questions from a DIY'er...walkin shower

Hello, I;d like to first thank everyone for all their help to others on this board, I've gathered so much knowladge from these posts. I'm getting close to constructing a 44"x60" walk in shower in the house we are building. I will be using 6"6" tile for the walls and small 1"x1" tiles for the floor(these come in 12"x12" sheets for easier installs)Because of some of the complexities(sp?) of a custom built shower I am thinking of using the KERDI system.This seems to be a more bullit proof system that possibly a first time DIY'er like myself can't mess up. KERDI and all the material that igo's with it seems SO expensive though,Is their another kerdi like system that is less costly ???Do any of you have any other ideas on building a cost effective shower that someone like myself can build successfully???Thank you so much in advance. Joey

[bbcamp]

Welcome aboard, Joey!

The Kerdi shower is unique in that it uses a proprietary membane/shower drain fitting combination. To date, no one else has anything like it. And, if you use their shower base, you don't have to use mud (not applicable for you since your shower is so large). The alternate method of building a mud preslope and Kerdi eliminates the final setting bed, so you get to play in the mud only once. It is a great system, however expensive.

We happen to think that the standard backerboard shower is well within the doable level for interested DIYers. The materials are substantially cheaper than Kerdi, and are more readily available. If you follow the steps given in our Shower Construction thread in the Liberry, you will be able to build yourself a bullet-proof shower.

Bob

thanks Bob for the info, I will check the archives for those shower construction tips.

[John Bridge]

Hi Joey, Welcome aboard.

I think the labor savings with the Kerdi method more than offsets the little bit of added cost. It's worth investigating. Parts for your shower should run about $250. Just the fact that you don't have to handle cement backer board makes it worthwhile.

On the other hand, a backer board shower is bueno, too.

[JJC]

Hi Joey, Welcome.
What part of the Great State O Maine do you live? When I build a shower, I only use the Schluter System. and have had great success with their products.

Jim

LOL !!!!! Jim,.......how about 10 minutes up the road in Durham !!! What are the chances of coming on the board and meeting some right up the road. Would you be interested in helping a fellow Mainer by giving me some advice and possibly suppying material to me.?????

[hald]

With the help of this forum and much reading I built\installed a concrete mortar base shower of the the same approximate dimension as yours. It was heavy duty work. But it was well within the ability of most DIY's. The people on this forum were exceptionally helpful.
I recall looking at the Kerdy system. It seems their size wasn't right for my space.
The only real frustrating thing that happened to me (and this probably won't happen to you since you live in a colder climate) - the rubber holding the 3x3 floor tile sheets together deformed while being stored in the hot climate of California. When I went to lay them I had to cut each tile out of the sheet, set them one by one, otherwise the grout lines would have been all messed up.
I'm real happy with the shower. The size you're doing is very comfortable. - Hal

[JJC]

Joey,

This just goes to prove that the "Ol" world is getting smaller.
Help is what we are here for. Send me a email with how to contact you. Also register here and then you can post pics, etc.

Jim

[John Bridge]

"LOL !!!!! Jim,.......how about 10 minutes up the road in Durham !!! What are the chances of coming on the board and meeting some right up the road."

In the state of Maine, probably much better than in a real man size state like Texas. How may folks y'all got livin' up that way nowadays?



Just kidding. Just kidding.

[cx]

They prolly all stays bunched up together tryin' to keep warm.

[davem]

Hi Joey, welcome to the forum.

[JJC]

In the state of Maine, probably much better than in a real man size state like Texas. How may folks y'all got livin' up that way nowadays?

By last hand count 1,389,267!! That is until the first of the year when we harvest the bumper crop of used lobster traps, strap em on the family truck and send Aunt M and Uncle Jed to Texas to sell em as coffee tables.

Just kidding, just kidding!!!

Truth be known, we are having a recount bcause some people think cousin Bill raised both hands!

Jim

[amishelectrician]

I thought about moving to texas once but I didn't want to sell my plow truck or snowmobile.

[cx]

Amishelectrician? Ain't that one of them there oxymoron thingees?

Says you registered a long time ago, but seems you've been awfully quiet out there. We can always use a little help on the "sparky" questions hereabouts. Otherwise I try to answer them and, well, don't hardly nobody never wanna wire their shower head the way I like to.

Come on down to Texas. Even as far south as I live we've been known to have snowfalls up to 13 inches at a time. Hafta plow fast to make up for the other years, but you can use your truck to move cedar brush the rest of the time.

Snow machine? Well, we get mud lotsa times. Some of them times the mud is covered with a hellofa lot of water, though. Maybe you aughta consider sellin' that onna way down. Although up to Dallas where Sonnie and Davy live, you could pewt your ice runners on that booger and use it a little bit most years.

C'mon down.

[amishelectrician]

I regestered a long time ago when we were doing the plans for our house, after starting building my life revolves around the house.It has put my life on HOLD !!! Everyone gets a kick out of amishelectrician, it's like the Jamacian Bobsledding team.......My other email choice would have been "SATAN KLAWZ " ............. For all the ladies out there on this site, I say....let an electrician check your shorts....