Installing Mortar Shower Pan Video
Tuesday, February 21st, 2012 at
8:52 pm
Mark Donovan of HomeAdditionPlus.com shows how to install a mortar shower pan for a custom ceramic tile shower.
Tub & Shower Safety
Tagged with: Install Mortar shower pan • Installing Mortar Shower Pan • tile shower pan
Filed under: Bathroom Safety
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Thanks for getting back to me. Just one follow up, why is the felt paper and metal lath attached? to a WOOD sub floor and not to a concrete slab? Thanks.
@TheLureConsulting Simply because you can. Thus you don’t need to worry about the felt paper moving around while you pour in the mortar. Likewise you don’t have to worry about the metal lath sticking up out of the mortar. These? will be concerns pouring the mortar onto the concrete slab.
I do appreiate the continued dialogue. For those of us who have never done this before this type of reasoning is confusing. The felt paper and metal lath could be attached (e.g., using a powder-accuated tool and nail? with washer)—do you not recommend this for some reason to avoid the movement of the paper and lath as you describe? Thanks.
Great Video. I was just wondering, do you ever have an issue with curb swelling or shrinking and cracking the tile or grout just from temperature variation?? I stopped building wood curbs 8 years ago just for that reason.
@Alltiletube No, I’ve never experienced curb swelling or shrinking due to temperature variation. The temperature in most house varies from 65 degrees to 75 degrees, at least where I live. Possibly the? small temperature spread is why I have not seen this issue ever.
thanks for the video, i’m in the process of doing my 1st poured pan, though i’ve done? many preformed pans. Wish me luck!
@thegunth63 Good luck!!?
@djkingpersia It wouldn’t hurt, but probably not necessary. Any water that could damage the plywood would much more? quickly result in a noticable water leak.
@clapperbells The membrane liner is sandwiched in between two mortar layers. The felt paper helps as a moisture barrier and most importantly prevents the? wicking away of moisture form the first mortar layer as it cures.
Mark, I appreciate very much that you went out? of your way to create this “how to” video on building a shower pan. Frankly, I didn’t know anything about building one and you showed me everything that I needed to know in 5 minutes here. The shower pan has been completed using your step by step video and it looks great. Thank you again!
Fantastic video, easy to understand. I would add that you are very patient answering the same questions over and over. I am wondering if the weight of the cement might be a problem for my own bathroom, it is a manufactured home, with a basement foundation. I suppose it will depend on what I find? when I tear out the tub as far as my subfloor goes.
Hi, Mark. Quick question—how? do you attach the 15# felt paper and metal lath to a concrete foundation so it doesn’t move around when you trowel in the mortar and float it? Thanks.
@WegnerClan I normaly just lay the felt paper and lath flat on concrete slabs, and trowel on the mortar. If you’d like, you could use a construciton adhesive (e.g. Liquid Nails) and a brick or two to hold the? felt paper and lath in place until the adhesive dries.
Awesome vid! I’m redoing the basement bathroom and I watch this? vid at every step of the project to make sure I get it right.
I just came across your videos and they are excellent! I have a question for you. My fiance is installing a tiled shower and was going to reuse the drain from the old shower. He poured the first layer of concrete with drain in place. then I? came across this videos and realized it doesn’t have weep holes. Now we are getting the proper drain, but obviously we can not install it to the plywood. Is it okay to install the drain on top of the concrete, then continue with the membrane and 2nd layer?
Hi! me again! I have? a few more questions. He also used concrete vs. mortar. Is there a difference? and I also noticed in the video, you placed mesh in the first layer of mortar, but not the 2nd layer-Why is this? Thanks so much for you help!
@carmegkin Mortar is made from water, cement and sand, whereas concrete is made from water, cement, sand and chipped rock. You use a mortar in the shower pan so that there is no risk of sharp edges on the dried cement? mortar bed to cut into the membrane liner. We don’t place mesh in the top layer since it could potentiall poke a hole in the membrane liner.
@carmegkin? Yes, that should work.
Thanks? for this tutorial it is extremely helpful. Just curious if you used the same mortart mix in both layers? They were both the quik-crete sand topping mix? Thanks so much!
@mpwhat? Yes