HI, need a little advice on what matl. , plaster (what type) or shims , etc.? or any other matl. to use and the procedure for setting the base and making sure the unit is firmly set / resting on the plaster/shims etc .Iam very concerned about the base rocking and the plaster degrading over the years and breaking up and working its way into places you dont want it. what i have in mind is running a ledger (set level ) around the framing , (to keep the shower base level while the plaster sets) then plaster below the unit,then setting the unit. The unit Iam installing is a Sterling oc-48-ss, 2 endwalls a backwall and a shower base. its a center drain, seats on both right and left ends.The base unit’s dimensions are 48″L x 34″W x 17″H .The base sits pretty level on the left but drops about a 1/4” inch along the back edge towards the right rear corner same for the right front to right rear .in other words it a 1/4 inch low in right rear corner.Ive also thought about using minimal expanding foam under the base using the ledger to keep the base level while the foam sets….thanks
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We usually use sand mix (concrete mix minus the aggregate(( I think)). Mix it a little on the stiff side, pile it on the floor and you can nestle the shower base down into it nice and level. When the sand mix sets up the shower base feels nice and solid.
Mix up some Structo-Lite (USG). It is more user friendly than concrete and won't shrink like concrete. If you mix it too stiff it will be very difficult to set it into place and squeeze out as needed. You also have a lot more working time than reg plaster but less time than concrete - a good thing. Concrete takes too long to set up.
we had a pro put one in our former residence-he used minimal expanding foam.
m
i don't buy it..
any foam product has no memory.. every time it is compressed it will not rebound, and any good heavy person in the shower can exert forces that will exceed the compression strength of the foam.. so it will just keep getting more and more compressed and no longer supporting the base.
the units we are getting have blocks tabbed into the base and we shim under those with PT wedges screwed to the floor..Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Not sure about other countries, but here we use a construction adhesive that doesnt affect plastic or foam. My favourite is Fuller Max Bond.
All the shower trays I install either have small plastic "feet" that contact the floor in addition to the outer rim, or have a solid foam base inside the outer rim.
I use what we call malthoid as packers, a tar based strip product. Doesnt compress, rot etc. Use these to get nice and level all round. remove the tray leaving the packers in the right place on the floor, then apply lots of adhesive to the areas contacted by the "feet" etc, including a decent bead around the framing to prevent squeaks.
Put the tray back, press down a little and leave it alone. 24 hours later it wont move and will stay that way forever. No danger of cracking,shifting etc. easy too.
Wood Hoon
if you check xray's original post you'll see that he's asking how to stabilize the base on its shims- at least that was my take. the shower base that was installed in my former residence was thoroughly shimmed under and supported around the perimeter- the foam only served to keep it stuck down and prevent the shims from shifting. the base was a custom formed "cultured marble" (molded resin and stone particles) about 1/2"-5/8" thick, 44" square and sloped to a slightly offcenter drain, over a concrete basement floor. the foam probably also helped take what little flex was left out of it, making it feel even more solid and quieter, too. i would never suggest actually supporting anything substantial on a bed of expando-foam.
sorry if i confused anyone with my first post.
m
Shingles are the ticket. very stable, you can tear them easily.
heaven forfend! both my mom and grandmother have had shingles and they were AWFUL! it's bad enough to have a little athlete's foot fungus in there, but shingles? have you lost your mind?
m
MItch, Mitch Mitch, Mitch Mitch.
Have you not been keeping up with the advances in medical science? If you would only read the journals at supermarket checkouts every where, you would no that this is technique also has the added benifit of erradicating shingles. By squeezing the shingles under the weight of the shower pan ( Weight of your mother in law divided by the amount of time she spends at your house multiplied by the amount of marital relations you are able to have while she is in your house = the amouint of pressure needed to nuetralize one shingle) the threat of shingles is erradicated.
Please, before you answer any further post with totally uninformed comments, try researching your answers througha reliable source ( Bob Villa, the Enquirere, Martha stewart, etc).
Thank you for your testimonial. Now you too shall be healed. or heeled. take your pick.
Yes, that will work but only if you pre-soak the shower base in cayenne pepper juice approx. 24hrs before installation.
Rez,
Are you sure that is not intended to be a mother in law repellent? I don't have a current need for such an item as I am divorced. If the need should arise in the future I intend ti apply my charming personality.
Mix up one bag of dry pack. This is 5 parts sharp sand to one part portland cement. Mix it very, very dry. Add only enough water until it forms a ball without desinegrating. It will not shrink if very dry. You can get dry pack at most masonry stores or DalTile for about $5.
Spread in onto the subfloor at the appropriate depth (find that out by measuring the underside of your base). Make it a bit deeper by about a half inch than you need. Then set your base onto the mud.
Using a 1x and a rubber hammer and 18" level, pound that baby down to level.
Then set it and forget it!
Lose the foam and the shingles. Use mud.
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1927
Boris,
Have you ever tried this techinique with a cultured marble shower base? the idea of smaking a $500.00 base with a hammer does not seem to be a good idea.
1x4 and a rubber hammer. Ideally, it should not need a tweek more than a 16th, if one has measured correctly. The idea is to get the unit level. Heck, use your hands if you have to. Just use mortar and some way to move the thing down and level.
Regards,
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1927
Boris you must be working in a better class of house than I usually am. If the floor startd out only a 1/16th out of level I am plesantly surprised. Finding 2 corners at different degrees out is not at all unusuall. This is one of the advantages of the shingles is I can easily adjust. My experiences with needing to reset into a mortar set have been less than enjoyable.