How to Pour a Mud Set Shower Floor
Nothing beats the versatility and look of a ceramic tile shower enclosure. Classy, durable and offering a chance to show your personalized taste, a ceramic tile shower is something that never goes out of style. The first step is to pour and set a mud floor, called a shower pan, capable of providing a base for your ceramic tiles. You can do it yourself over a few days' time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 2-by-4 boards
- 8d nails
- Hammer
- Staples
- Staple gun
- Roofing felt
- Construction adhesive
- Utility knife
- Galvanized lath
- Tape measure
- Mortar
- Trowel
- Waterproofing membrane
- Silicone sealant
Instructions
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1
Begin installation according to your current shower enclosure. If the 2-by-4 stud walls are bare, cut sections of 2-by-4 boards to fit as blocks between each stud. Nail into place 8 inches above the shower floor, toenailing as necessary -- driving the nails in at an angle to secure. This blocking provides a surface to secure the waterproofing membrane to. If you are working with an already finished wall, skip this step.
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2
Cut a piece of roofing felt large enough to completely cover the wood or concrete floor you are building your shower floor on. Staple the roofing felt, which is called a slip sheet in this application, to the floor if it is wood; use construction adhesive to glue to concrete floors. This layer prevents movement between flooring materials and prevents moisture from leaching out of the mud into the sub-floor.
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3
Make a hole in the slip sheet directly over the top the drain. Attach the bottom flange of your drain assembly.
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4
Spread a layer of galvanized lath across the shower floor, above the slip sheet. Cut a hole to accommodate the attached drain piece. This layer will provide the mud at the bottom of the shower pan -- something to grip to.
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5
Measure up each wall, in the outside corners of the shower enclosure, and mark to indicate 1 inch. Move in from the outer limits of the shower about 1 foot and mark the wall to show a 1/4 inch less, about 3/4 of an inch. Continue until you reach the center, taking 1/4 inch away at each mark. When followed, these marks will create a slope for your shower floor, allowing the water to run off.
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6
Pour a layer of mortar across the floor. Pull mud away from the drain and to the walls to correspond to the slope lines on the wall. Smooth with a trowel and allow the mud to dry for 24 hours before proceeding.
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7
Lay a waterproofing membrane across the cured mud. Make sure there is enough membrane to extend up the walls at least 6 to 8 inches. Smooth out any wrinkles, tuck excess into gaps to eliminate, and staple to the wall to secure.
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8
Cut the membrane to allow an opening for the drain. Lift the edges of the membrane and spread silicone sealant, then press back into place.
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9
Place another layer of metal lath across the membrane to provide structural support to the final layer of mud. Pour a final layer of mortar, 2 to 3 inches thick, across the lath. Follow your originally created slope while smoothing with a trowel. Allow the mud to dry 24 hours before installing ceramic tile.
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Tips & Warnings
Test your membrane to make sure it is waterproof before proceeding with the final layer of mortar. Pour water into the enclosure and allow it to sit for an hour. If the water level does not drop, it is safe to proceed.
References
- Photo Credit shower image by Ekaterina Shvigert from Fotolia.com
