Shower Pan: Panel Installation

The beautiful quaint house at the end of the lane had stood there for about 50 years and it was the only possession that Linda had. Recently she had been having sleepless nights because of the leaking taps. To add to the trouble, one fine morning, she went to have a shower and realized that water was seeping in through the tiles, concerned she called up her friend who had faced a similar problem, making up her mind to have a shower panel installed when the work was being done.

Basically a shower pan is a waterproof pan that is placed beneath the concrete base of floor tiles of a shower. This pan helps to prevent leaking.

There are various tools and supplies that are required for the shower pan installation, here is the list:

• Some plumber putty
• A 5-gallon empty bucket
• A tool for mixing thin-set mortar
• A ¼ inch – ½ inch grooved trowel
• Shims
• Some water
• Level
• Thin-set mortar

Steps to prepare the installation site:

• First open the shower pan and inspect the product for any kind of damage.
• Move the shower pan to the installation site if there is no sign of damage.
• Once that is done, clean and scrape the floor of the shower pan alcove, ensuring that the space is free of any debris. This is done in order to get a proper adhesion with the thin-set mortar.
• To ensure that the pan and the panels fit properly, measure the size of the alcove.
• Now trial fit the pan in the alcove and make sure that the location of the drain lines up properly with the shower pan. To do this, use the level on the pan to check if the pan is level on the floor. Use shims, to level the pan in the alcove and remember to note the shim locations before removing the pan.
• After that is done, lift the pan in the alcove and lean it on the back wall, taking care to remove any shims that were used. Doing this will ease the installation process and enable you to apply the thin-set without having to remove the pan from the alcove.

Steps to install the shower pan:

• The first step is to install the drain into the shower pan.
• Then apply the plumber’s putty around the brass drain flange and insert the brass drain into the pan, install the rubber washer into the paper gasket from the back and finally secure the drain with the brass flange nut.
• Now use the grooved trowel to mix and apply the thin-set mortar to the floor and spread the mixture to achieve a depth that is necessary to fill the voids in the floor and enable the pan to sit level.
• Once that is done, replace the shims in the proper location and set the pan into place. Do make sure that the pan is resting level on the shims and the thin-set.
• Now check each side of the pan that will have a panel attached to it and ensure that there is a 3/16-inch clearance between the extreme outside edge of the pan and wall studs.
• Then clean the area and allow the thin-set and shower pan to dry for 24 hours before working in that area. Use cardboard sheeting or a similar material to protect the pan floor after the installation.

The tools and materials required for the panel installation are:

• Silicone
• A roller
• Some closed-foam double-lined tape
• An aluminum u-channel
• Some screen spline

Steps to install the shower panel:

• First apply a strip of closed-foam, double-sided tape to the bottom of an aluminum u-channel.
• Now press the channel into place on the tile surface after removing the cover strip.
• Then run a bead of silicone to the inside of the channels and press them onto the edges.
• That complete, carry the window into position after removing the cover strips.
• Now with the window in place, press the channels firmly against the tiles.
• To finish, run a strip of screen spline in the channel and onto the dry side of the window, thus securing it in place.