I want to install a stained concrete shower floor instead of tile. I have already installed a custom shower pan and pitched it to specs. My question is should I be concerned about the new floor cracking since it will only be 1/2" thick?

If you have any other suggestions on the install, please comment.

Thanks

ballengerb1

So you have a mud shower pan and you want to pour a 1/2" thick layer of concrete on top of it, right? I would not advise this for several reasons. It does stand a fair chance of cracking but concrete is porous and will be very hard to keep clean and free of bacteria. Ceramic tile and porcelain are good products, any reason you want to avoid them.

rssmith07

just like the look of the stained concrete better than tile. Is their a finishing method if I use a morter mix w/flex agent that will give me less pourous surface? what if I seal it?

ballengerb1

You can and should seal the concrete with a good cement sealer, Thompson's water seal would suffice but would need periodic repeats. Flex agents can be added to concrete but a bonding agent applied to the mud pan is more important. You should have no flex in the concrete unless you mud fails and then it is pretty much a mess. With tile you can always regrout to maintain a water seal.

ballengerb1

Rssmith, tile on a mud pan, you should use thinset. Also buy a pre-mixed stain proof grout.