Dry packing shower pan

The shower pan is the all-important foundation of a stand-up shower. Water is a merciless foe, so cutting corners here can lead to rapid and expensive failure of the entire shower. In this project guide, get the key practices for building a mortar shower pan after the framework of the shower is in dry packing shower pan.

Advice and installation help at the John Bridge Tile Forums. I have therefore taken a few pictures of the mud I make, and I will explain the process once again. Maybe these pictures will be a little clearer than those previously published. Deck mud is made with clean sand, portland cement and water. The basic recipe is 5 parts sand to 1 part portland cement — Too much cement and the mortar tends to clump as you mix it.

Dry packing shower pan

Read This]. View First Unread. I am remodeling a bathroom and building a new 4'x8' shower. Existing floor is concrete slab. I followed all the instructions on this website to make dry pack mortar and installed the pre slope yesterday. I mixed 60 lb bags of Sand Topping Mix and added 25 lbs of play sand to get a sand to cement mixture of close to I dry mixed this thoroughly, then added water slowly to get the consistency described in the dry pack article. I added 6 cups of water, and I got the mixture to pack and hold its shape perfectly, just like the pictures on this web site. My hand was clean, and the mixture crumbled easily, again just like the pictures. I dry missed the mixture, and mixed it with water, in a large flat-bottom wooden trough, using a mortar hoe, so I know I got it thoroughly mixed.

Cut a sheet of building paper or roofing felt to fit the bottom of the shower base to act as a cleavage membrane, dry packing shower pan. Have fun with it. Mark this point and extend it around the entire perimeter of the shower.

Building your own shower floor from scratch requires shower deck mud, also referred to as dry pack mortar. Deck mud is made from portland cement, sand, and water. The mixture should be approximately 1 part cement to 5 parts sand but anywhere for 4 to 6 parts sand to 1 part cement is acceptable. Be very careful with how much water you add to the deck mud as you mix it up. It's referred to as dry-pack mortar for a reason. Do not add water like you are mixing concrete. If the mud is too wet it will be harder to work with and level in your shower.

It also explains how to properly install a traditional shower floor base. Read on for info about how to properly slope a shower floor pan. I use Kerdi fabric to waterproof my own custom shower installs, which puts the waterproofing layer right below the shower floor tile. However, other shower installation contractors still use old-school PVC vinyl and fiberglass waterproofing for renovations and new home builds. While this is a lower-tech way of waterproofing a shower, it can still work okay for a couple decades when done correctly. The most important part of any shower base is the waterproofing. This is why I use [opens in new tab] Schulter Kerdi waterproofing fabric to put a waterproofing layer directly beneath the tile.

Dry packing shower pan

Update: Several readers have noted that the membrane installation method described in this article which is a flat membrane installation is no longer recommended as an optimal installation method because water that penetrates through the top layer of tile or grout may rest on the membrane. A pre-slope fill mortar bed installed under the membrane, coupled with the proper method for ensuring the mortar does not block off weep holes to the drain, can better protect the installation from standing water than may not evaporate back through the surface tile and grout. This updated method can be seen in this article at The Family Handyman. Note that the below method may still meet code in some areas, so if you are dealing with a professional installer, you may want to discuss their methodology. Next time we have a chance to follow a professional on a shower pan install, we will update this article to include the revised method. In preparation for moving, Mr. Homeowner have tasked Joe with remodeling three full bathrooms, and he has brought in Jim and Rich from Diamond Tile to pour the shower pans and lay the tile. Before Jim and Rich got started, Joe and the plumber have made some important preparations.

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Add more material where necessary and continue packing down. At that point, it was lower than the top of the sticks, so I filled in more material and packed and screeded again. Skip to content. Deck Mud 1. If this is the case, will I be able to mix more wet material and fill in the holes, or do I have to tear out the whole floor and redo it? Fold cut edges into drain base and install clamping ring and collar bolts. Advice and installation help at the John Bridge Tile Forums. This often-overlooked step establishes a drainage path for water if the top layers of the shower pan are compromised. Mark this point and extend it around the entire perimeter of the shower. Curious - why do you recommend doing away with the sloped sticks? For the final mud deck I will be adding sand to the mix and using less water.

Follow our step-by-step instructions to custom-fit a shower enclosure with a mortared shower pan. A mortared shower pan allows you to custom-fit a shower enclosure.

Project Tip: Use the Sakrete App to quickly measure, estimate and buy straight from your phone. I fear the whole floor has to be torn out and redone, but I followed the instructions exactly and it appeared that everything worked perfectly. In making deck mud you want to use only enough water to cause the cement coated sand particles to cling together when compressed in your hand. When you pack the deck mud in your shower floor you will be able to rake it into the shape you want by using short pieces of wood as straightedges. Sand Topping Mix. In this picture I have crushed the clump with my thumb. There are pre-mixed mortar products that contain only sand and portland, and these can be used to make deck mud. This ensures that each particle of sand becomes coated with cement. In making deck mud you want to use only enough water to cause the cement coated sand particles to cling together when compressed in your hand. The first layer of the shower pan is underneath the waterproofing membrane. To recap, deck mud is the mortar to use when building shower floors. The mix will merely be damp — just enough water to activate the cement and cause the hydration process to begin. Project Tip: Use the Sakrete App to quickly measure, estimate and buy straight from your phone. Make sure to tape off the drain opening to keep it clean. For many DIY'ers, I don't think the mudwork part of our trade comes easily.