your saying we got a chance to convince you

I had this exact situation a while back I helped walk someone here through doing a shower tub surround in tile. She was asking me about a prefabricated shower pan receptor for their master and couldn't really find anything local plus COVID had just hit. I convinced her to do a mud pan so she could tile it, in fact I drove to her home and helped her husband put in a kerdi drain, mud bed, waterproof it. I did some and made him do it so he learned. Showed them how to do a flood test plugin the drain and putting water in. This is a second floor shower so more worry, but now they can do tile on the pan and have a beautiful shower floor.

Start asking questions and you will be walked through the process just like Willie Wonka walked kids through the Chocolate Factory. Enjoy some everlasting gobstoppers on your jorney

[xkse]

Haha ok ok... let me get my thoughts together and post some more details later. I modeled everything in solidworks a couple of weeks ago for sizing so I could definitely still do a tile floor since I haven’t purchased anything. Kerdi is expensive but seems worth it. I’ve watched so many tiling videos, but the classic mud/liner methods less so.

[xkse]

So a little more detail...I'm removing the closet behind my current 1 piece shower to enlarge it to 60" total (currently ~34" in length). I'll have a bench on the right side (external wall), niche on the back wall, and a left hand line drain (ideally).

I'll have to move the supply lines and the drain to accommodate the new size. Already looked, and the joists run the same way so it should be just a shift within the same joist bay.

Quick sketch attached...Thoughts on this being my first mud bed?

[qna.living]

Hi Nick!

I am going through the same situation right now! I decided against a tiled shower floor because I hate the feel of grout underfoot and I didn't want to have to recess the subfloor to make a level entry. However, I didn't want a white acrylic base with a frame. The european look of a flush shower base is what I wanted.

I found a few options for shower base: Fiora shower bases (usually sold at bath supply stores that also sell taps and bathtubs) and Zitta Slate shower base. Fiora seems to be better quality and has more options for colours, textures, sizes, etc, but they are pricy. Zitta is a Canadian company but this is their first shower base of that type and it only comes in 3 colours. I ended up going with Zitta.

For waterproofing:these showerbases do come with a tile flange that is made to measure, but it is not integrated. They are attached to the base when you're ready for install. I'm planning to go a bit overboard with waterproofing.

• I'm laying Kerdi under the shower base with enough extra to come up and over the ditra that I'm laying on the rest of the floor.

• Wedi also makes a tub sealing tape that I'm thinking about incorporating all around the shower base and adhering with the Wedi 610 sealer. You can find it by googling Wedi Tub sealing tape

I haven't yet done the project so I'm still researching. It would be great to get feedback from any other pros!

[xkse]

Hi Maria

I checked those out, thanks for the recommendation! They are sleek, but I didn't see any in the size I'm looking for (48x32 or 34). Can't go to 36" due to a window at 36" from my wall.

Additionally, I'm looking at linear drains. Is a mud bed with either liquid membrane (hydroban, aquadefense) or sheet membrane (kerdi) the most cost efficient way to build a linear drain setup?

[cx]

Welcome, Maria.

If you have questions or concerns about your own shower, start a project thread of your own for that. Anything posted on Nick's thread will just result in confusion on both projects.