How to Build a Shower Pan

Building a shower pan is an easy process and the result can be good if done properly and carefully. If built well, it won't leak and will last for a long period of time else, it may lead to disasters like wandering water. With a few precautions you can install a shower pan properly. The steps below will resolve your query on how to make a shower pan.

Building a Shower Pan

Materials Required

Materials required for building a shower pan are: drain base, plumbing tools, mortar mix, concrete finishing trowel, backer board, waterproof membrane, chicken wire or wire lath, caulking, caulking gun and roofing felt.

Procedure for Building a Shower Pan

Use a waterproof membrane and mortar bed for making a multi-layer solid shower pan. The drain is a place from where the water goes out of the shower. Clogging of the drain will fill the shower and thus the water will run onto the floor. A clamping ring is used where its lower part provides a backup drainage and the upper part works as ordinary drain. Place the supporting flange on the plywood subfloor.

With thin, latex-modified mortar bed create a sloping floor. The minimum advised slope for the subfloor is 1/4 inch. Secure the perimeter of the shower floor with float strips of size 3/4 * 3/4 inch. These strips act as a guide while installing the motor bed. Adjust the clamp ring drain at the subfloor and nail 3/4 inch float strips around the boundary of the shower floor. Nail the float strips and cover the plywood subfloor with a layer of roofing felt of thickness 15 lb. Place a layer of galvanized-expanded wire lath above it. They are held together with flat staples. Dig the latex-modified mortar. For shaping the slope, ride over the float strips and the drain flange with a wood float and pack the motor with a float. Before you install the shower pan membrane, keep the sloped mortar in the same condition overnight so that it hardens. The cross section of the deck mud is thin hence, use a strength-enhancing-latex additive instead of water when mixing the mortar.

Chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) is used for installing the shower pan liners. Install blocking around the perimeter of pan area between the studs. The blocking should extend at least up to one inch above the upturned sides of the pan. Ensure that all the fasteners are flushed and countersunk.

Construct the sides according to the local codes. They can be either 8 or 9 inches. Unwind the membrane, cut it, bend the corners, fold up the membrane and lay it on the shower floor for trial. Unscrew the membrane if it fits well, and place a bead of rubber sealant close to lower drainage flange. Place the membrane on the shower floor, fold and crease it. Secure it to the wall-blocking and place all staples an inch above the top edge. Place the sealants between different levels of corner folds so that the material is held tight against the wall-blocking.

Install pre-fabricated dam corners at the point where shower curb adjoins the upturned membrane. Enforce the pan membrane with two beads of sealant of size 1/8 inch. Place these beads at a distance of 1/2 inch. With the help of a trowel, bed the dam corners into the sealant. The fasteners should be placed at the top inch of the upturned edges. If the bolt heads are extending out of the drain, then cut them and cover them with a membrane. Make the bolts tight and cut a hole for the opening of the pan to the drain.

Now, you can test the shower pan. With an expansion-type stopper, plug the drain and fill the pan with water till it reaches the top of the curb. Drain the water and install the mortar floor. Draw the drain screen into the body of the clamping ring drain, adjusting it with the height of the floor. You can avoid the deck mud from plugging the weep holes by placing a free draining material like pea gravels around the base of the drain. Allow one half of the deck mud to float out and then place a reinforcing wire which should be covered with the remaining mud. Float the bed to the final slope. After finishing the mortar bed, the floor tile should be 1/6 or 1/8 inch above the top of the drain. It should be 1/8 to 1/4 inch below the bottom edge of the wall tile. Pass the top front edge of the wood float so that the bottom edge which is installed will ride along with it.

Learning how to build a shower pan can help you in shower pan construction. You can build one for yourself according to your taste and requirement. It will not only help you in building it strong and firm but will also prevent unnecessary expenditures. You can give your shower enclosure a personalized look while maintaining the safety and comfort.