Shower Floor 1 inch Tiles ok to Use?

newmex999

I am remodeling a bath and putting in a shower from scratch. After much research I am going to use the "Wedi" shower pan and walls to construct the shower. Aside from that, someone advised against using the small 1 inch tiles for the shower floor as they claim that these tiles are more prone to leaking & coming up (due to their small size they have much more grout around them then a larger tile would have.) I don't believe this is so, but would like to hear from someone that has knowledge & experience in this area.

Just Bill

small tiles have been used in showers for a LONG time with no problems. If properly installed and grouted with leakage membrane underneath, small should not be an issue any more that other tiles.

TileArt

When installed properly a 1 inch tile is no more prone to coming loose than a 12 inch tile. People say that because if they are walked on (the tiles, not the people ) before they are grouted it is easier for a shoe to place enough leverage on the corner or edge of a smaller tile to release the bond. After they are grouted this leverage is non-existent. The smaller the tile the better grip your bare foot will have because of the grout lines. Smaller tile = more grout lines = more leverage.

A small tile will not leak more than a large tile. That's ludicrous. Tile and grout are not waterproof. Your shower floor needs to be waterproof before you even touch a piece of tile. The wedi pan will do that. Whoever told you that does not know what they are talking about - or they are listening to erroneous information. Go ahead and laugh at 'em.

sdsester

I agree. And larger tile looks stupid in some small showers IMO. Floor needs to be level for any tile job though.

Bud Cline

HOLD ON GUYS!!!!!!

The "key" here is that a WEDI Shower Pan is being used. Man-o-man!

Check with WEDI and see what they say about those small tiles over a "foam" shower pan. Just like KERDI, I'll bet the answer will be "NO WAY - JOSIE".

Small one-inch-tiles WILL NOT disburse the weight over a large area and WILL rock & roll and crack the grout in a short time under the concentrated weight of a persons feet.

TileArt

Yup, Bud's right as usual. I'd forgotten that the Wedi pan is styrofoam.

Switch to a larger tile or fabricate your own pan.

Mikescott

Wedi allows small tiles on their flooring system if epoxy mortar and grout are used . Just where to get the epoxy product is the challenge. Anyone have suggestions for a brand?

newmex999

After much thought I am moving forward with a mud shower pan. Cost of the wedi was too much for me to handle. Also, my shower pan is an odd size (30.5x63) so I would have to cut the wedi pan and piece it anyway.

Do any of you guys/gals put any water proofing (tar paper, etc) behind the cement backer board?

Mickey53

I put 6 mil plastic on the studs behind the Cement Board. I overlap the waterproof membrane at the bottom by 3-4 inches.

Bud Cline

The (tar paper) "moisture barrier" (it's not waterproofing in any way) is only used behind cement boards that are not waterproof. And, if you do not intend to waterproof the wall-boards on the surface.

If waterproof wall-boards are used such as WEDI or Denshield then you don't want the moisture barrier behind those type of boards. It can create issues you won't want to deal with down the road.