Shower drain modification

[raanders]

I'm remodeling a downstairs 1-3/4 bath in a mid-1970's house. Working on the shower replacement, which was a 30" fiberglass stall, and the plan is for a corner shower with curtain.

The only options I've found so far for something that small is to mortar a base or use a Quick Slope http://http://showerbase2.com/Qwick_Slope.html. I'm thinking I'd do better using the Quick Slope but have the problem that their instructions show it sitting on an already plumbed in drain in a sub-floor.

Here is what I have.



Reading here and at the John Bridge site I'm still confused as to what I should do to connect a shower drain to the 2" pipe and make it solid and at the correct level.

Any suggestions or places to read? I'd love to hire a plumber but money is short right now. And the rest of the remodel has been fun so far.

TIA,
Rod

 

[Jadnashua]

The height very much depends on how you build the shower pan. Over a concrete slab, the clamping ring of the conventional drain can be just slightly above the level of the existing floor. Thicker is okay. Over a wooden subfloor, you'd want it thicker, but with support from the slab, you don't need to worry about movement. You can pack around the bottom of the drain after you cement it in place with the same deck mud as you build the rest of the shower pan with.

Over a slab, the preslope can taper from nearly nothing at the drain to whatever it takes to get 1/4" per foot at the walls. It's probably easier to make the thickness at the drain greater than that...it has no strength when it gets that thin to hold it together, but in compression.

Prior to installing the deck mud, you need to mix up a slurry of of portland cement or thinset then cover it quickly with the deckmud to bond it to the floor. Over wood, you'd do it differently - slip sheet, lath and no need to bond it to a moving floor! It has to be thicker to hold together over wood, though.

There's a great article in the 'Liberry' on shower construction at www.johnbridge.com. Plus, you might want to pick up John's book, either directly from him (autographed). It will answer most of these questions, and is a cheap guide.

If I was going to do this...I'd use Kerdi from www.schluter.com. I think it's easier - one level of deck mud, not two, and no fighting with the liner corners to get everything to lay flat and sealed. Plus, having the waterproofing layer on top of the porous materials means the whole thing dries out quicker, which makes it easier to keep looking nice. If you decide to use Kerdi, get John's e-book...it'll be the best $10 you spend.

 

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[hj]

shower

What is your definition of a "corner stall"? If you mean a 5 sided Neo-angle stall, 30" is much too small for one.

 

[raanders]

Thanks jadnashua.

I'm now leaning towards building my own pan and curb. (The Quick Slope would cost $360 and I'd still have to build the curb.)

Several of the articles and postings I've read indicated a DIY pan by an amateur was a path to disaster. Since I'm doing it on a cement floor leaks during testing are not as big of an issue.

And I finally figured out how the drain should be installed so I've feeling much more confident about doing it.


Rod
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[raanders]

What is your definition of a "corner stall"? If you mean a 5 sided Neo-angle stall, 30" is much too small for one.

Quite literally a corner. It will be two tiled walls and a curtain on a 'L' rod.

There is only 31-1/2" from the wall stud to the door jamb on one side. I never measured it but the inside of the old fiberglass shower stall must have been around 28".


Rod
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[Jadnashua]

Leaks are a problem, regardless of where they occur. Kerdi is your friend in this kind of a situation...it makes the whole shower waterproof. You won't need all that much if you're only doing two walls and the pan. Check out www.johnbridge.com.