Kohler Archer Shower Base Install

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Trunk_Monk

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Hello,
I am installing a 42 x 42 in Kohler Archer acrylic shower base and am up to the step that requires floor-leveling compound under the base (step 6 in the attached instructions.) My question is: If I attempt to put down 2 inch mounds of floor-leveling compound will the compound not spread itself out flat before I ever put the base in place due to its liquid consistency? The bottom of the base has 5 wooden supports that are supposed to sit in the leveling compound. Any help would be appreciated before I go and make a mess of this and have compound fall through the cutout for the drain. Thanks in advance.

-Fred
 

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Jadnashua

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It all depends on what you use there...but, you're right, if the stuff you choose is too liquid, it won't do what you want or need done!

Some use a drypack mud (mostly sand with enough cement to hold it together - think wet beach sand that is packable), some use Structolite or other similar products. My preference is to use more mounds of the stuff than just underneath the feet so more of the bottom is supported, which ends up with a much more solid feeling base.

It depends somewhat on how far off from level the floor is, and how well the pan sits when it is actually on a level spot (some of them aren't all that well made and have a warp or twist to them). It usually also helps to put a layer of plastic on the floor to prevent the moisture from the leveling material you use from being drawn out and causing a weaker cure (stuff with actual cement in it requires the moisture to cure with any strength as well as to make it moldable prior).
 

Trunk_Monk

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It all depends on what you use there...but, you're right, if the stuff you choose is too liquid, it won't do what you want or need done!

Some use a drypack mud (mostly sand with enough cement to hold it together - think wet beach sand that is packable), some use Structolite or other similar products. My preference is to use more mounds of the stuff than just underneath the feet so more of the bottom is supported, which ends up with a much more solid feeling base.

It depends somewhat on how far off from level the floor is, and how well the pan sits when it is actually on a level spot (some of them aren't all that well made and have a warp or twist to them). It usually also helps to put a layer of plastic on the floor to prevent the moisture from the leveling material you use from being drawn out and causing a weaker cure (stuff with actual cement in it requires the moisture to cure with any strength as well as to make it moldable prior).

I appreciate the reply. I was already leaning towards using something else besides the self-leveling stuff but I wanted to see what other people thought about it. The floor is level but the base itself is strange in that the threshold side is slightly longer than any other side (making more mounds underneath a necessity). Thanks again for the reply!
 
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