Custom Shower Pans

Custom shower pans are considered to be a substitute for bathtubs and are easy to install. There are different types of shower pans available in the market. Plastic, mortar and fiberglass are the materials usually used to build shower pans.

Most of the pans in the market are available in standard sizes. However, shower pans that are easy and quick to install, are also available. They form an important component of shower enclosures. The plastic shower pans are leak-proof and solve many problems including the issue of liners. The ones made of fiberglass are expensive. Mortar shower plans are also a great option. Vinyl waterproof membrane is used along with these shower pans.

Custom-made Shower Pans
The materials needed for building a custom shower pan are plywood, staple gun, roofing felt, latex additive mortar mix, shower pan liner, wheel barrel shovel, deck mud trowel and a utility knife.

To build a shower pan, a plywood having a thickness of 3/4 inch should be placed over joists that are 2 by 10 inches in size. It creates the floor of the shower pan. A hole in the center of the plywood serves the purpose of drainage. A slip sheet that covers the entire area of the plywood should be laid down over the given floor space. Roofing felt or garbage bags can also be used for the same. A wire mesh that fits the floor area should be laid and then the whole thing should be fixed to the plywood with the help of a staple gun.

The next step in the process is to put the bottom flange of the drainage assembly together. A mixture of mortar and latex additive should be prepared in a wheelbarrow. The purpose behind using latex additive instead of water is to give the mixture a greater compression strength. The mortar mixture prepared using the above procedure is needed for filling the shower bed. The bed should be filled in such a way that there is a slope towards the center that facilitates the drainage. After packing the mortar tightly, it should be allowed to cure for at least 24 hours.

After curing the mortar, a shower pan liner should be placed over it. Even if the liner is bigger in size than the floor area, it should be allowed to drape up on to the sidewalls. The excess liner should be folded at every corner and then stapled through a near most stud. The liner should then be folded over the shower cub and stapled from the outside. A hole should be cut with a knife at the center of the liner.

Preparing deck mud is the next step in the process of building custom shower pans. It is prepared by mixing one part each of water and cement to five parts of sand. The shower pan should be filled with the mixture and a slope towards the center for drainage needs to be maintained. Care should be taken to leave a gap of 1 and 1/4 inches around the drain. The mud should be packed properly with the help of a trowel. The level of peripheral areas or the perimeter of the shower pan needs to be even. The deck mud layer being the topmost layers of the shower pan, should be finished properly.

With the completion of above steps, the process of custom shower pan concludes. The above article provides the necessary tips for shower pan installation.