NOOB, need shower curb advice.....

[eokie1]

I have not been able to see any weep holes.... when I take the 2 screws out, to remove the chrome strainer, I just see VERY rusty cast iron, for as far as I can see, down...... Looks like about 2" diameter cast iron, which I guess is standard size....??

[bbcamp]

Your house is 48 years old. That means the cast iron p-trap is also 48 years old. It has served at least 75% of it's service life. If you are going to invest in a new shower, invest also in a new p-trap and drain fitting.

In any event, you need to chip out the old concrete/mud base to replace the liner. If you find the drain fitting does not have a flange for attaching a liner (which also means you don't have a liner) you'll need a new drain fitting. That's another reason to replace the p-trap, since you'll have the tools and a big hole in your shower floor.

[matman]

If there's no weep holes and you can't clamp to it you're gonna have to bust it out. If it is nearly 50 yrs old as Bob says its time anyhow if you're demoing the whole shower.

The only thing I was thinking was that on this site I've read the resident schluter experts comments about a kerdi drain that screws into an existing standard flange. I don't know how available the drains are or for sure, even if they are available, but if they are you could screw it into your existing flange and waterproof your slab from the top, saving chipping out the old slab.

Maybe one of the experts will comment.

I don't know how to reliably tie the floor waterprooofing into the walls without a complete removal of everything existing.

[eokie1]

I have checked on a demo hammer at Home Depot, $53 / 4 hours, they said I could rent after 6pm, and return by 9am next morning, and be charged 4 hours..... THANKS for the advice.... what replaces a 50 year old cast iron shower p-trap?? PVC, I assume ???

[bbcamp]

Correct. PVC, or ABS which ever is use in your part of the country.

[eokie1]

I just thought to try a SLEDGEHAMMER.....DUHHHHHHHH !!!!!

Made some good progress..... this seems to have had a pre-formed curb ??? It seems to have just been "sitting" on the floor, with the shower bed just poured up to it, not really bonded to it, or it to the floor......????

[Houston Remodeler]

Jim,

I've been reading along for a spell. My impression; someone had the brilliant idea to make the shower pan out of bagged concrete from the big box store. Logical on paper, but not so good in practice.

A decent sized chipping hammer and some patience will get you there eventually. A full sized jack hammer will work, but may cause more damage than time you'll save.

[eokie1]

YES, I believe you are exactly correct, that is what it looks like....??

I got it chipped up, TO the drain, looks like I may have to jackhammer the slab, to get down to the shower p-trap.... ?? drain appears to just come right up out of the concrete slab.....

the 24" wide curb looks to be prefab, or, at least, was NOT bonded to the slab, or the shower bed.... (an accidental tap, or the shock from the sledge blows, disconnected it from the shower bed)

Here is how far I got, til I had to quit.

[eokie1]

shower base all GONE, chipped up some around drain. I chipped all the way thru the slab, on one side, but it is all covered up in dust, I will hopefully get further, tomorrow. May need to buy a GOOD bit, to replace these cheapies from Harbor Freight....

[Houston Remodeler]

Good work Jim, Keep digging. The one in the pic is PVC and I am using Kerdi, so I didn't have to go that far. What is your pipe made from?

[eokie1]

when I look down into it, I see lots of RUST, very rough, so I am just guessing it is Cast Iron ??? I so far can't see any sign of a P-trap, could it be DOWN, below the slab ??? I have went 2 or 3" down, all around the pipe, and don't seem to have found an intersecting horizontal pipe ????? I have drilled holes, around the pipe, all the way thru the slabe... 6" or so...... THANKS for the ADVICE !!!!!!!!!!

[eokie1]

I can't tell from the pictures, how the Kerdi drain attaches, is there a pic of that, somewhere ?? In other words, how does the drain need to look, for the Kerdi drain to attach....

[eokie1]

"hey dummy, watch out for WATER PIPES in your shower base...."

ha ha ha

had a very exciting evening, of jackhammering slab concrete, then getting pretty wet, then hurriedly capping off a 1/2 " copper water line..... after a trip to HOME DEPOT, for a cap (that I SHOULD have had but didn't...)

Luckily, it was stubbed up through the plate in the shower, I just capped it off, there..... I thought copper pipe should not be laying along the bottom of the concrete slab ???? this one may have had a thin clear plastic OVER it, protecting it from the concrete, but that is all...... ???

I could fairly easily just run it horizontally through the studs, and over to the vanity and shower stub-out, is that a good idea ??? I don't really like the idea of trying to chip the concrete, around the copper pipe, since it is poured RIGHT ON TOP of it....!!!!

THANKS for any ADVICE !!!

James in Dayton, OH (still working on my Jacksonville, FL move......bidding on a job, there)

[Houston Remodeler]

Jim,

The thin plastic covering is designed (not well) to protect the copper from the ceement, which will eventually eat the pipe. Relocating the pipe horizintally in the wall is better. You may find turning the corner and soldering back there a bit difficult, so running a new pipe down from the ceiling will probably be easier.

[eokie1]

Fixing that pipe, embedded directly underneath the slab, would be very difficult....at least, for ME ....!!!

I got the slab chipped away enough, to cut the 2" ci, behind the bell, so that the PVC p-trap would fit.

Pics attached, I decided to let the pvc thoroughly cure, before I encased it in concrete.

Any reason to put concrete around the PVC p-trap, or just use gravel fill that came out ?? (of course, leaving 4 or 5" room, for concrete on top....

Did I read that you guy use thinset, as bonding agent, for fresh to old concrete ????
THANKS for all or your HELP !!!!!