Shower install, start to finish (almost)

[Snipe Hunter]

I lost some pick when photobucket melted down but maybe these pics wil help illustrate a basic shower install.

Shower is framed and 30lb roofing paper on the floor with hardware cloth stapled down. Under that is AdvanTech OSB. It's a real strong, water resistant sub-flooring. The roofing paper helps keep the sub floor dry from the moisture in the cement and allows a little movement so the concrete doesn't crack. The hardware cloth acts as "re-bar" and holds the cement together when drying. The cement is Sand Topping Mix mixed a little dry so it doesn't flow and can be troweled without movement. 


Installing the "pre slope" cement


Troweling smooth at a slope of 1/4" per foot towards the drain.

[Snipe Hunter]

Completed "Pre-Slope"


Installing the membrane


Membrane installed. Notice I left a gap between the corner studs to tuck away the excess membrane in the corners. This eliminated the need to fold it over on itself leaving high spots in the corners. High spots make tiling very difficult because you have to compensat bu changing the thickness of your thinset and spend a lot of time making it look good. There is blocking between corner studs above the membrane to insure the studs won't move. I used pre made corners on the shower curb and the approved Oatly cement to glue them down. Honestly, if the water ever got that high, I have much bigger problems on my hands.

[EricU]

that looks really nice.  I think that was the most stressful part when I built a shower 20 years ago, because I had no idea what I was doing.

[Snipe Hunter]

that looks really nice.  I think that was the most stressful part when I built a shower 20 years ago, because I had no idea what I was doing.

I've done a few now... still stressful

[Snipe Hunter]

Installing the next layer of topping cement.. sorry about the crappy pic.


Installing the Durock. Pan is done. See the gaps between the panels? You'll note that some of the seams terminate at the same point, they really should be staggered for better strength.


Panels in, mudding (thinset) and taping seams and filling the screw countersinks. Note the 1" gap between the shower pan (floor) and the wall panels.

[Snipe Hunter]

Sealing all the seams and screw holes with 2-3 coats of RedGuard.


RedGuard painted onto the curb, sides where the shower door mounts and onto the floor in front of the shower stall


At this point, I tiled the bathroom floor so my shower tile will come down on top of the floor.

[Snipe Hunter]

With the bathroom floor done, I start tiling the shower. Note I'm starting at the 2nd course from the bottom using wood strips, leveled. I'll install the bottom ones last. This insures level tiles without having to use shims to get the first course perfect on a sloped floor... it's a real pain to do it that way. When the 2nd through top courses are done, I patch the nail holes from the wood strips with thinset and seal with RedGuard. Then I put down the shower floor tiles, Then I install the 1st course of wall tiles cut to fit.



I'm using "lashes" from HD to help keep the tiles on the same plane. I love these things. Using 1/8" tile spacers. I like thin grout lines. The thinset was applied with a 1/2" square notch trowel.



Moving up the wall to the accent stripe. The accent is glass tile. It's thinner tile, installed with a 1/4" trowel and thinset mixed a little dry so it doesn't push up between the little/thin mosaic tiles. I used "pencil pieces" to frame out the mosaic because it looks nice and that way you don't have a thick tile terminating next to a thin tile... that always looks like crap imho.

[Snipe Hunter]

Once the walls were done, I applied RedGuard to the floor and started tiling. I used a 1/4" (maybe 5/16") trowel. Don't really remember. These are 12" x 12" mesh backed 2" tiles. The floor tiles and thinset run under that 1" gap between the floor pan and the Durock walls Again, to help shed water. Used grey thinset because I will use grey grout.



The floor is done. I didn't tile the niches because I'll use scrap at the end of the job. I scrapped more tile than expected so I have to be careful not to run out. More on that later.



A little out of sequence but I've installed the backs of the niches. Not everybody does this and some purists will say not to as "all tile should fall on the tile below it for proper water shedding" and I agree with that but I think this looks nicer and I make doubly sure all me corners are sealed well and sealed with clear silicon caulk after tiling. All my corners that will possibly see water are sealed with clear silicon caulk. I used white thinset behind the wall tile and glass mosaic tile because I will use a very light "champaign" grout. Grout is somewhat translucent so using a similar colored thinset behind it helps maintain the color of the grout.

[Snipe Hunter]

I originally intended to tile the entire front wall of the shower but underestimated my scrap  and was afraid to order more and not have it match so I installed the bottom tiles in the shower and wrapped my walls as far as I could and terminated the tile with anodized aluminum termination strips. All my outside corners are done that way also. I don't really like the look (the wife does) but I also don't like the look of exposed cut tile ends and we're working with a budget, out of pocket so we're cutting corners when it's feasible and if doesn't look to bad. 

Niches are done, front wall is done. Marble curb is mortared in place, now I'll tile the sides of the doorway. The marble top on the curb went down before the tile on the doorway side walls. This way the tiles came down on top of the curb. again, this is to help prevent leaks. Almost ready for grout once I get the sides tile in..



Side tiles in, everything grouted,. Installed everything in the bathroom.

On to the master bedroom.

[joe1086]

Nicely done and well thought out...thanks for sharing. We're in the early stages of redoing our master bath and I plan on doing much of the work too.