[Matt Staben]

Hello,

Attached is a picture of a converted just-plumbed water closet in the basement of our humble home. As you can see, the back walls are of two types - first the lowermost block foundation, and then the slab wall foundation.

I plan to build a cement shower pan - and hopefully, tile directly to the concrete walls after doing the appropriate sealing job. I've done a lot of research, and know I need to do a pre-sloped floor, cut the existing drain assembly to the height of the floor, install the drain assembly kit (Sioux Chief 821-2APK from Home Depot), add a liner, attach it to the drain kit, and build some more floor. I plan to lay 2x4's across the floor to act as a shower threshold.

However, I'm at a loss as to what to do about applying the liner to the concrete wall. I don't want to do wall studs and reduce the size of the already miniscule shower area.

Some ideas I've had:

1. Apply membrane to first slope, have it run 6" up the side and secure it with sheathing board that is held in place by the left wall and the threshold, and a corner block for the concrete corner, cover it with wire, and mortar that. The result would be stepped - the first at 6", the second at the change in wall. How would that work for tile?

2. Same idea as above, but have the sheathing run as high as the change from block to slab, fill in the space behind with mortar - also level out the elevation on the right side (see picture).

3. Go ahead and do some studs on the slab portion of the wall, secure on wallboard and glue the bottoms to the wall but not actually secure the bottoms to any framing. I'd like to avoid this solution because then the rest of the concrete wall which I'd like to tile floor to ceiling would not be flush with the shower wall.

Maybe the only option is the obvious one, and I haven't thought of it yet?

Thanks!

Matt Staben
Spokane Valley, WA

 

[oh'mike]

You may wish to skip the liner---use a Schluter drain and Hydroban the whole thing.

Look at the Latacrete web site---

Also look here Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum
In the kitchen and bath section look for opiethetileman--building a Hydroban shower.

I built a roll in handicap shower by removing the slab in that area---adding the drain(s) --then sculpting new concrete sloped floor--and Hydroban--walls and floors.--works well --Mike---

 

[Matt Staben]

You may wish to skip the liner---use a Schluter drain and Hydroban the whole thing.

Look at the Latacrete web site---

Also look here Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum
In the kitchen and bath section look for opiethetileman--building a Hydroban shower.

I built a roll in handicap shower by removing the slab in that area---adding the drain(s) --then sculpting new concrete sloped floor--and Hydroban--walls and floors.--works well --Mike---

Thanks for the new idea, Mike. I looked around on contractortalk and don't really have a clear idea what's being said - just lots of banter - but could you spell it out for me a bit - after you read about what I think you said ....

Here's how it seems it would work:

I do the floor like I'd planned, but do I just do it all at once (rather than two layers, just all two inches thick of mud), tuck in the Kerdi Drain and level it with the new floor, add the third wall with cement board or (?), or do I do the third wall FIRST and then just build the floor with the third wall already in-place. Then, once the floor is built and cured, hydroban the floor, all three walls, and the threshold, up to about 6 inches or higher - let it dry, and see if water runs off (or whatever a flood test is).

Once I'm satisfied, I just thinset and tile away directly to the hydroban? Is that it?

Where can I get Hydroban?

I'm just a dummy. I also want to keep the cost down, way down. Looks like the KERDI-DRAIN is a hundred bucks - hydroban is another hundred bucks (if I can find it) but if it means it's a done deal then I might just jump ahead and do it that way.

By the way, Check out this thread, about the Kerdi + Hydroban (google is your friend) - it does cover this topic pretty well I thought from one angle anyway.

http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=72925

Thanks again Mike, I was hoping for some insight and you've got me started on a path I find exciting!

 

[oh'mike]

You will find the Hydroban very easy to work with--Yes that drain set is expensive---

Build walls and curb first then pack base---fill all seams and holes with tilers mesh and thinset.

Paint on several coats hydroban and flood test---then tile.

Here is a link that will give you the mix for 'deck mud' and 'fat mud 'Building a shower pan with pre-sloped mortar bed, liner and curb.

 

[Matt Staben]

You will find the Hydroban very easy to work with--Yes that drain set is expensive---

Build walls and curb first then pack base---fill all seams and holes with tilers mesh and thinset.

Paint on several coats hydroban and flood test---then tile.

Here is a link that will give you the mix for 'deck mud' and 'fat mud 'Building a shower pan with pre-sloped mortar bed, liner and curb.

Have ordered the Hydroban (1gal) and Kerdi drain - I trust this will go well - had I not decided to post on a forum I'd still be wondering how to get this done!