Basement shower install howto

8028 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Bob Mariani, Apr 13, 2009

greight

Discussion Starter · Apr 11, 2009

Hi all,

I'm about to start a corner shower project in our basement. The rest was recently finished so its about time i get to this. The bathroom was drywalled and durarock (cement board) was put up on the one shower wall but since the plumbing wasn't finished it was left off the other. I noticed that no vapor barrier was used behind the cement board - is this required? Should I redo this part? Also, FYI the walls are not square - I would have to do something here anyway to square up the walls.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww337/greight/wall.jpg

I have a plastic shower base and glass corner shower door/walls. I was planning on putting up solid surface over the durarock but wasn't sure how to finish it at the bottom where it would join up with the shower base. Do I take the solid surface over the shower base or just to the top lip of the base and caulk in between? I want to make sure no water can get in behind the base.

http://i733.photobucket.com/albums/ww337/greight/base.jpg

Thanks all for any assistance / feedback.

Brian

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Bob Mariani

· #2 · Apr 11, 2009

No vapor barrier behind the wall. If using a solid surface wall there is nothing to protect from a wet condition so even the durock is not needed. The wall material should lap over the lip of the shower base and be caulked. The solid surface is left 1/8" above the base and caulked again.

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Gary in WA

· #3 · Apr 11, 2009

Because the pan is not move-able, due to plumbing, you could add material, as Bob said to get it into the pan. At that time, you should shim the wall to make it square (or match the pan).

Is your can light rated suitable for wet location, with rubber/foam gasket under trim ring? It looks like a standard can to me, but my eyes have been wrong before! Be safe, GBAR

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greight

Discussion Starter · #4 · Apr 13, 2009

Thanks Bob, Gbar. Since i have to shim out the wall anyway to make square I will overlap the pan.

Re the light, it is wet rated but the drywall needs to be repaired as there was some damage done after a fixture change. I'm thinking of just removing the light in the shower as there is enough in the bathroom anyway. The plan was to move the electrical back to a point outside the shower and put a cover on the fixture box - make sense?

Brian

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Bob Mariani

· #5 · Apr 13, 2009

I would leave the light centered in the shower. Otherwise you only get a shadow of light.

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