sterling shower kit cl2900-a problems

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NAclean99

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first of all the contractor put pan on subfloor bare and there is a little movement is that ok?? second of all one of the 2 fixed doors doesn't apeear to be seated in the lower rail all the way so water leaks between the door and rail?? what can be done to fix, third because of the design where the two moving doors meet when I shower water bounces off the metal and some gets on the floor. not happy need advice???:mad:
 

WestcoastPlumber

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The pan sounds liek it isn't level at all, which is causing the door and the frame to be off.

I would put a level on the dam of the pan, which is the high part, that the door and walls connect too. It should be perfectly level.

I hate fiberglass pans, I have recieved a number of calls to replace the shower drain cause when the pan flexes it cause the mounting nut on the drain flange to loosen up and htis causes the putty to squeeze out and cause leaks.

If you have tiled, it is too late to try to level the pan, if you have bare floor or vinyl, you may be able to slide shims in there to level the pan and then replace the caulk strip. slim chance, just depends on how far off level it is.

I always recommend my customers spend a bit more and do a hot mop.
 

Construct30

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Do you still use hot mop tar for showers? Good system, but we don't see that much any more. I've never seen it done. We always used the membrane, mud bed and tile durarock up the wall. I would like to see the hot mop tar done. You should make a video.

I use the fiberglass showers and pans a lot, never had trouble since they added the plywood on the bottom. We shim the feet and around the drain. I never use putty on a fiberglass shower any more, too much failure rate. 100% silicone is the way to go on them. I use the silicone on all my drains.

Don't get me wrong if you have the money, the hot mop tar and mud bed would be the best if you can get the right person on the job.
 

WestcoastPlumber

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Do you still use hot mop tar for showers? Good system, but we don't see that much any more. I've never seen it done. We always used the membrane, mud bed and tile durarock up the wall. I would like to see the hot mop tar done. You should make a video.

I use the fiberglass showers and pans a lot, never had trouble since they added the plywood on the bottom. We shim the feet and around the drain. I never use putty on a fiberglass shower any more, too much failure rate. 100% silicone is the way to go on them. I use the silicone on all my drains.

Don't get me wrong if you have the money, the hot mop tar and mud bed would be the best if you can get the right person on the job.

I have a remodel right now where they will hot mop the shower, I will take pics when it's done, or video if I can be there when it is being completed.

I thought of the silicone, the only problem is I have pulled out a couple that were siliconed and the pan flexed and over time broke the silicone.

I only silicone my faucet bases, where there isn't any movement or flex.

I have seen that Oatey membrane leak but was speaking with a contractor who is using the orange cloth type membrane and the mortar, no problems.

The hot mop is still a big thing around here and it is a tried and true method.
 

Jimbo

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Doesn't hot mop require 3 layers of felt, mopped in between layers? I have torn some out where they cheated and used one layer. Didn't hold up. Seems like a complete pain, given the more modern materials available today.
 

Construct30

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I think the hot mop is a bit more forgiving when the tile guys use sharp tools around it putting down the mud bed. I like the membrane, especially with the new drains they have designed around them, but any showers I have done that way, with the membrane, I did the mud bed and laid the tile, "trust no one".

The new fiberglass showers are so nice, when installed properly, and they are inexpensive that's what most people go for. Keeping grout joints nice looking gets old after a while. You can refinish a fiberglass tub or shower for next to nothing compared to redoing tile and have it looking as good as new or better.

There is always swanstone too. They have some nice bases and walls, but I only ever used the base with tile.

I would love to see those pics of the hot mop.
 

Construct30

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By the way, to the original poster since we hijacked this thread, I agree with what westcoastplumber said about your situation, except the shower if installed correctly can work properly.

It is a very tough install, but they will work. Those showers are too small and have too much glass and require very careful installation to work properly. There is very little room for error.

If that brand has plywood formed into the fiberglass in the base, the feet need to be shimmed and around the drain needs supported. You can sometimes use shims or blobs of latex modified concrete. If they used the latex modified concrete and got the shower too low raised it to level and fastened it... WRONG. You have to pick it back up and reset it. The shower has to be in contact with the shims. A very little flex is OK, very much is bad. If it had no plywood then it should have been set in a bed of latex modified concrete.

To install the glass enclosure properly the shower has to be level at the base and plumb at the walls, whatever it takes.
 
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Smellslike$tome

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Doesn't anyone out there on the left coast use vinyl shower liners. Much easier to install I would think but since I have never installed nor demoed nor heard of "hot mop" before, I can't really say. If I get the jist of this though it sounds as if you heat tar to liquid state and use a mop to paint the subfloor, threshold, etc.? Is this correct? What do you do 20 years later when it's time to remodel and all the demo debris is embedded in the tar? You couldn't use a vinyl liner then if you wanted to unless you were absolutely certain that their was nothing in the tar to cut the liner. So I guess you would be forced to "hot mop" it again or resort to a fiberglass pan which I don't really like either.
 

Jimbo

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A hot mop job is where layers ( 3 layers, I think ) of felt roofing paper are mopped with the boiling hot asphalt, then another layer of felt, more tar, then the third layer of paper and more tar. You have to work the drain fitting into this picture. The first layer of paper needs to be on a pre-sloped subfloor.
 

Jadnashua

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Tough to keep the weep holes clear, but it appears to be a common method in both CA and some in TX (probably others). Normally, if you're tearing up a shower to remodel, it's usually better to really tear it out, so it doesn't matter. Personally, I prefer a surface membrane...why let all of the cbu and mudbed get wet in the first place even if the liner does direct any to the drain? Never let it get there in the first place!
 

Construct30

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What is a surface membrane? All the membranes I ever used were a lot like the hot mop concept, you put down the mudbed to get slope, put in the membrane and drain, more mudbed and wire, then the tile. A surface membrane sounds good. Do you just use thinset and glue the tiles on top of it or do they use some kind of mastic or epoxy? I've never heard of a surface membrane or do I have the wrong idea. You said something about keeping the water out of the mud bed so I assume the membrane is right under the tile?
 

Jadnashua

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I've installed one Kerdi shower, and been to a factory sponsered school. They are a very good company, and stand behind their products if you follow the instructions. the neatest thing is it is perfectly okay to build the walls out of drywall (regular stuff), including the curb over wood or a bench, and then install the surface membrane. Essentially nothing to get wet and have to dry out. For completeness, they also have expansion joints you can use in the corners and floor joint so you don't use ANY caulk, anywhere.
 
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