I am installing a leakproof shower pan under the guidance of the article by Tom Meehan, using a vinyl pan liner membrane, over a concrete subfloor. The vinyl is imbeded in the concrete mud layers that make up the pan and it overlaps up the walls and over the curb. The walls are then finished with DuRock overlapping the vinyl and then thinset tile. My question is how to finish the curb. I intend to make a concrete curb. Should I attach Durock over the vinyl liner on the curb on all three sides, concrete mud over the vinyl liner on the curb, thinset tile directly over the vinyl liner. I am concerned about puncturing the vinyl with durock screws, and I am concerned about concrete mud adhering to the vinyl, and I am concerned about thinset & tiles adhering to the vinyl. Could I glue or thinset attach the durock to the vinyl covered curb. What is the best method/product.
Thanks, Paul Votour
Replies
Mud
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Just like that pic shows ...
mud.
I go a slightly different route ... and mud up the inside, across the top ... and down the outside.
but ... having that backerboard on that outside face won't hurt anything.
just build like the pic ... and add a temp ledger across the inside ... to make the curb "wall" flush with the shower backer board walls ... and it helps to make the interior ledger flush across the top ... aka, level with that outside strip of backerboard.
then ... just mix the mud and pack it in. trowel across and U got your sides flush and top level ... and level as in ... tipped a hair in towards the shower.
and I also find something to disagree with on pretty much each Meehan article.
but with the metal lath holding the pan liner in place ... and the mud holding the lath in place ... you got a rock solid curb with no fasterners on the inside / top.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
The cbu on the outside is the form for the top of the curb as you can see it sits up about 3/4 to 1 inch.
And yeah, I do a wood form on the inside with two legs that reach to the opposite wall.
Add a little water or better yet milk to the leftover deck mud and pack it in with a pointing trowel.
Can't get any easier than that. [email protected]
Paul,
I would recommend going one more step on your literature collection. I believe Mike Byrnes Setting Tile is probably one of the best tile books you can find. It is worth the $10 or $20 it costs and will answer those fundamental questions and more. He has a detailed discussion about curbs.
While I find Meehan articles adequate, I disagree with much of his approach. I believe Byrne's approach will result in a better shower pan/ shower.
Bruce
Paul,
Reading your post, is the membrane already sandwiched between the mud preslope and the upper layer if tiling mud?
Normally you'll do what Eric did. Pack deck mud for the preslope, and modified mud or some other material for the curb. Then lay the membrane over the preslope and over the curb.
Don't fasten strips of cement board to the curb, the fasteners will ruin the integrity of the memmbrane.
Bend a piece of diamond mesh and set that over the curb, just like in Eric's photo. The mesh will give the veneer of mud that goes over the membrane a bit of strength and integrity, and once cured, you can tile over that.
Mongo
Check out thread 97818.2