I’m going to be building a tile shower stall in about two weeks. Can anyone give me any tips on the type of mortar or the per ratio mix for the pan. Also any opinions on sealing the floor(the tile) or epoxy grout?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Use proper prep and flashing details to install weathertight windows before the water-resistive barrier goes on.
Featured Video
How to Install Cable Rail Around Wood-Post CornersHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
Brad:
The mortar mix for floors in general, and shower floors in particular is called dry pack. It is 5 parts sharp sand to 1 part portland cement. Quite frankly, I would blow off mixing it and buy pre-mix "DryPack" Deck Mud, about $4 a bag at any DalTile.
Make sure you do a pre-slope, then the pan membrane, then the setting bed.
There are two schools of thought on the shower floor. The first (old school) school is that floors will transmit moisture, and there is no way around it, and you actually want the moisture to go through the floor onto the membrane, which is sloped, and then down the weep holes. Make sure you don't clog the weep holes with mud, so top them with some small gravel or tile spacers. So you don't seal the floor and allow it to breathe and ultimately dry out. Might even want to top the pan membrane with some Ditra to allow it to dry out.
The second school of thought is that any moisture in the setting bed is a bad thing, so one tops the setting bed with a trowel on waterproofing like Laticrete 9235. One would also only use impervious tiles, like porceline 1" mosiacs, and would use an epoxy grout, further preventing moisture in the setting bed.
I am strictly old school. Old school showers properly installed (pre-slope, pan membrane, and mortar bed floor) last 80 years. Trowel on waterproofing is a pain the sit down, and is dificult to snap visible lines. Epoxy grout is not for the DIY'er, and indeed, most professionals shy away from the stuff.
If not done perfectly, epoxy grout stuff will stick on the tiles and is impossible to remove. If you still want to use it, I would get a dedicated Grout Bucket with a dedicated abrasive sponge and a sponge wringer for the grout. They cost about $80 and are available at several tile tool catalog vendors. You will need several sponges. They are great and really get the grout off, while keeping the grout in the joints nice and dry (which is what you want) , and keeping your hands away from the epoxy.
There is a dedicated tile buletin board that may be a great help to you on this project, especially if you are inexperienced, a DIY'er, or just want to talk to tile guys and bounce around ideas. It can be found at http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1
Good Luck!
Boris
"Sir, I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow" -- WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1927