How to Install a PVC Pan Liner With Mortar for a Tile Shower
Tile showers unlike other shower flooring and enclosures, are not waterproof. Proper installation of a PVC shower pan liner under the mortar bed is the critical step in making a successfully waterproof, durable and long-lived tile shower enclosure. With no DIY experience, this may be a tough job to execute successfully, but with some DIY and construction experience, it is possible to get a good result. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Concrete mud mix & water
- PVC shower pan liner
- Notched and smooth finish trowels
- Level
- Hammer
- Nails
- Drain assembly
- Silicone caulking
Instructions
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1
Remove any old materials over the sub flooring, and flatten or remove any protruding nails or screws. Cut a hole for the drain assembly in the center of the shower floor. Stick the base of the drain assembly into the piping connection you or the plumber have created.
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2
Place the PVC pan liner flat and center it in the shower enclosure running up each side equally. Cut in a hole just big enough for the drain assembly opening. Place a few lengths of duct tape over the top of the drain assembly to prevent and mortar or debris from entering. Use your hands and body weight to smooth the liner from the drain center out towards the sides and corners and over the threshold.
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3
Nail the liner to the framing studs with nails placed at least eight inches from the floor and near the top edge of the liner, leaving at least 1/4 inch above the nail. Also, nail down the liner on the outside bottom edge of the threshold.
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4
Run a bead of silicone caulking on the top and bottom of the opening where the liner meets the drain assembly and press into place making sure that the weep holes in the drain assembly do not get not blocked with silicone. After the silicone has cured, inspect the liner for water tightness by plugging the drain pipe with a piece of PVC piping or plastic bags, and pour a few gallons of water on to the shower pan and allow it to sit for three to five hours. Look for any leaks or flow. Drain and dry the liner pan before proceeding with the the mortar base.
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5
Mix and pour mortar onto the shower pan liner to a 2.5 - 3" depth. Use a smooth trowel and concrete float to create a smooth and gentle slope towards the drain assembly. Allow the mortar pan to dry and cure undisturbed for at least 48 hours before proceeding with the tile installation.
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6
Lay tile buttered with mastic according to your tile design layout. Once the tiling is all in, allow the mastic to cure at least 24 hours before proceeding with grouting. Allow the grout to dry and cure for another 24 to 36 hours before walking on it or proceeding with installation of the shower hardware and doors.
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References
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Comments
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caldwelln
Feb 24, 2010
Nice graphic drawings. Too bad, you didn't give directions for doing it like the picture shows. You say nothing about placing the liner on top of a presloped mortar bed. And you also said nothing about protecting the weep holes with pea gravel or other aggregate materials. But the very worst thing you did wrong and if you install tile inside a wet area with MASTIC , you are not a tile man. You are a jack leg !! The drawing says thinset mortar. Thinset is acceptable but not mastic. Even if mastic is allowed to dry/cure for months it will still break down if it comes in contact with moisture. Get with it , Man.
