[Al_in_Texas]

Question regarding building a New shower

Replacing tub with a shower. I am down to the concrete slab. My contractor is using tar paper then wire mesh on the first layer of leveling concrete before he puts in shower pan PVC liner. I have not seen this done in any online videos. Is there a reason it should not be done? After the leveling concrete with the wire mesh, he will install PVC liner and then another layer of mud and then he will tile.

 

[Ron6519]

The concrete under the liner needs to be sloped to the special drain used in this application. The concrete on top also needs to be sloped to the drain.
Ron

 

[Mop in Hand]

Ron is correct, the first layer is called a pre-slope. Meaning it should slope toward the drain. I have never used leveling compound or ever heard of it being used as a pre-slope. Normally showers are built with a sand mix either 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. Not a concrete mix. I'm not saying his method wont work, however if the pre-slope goes in level and water somehow makes it way under the pan liner, chances are the water under the liner will not make it's way to the drain as it should. Same thing goes for the water that gets past the tile, grout and sand mix and lands on top of the liner.(this does happen) Without a pre-slope under the liner, where's the water going to go?