How to Build Tile Shower
A tile shower is a nice addition to a home because it is designed to last. However, it takes extra work to build in. If you have an existing shower, take out the entire shower base and strip the alcove down to the walls. The tile shower is built right on the bare floorboards and framing boards. It requires several days worth of work and the ability to work with mortar compound. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Reciprocal saw
- Crowbar
- Tape measure
- Pencil
- Chalk line or drywall ruler
- Sub floor mortar compound
- Tub
- Water
- Trowel
- Carpenter level
- Shower liner
- Nails, 1 inch
- Hammer
- Razor
- Drain head
- Water proof drywall
- Cement board
- Cement board saw
- Drywall nails
- Power screwdriver
- Grout
- Tile
- Spacers
- Tile saw
Instructions
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1
Rip out the existing shower walls and shower pan with a reciprocal saw and crowbar. Remove all debris and clean the area with a broom.
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2
Mark a 1 inch high border along the edge of the framing boards by measuring up 1 inch from the floor, marking it with a pencil and snapping a chalk line along the boards. Or, draw in the line with a drywall ruler.
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3
Mix the sub floor mortar compound in a tub with water as directed by the instructions. Each compound is different, but usually the compound is mixed to a wet sand texture with trowel before use. Spread the compound around the base of the showering area up to the line drawn in previous step. Carefully sculpt the compound with a trowel around the drain to have a slight slope towards the drain. Check the slope of the new shower bed with the carpenter's level. The bead should appear a quarter of the way off the level mark.
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4
Spread the shower liner over the shower bed, fold and tack the liner to the framing boards with 1-inch nails and a hammer. Cut the liner around the drain pipe with a razor. Attach the shower drain to the drain pipe by placing it over the liner and tightening the connector heads with a screwdriver. Rotate it to lock the drain head in place.
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5
Cut waterproof drywall or cement board to fit on the framing walls with a cement board saw. Mount it to the framing walls with drywall screws after the mortar bed is dry. This takes 12 to 24 hours.
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6
Apply the final mortar bed over the liner by mixing up mortar compound and spreading it over the liner in the same way you did previously. Let the mortar bed dry for 24 hours.
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7
Apply tile grout to the surface of the mortar bed with a trowel and lay your tiles, placing spacers in between as needed. Continue to lay tile over the mortar bed floor, and up along the walls to complete the tile shower. Cut the tiles with a tile saw to fit around the drain and sides of the walls.
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References
Resources
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