How to Use a Prefabbed Shower Pan With Tile

Using a prefabbed shower pan can save a lot of hassle when you are building a shower. Forget about pre-sloping and then resloping the floor of the shower with concrete and spending time working with a rubber shower floor liner to prevent water leaks. Once these pans are installed, overlappng the tile system past the top of the shower pan allows water to run down the face of the tile, or even the face of the tile backer board, and drain into the bottom of the pan and not behind the pan.

Things You'll Need

• Shower pan
• Drain ring
• Plumber's putty
• Needle-nose pliers
• Drain cap
• Plastic
• Backer board
• Utility knife

Instructions

1. Place the prefabbed shower pan on the shower floor. Line up the drain hole in the bottom of the pan with the drain in the shower floor.

2. Fasten the pan to the studs in the shower wall, using screws. If the pan doesn't fit snugly against a stud, place a wooden shim between the pan and the stud and then insert the screw.

3. Form a circle of plumber's putty along the perimeter edge of the drain hole in the bottom of the pan. Take a lump of putty in your hand and roll it back and forth until it takes on a rope-like shape. It should be around 1/2 inch in diameter.

4. Place the shower drain ring in the hole and screw it in place. Use a pair of needle-nose pliers or a specialized plumber's drain wrench to screw it in place by inserting the tool in the middle of the drain ring and grasping one of the crossbars before twisting until it is tight.

5. Wipe away any excess plumber's putty that squeezes out from under the drain ring with a clean rag. This is a normal part of the process since standard practice is to apply too much putty so that it can compress down and completely fill the gap between the underside of the ring and the tub. The plumber's putty forms a watertight seal between the ring and the tub and prevents water from leaking out between the two and rotting the subfloor.

6. Snap the drain cover in place on the drain ring and fasten it with the provided screws. This is the decorative metal drain strainer that prevents you from stepping into the drain hole as well as stopping large items from falling in.

7. Cover the bottom of the shower pan with plastic and place a piece of hardboard or plywood on top of that to prevent gouging and scratching.

8. Apply a waterproof liner, such as plastic, to the studs. Let the plastic extend down past the flange on the shower pan.

9. Screw the backer board to the studs. The bottom edge of the backer board should extend down past the flange on the pan until it almost touches the pan. Trim any plastic that hangs past the backer board with a knife.

10. Coat the backer board with a waterproofer and install the tile and grout.

Tips & Warnings

• Start with a shower area stripped to the studs.