New Durock Shower System from USG

[Tiger pilot]

Juan, we will have custom size kits available shortly, but I don't believe we're quite ready yet. First truckloads of standard sized kits just shipped this week, with many more orders awaiting to be shipped. We've produced, tested, and test installed several custom sized kits but just like the rest of this system we want it to be ready and proper before we ship them to customers.
Same with linear drains and curb less entries. Coming but not quite ready yet!

[Tiger pilot]

John and crew here are very knowledgeable about this system but if someone has questions please feel free to either call me on my cell, 404-281-2218 or send me an email at Srausch@usg.com
We've worked long and hard at USG to make this system much better and improved over everything else out there today for everyone involved in the process. We've given the consumers what they requested, installers what they asked for, as far as possible, and distributors what they wanted so we can have full national coverage.
We are looking forward to hearing and responding to YOUR comments !!!

[John Bridge]

Emails and phones are fine, but we would prefer having the info posted here so that everyone interested (including search robots) gets the benefit of it. All you have to do is check in daily, Steve.

[Tiger pilot]

Yes John.

You're the toughest boss I've got, including my wife! And your other comrades in your crew are just as tough on me!

Guess I need it anyway!

[John Bridge]

Yeah, right.


Type "durock shower system" into Google. You'll find this thread on page one in with the other USG stuff. The more info we get in this thread the better. Everything in this forum finds its way into Google within 24 hours, often in a matter of hours.

[Houston Remodeler]

We install far more linear drains than centered. When the new line drains come in I'd be happy to look at one.

[Tiger Mountain Tile Inc]

The fact that the perimeter is only 1" is a big deal as a curbless installation is possible without cutting the joists.

Questions:

• It looks like the membrane can be installed over a mud bed?
• What is the minimum tile size for the foam pan? Is this something where one could wheel a wheelchair in on without too much of a point load?
• It's all unmodified thinset for the assembly. Is unmodified required for the tile installation or is modified ok?

Thanks for coming on and being available for feedback.

[Tiger pilot]

I'll try to answer below:

The fact that the perimeter is only 1" is a big deal as a curbless installation is possible without cutting the joists.

Questions:
It looks like the membrane can be installed over a mud bed?
Yes the membrane will work over mud and the drain kit will be needed and it too will work with mud bed.

What is the minimum tile size for the foam pan? Is this something where one could wheel a wheelchair in on without too much of a point load?
Pan passed Robinson test with residential rating so wheelchair should be no problem. We tested with 2" x 2" tile.

It's all unmodified thinset for the assembly. Is unmodified required for the tile installation or is modified ok?
As with all very low perm rated waterproof membranes if you use a modified thinset it will require more time to cure, however today many setting material mfg's have products designed for these applications.

[Houston Remodeler]

I've got 2 stall showers coming up this week for a volunteer project.

A free sample or two would make a nice comparison to the orange stuff I've been using for 16+ years.

Hempstead Road is on my way to the jobsite if Daltile has one or two laying around collecting dust.

[Arimert]

steve,any info on pricing ? any online retailers? will this be sold in the big box stores?

[Tiger pilot]

Guy's, we appreciate all your excitement and enthusiasm about this new system, and we are planning on working with all the Bridge followers to get these systems into your hands for you to try, however, this is the first week we've had inventory to ship and we have many distributors who have orders placed we must fill. The first truckload just left our plant Wed so we do need some time before we can respond to requests for individual units.
Please understand and bear with us. Between now and the end of the year we will keep adding products, like custom sized kits, and you all will be among the first to know about them.
Thanks
Steve

[Houston Remodeler]

It was worth a shot -

Thanks for the update Steve

[Tiger pilot]

Amos, I'll try to answer your questions below:

steve,any info on pricing ? USG sells through distributors so they will be your source of pricing. I will say our system is extremely competitively priced to our distributors.

any online retailers? We have several distributors who have said they will be marketing this system online, but again, we've not yet filled their warehouses with product yet.

will this be sold in the big box stores? We currently have no plans to sell to any big box retailer however as you all know them more installers that ask them for the product the more interested they become in inventory.

One final note, our distributors are as excited and ready for this system as you guys are so we've made commitments to them to ship product as quickly as possible but as with all new start ups we will have some learning opportunities to deal with as we get product into your hands. Please bear with us.
Steve

[RedRock]

Thanks Steve. Fact is, I can only recall one shower I did where I actually used a preformed shower pan. Everything was a dry pack. The preformed pan was sure nice however. I checked your website and there is not a distributor very close to my zipcode. Although I'm sure TA Supply in Kennewick can get me some supplies ordered in if needed.

Is your system going to come with a tube adhesive or can I use the other guy's adhesive?

The website says the membrane is 0.12 Mil. Is that right? Kerdi is 8 Mil and NobleTS is 30 Mil. 0.12 is about the thickness of painters plastic.

[cx]

Juan, I had the same question about the thickness of the membrane. It's thin.

I don't know the officially approved method of measuring the thickness of such material, so I just used my trusty old micrometer and previous-life training. Every place I measured my USG sample it was ,012" or less. My Kerdi samples measured in the .016" to .019" range and the Kerdi Band measured around .016" thick.

It had never occurred to me to actually measure the stuff before and I have no explanation for why the Kerdi Band feels thinner than the membrane nor why it measures so much thicker than the advertised specs. I gotta think maybe Schluter's measurement is only the actual membrane before the fleece and whatever else is applied, but I don't know that. Maybe somebody will 'splain us.

At any rate, despite any inaccuracy inherent in my testing method, in a side by side comparison the new USG membrane as a finished product is thinner than the Kerdi membrane as a finished product.

Ahhh, the things we learn while trying to answer questions on the TYW forums, eh?