I’m constructing a custom shower in my basement over a concrete floor. I have applied Versabond mortar in the shower bed (approx 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick) sloped to the drain assembly at 1/4 per foot. I have applied a Chloraloy liner with flaps up each side for approx 6 inches.
I have been reading in this forum that the usual process (with minor variations) for shower beds is: mortar, mud, liner, mud, then mortar and tiles.
A few questions…
1) have I made a major goof by not applying a mud layer over the mortar bed that rests on the concrete floor, but under the liner??
2)if not, should my next step be a layer of mud over the liner or can I continue with an inch or so of mortar, then my tiles?
All advice gratefully received. Thanks
Replies
i know you dont want to hear this but if it were me, i would start over with one of these.
http://www.schluter.com/8_4_kerdi_shower_kit.aspx
fool proof and water proof and only a few hours in one day to install.
Tmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.
I'm in a similar situation but I'm in the planning stages. I've got to do a ground floor shower and because of drainage the shower needs to be raised ~6".
Should I just pour a level concrete pad and then use the kerdi shower system?
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
Thanks for your help, folks, and the Kerdi website address. Looks like I need to put some more thought into this. Appreciate the comments.Edited 2/28/2008 12:40 pm ET by RNGUY
Edited 2/28/2008 12:40 pm ET by RNGUY
You're saying that you used Versabond to do your preslope? That must have been a real drag. Thinset is the wrong material for this, or at least it's much harder to use than drypack mortar, which is what you should have used.
It's sounds like you're winging it here, not using a standard reference like Michael Byrne's book. I suggest you stop the project and get completely familiar with the details before doing anything else. At the very least search this forum and at johnbridge.com so the whole shower thing doesn't have to get rehashed again.
I am sorry to tell you this but. Either stop what you are doing and research before you go any further. Or hire somebody that knows what they are doing.
as had been mentioned ... drypack mortar is the mudbed material of choice.
not thinset.
and ... on concrete or ply ... I first lay down some felt or plastic.
I've sure my mudbed isn't gonna move and crack the tiles ...
I can't be as sure about the concrete floor.
so I go the uncoupled route.
I can't honestly say one was or the other if having the thinset firmly set to the concrete floor would be a problem or not. Might be ... so I've neve chanced it.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Ditto what tmaxx said.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
a shower bed, now that's an idea! :)
That's what I was thinking. Would you turn the water on to wake yourself up in the morning?
Daniel Neumansky
Restoring our second Victorian home this time in Alamdea CA. Check out the blog http://www.chezneumansky.blogspot.com/
Oakland CA
Crazy Homeowner-Victorian Restorer
what I was thinking. Would you turn the water on
Ditto, except a waterbed came to mind first, gooseneck off the headboard and a collection drain on a BFP . . . cut down on tossing & turning probably.Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Yeah, versabond wasn;t the best thing to use for your preslope, dry pack deck mud would have been easier.
I would have included a slip sheet (poly) between the cement floor and your preslope as Jeff mentioned.
I would have run the chloraloy higher up the walls, about 10" instead of the 6" you mentioned.
So now you have a mortar preslope covered with chloraloy? That is essentially the right start.
The next step would be a mortar bed on top of the chloraloy, then you can tile on top of that. that can be done in deck mud as well, deck mud is a roughly 4:1 to 5:1 mix of sharp sand to portland cement. Dry mix well, then add just enough water so it looks like damp sand. Squeeze a clump in your fist and it sticks together, bravo. If water drips out when you squeeze, it's too wet.
You place it and "pack" it into place, I use a wood trowel and/or a piece of 2x4 or 2x6 and whack that with a mallet to pack it down.
Ever such fun.
Do you have 2-by blocking between the studs at the floor level? That'll contain the deck mud and prevent it from blowing out into the stud cavities, it'll also give you something solid to tack the chloraloy to.
Mongo
Mongo......Yes.....such fun. The Versabond manufacturers instructions indicated that it should be laid directly on the concrete floor (which had to be free of adhesives, oily substances and so on). I do have 2 by blocking between the studs at the floor level.Thanks for the advice/formula for mud pack. Will give that a try. Cheers.