Ask Me Help Desk - Installing shower base

Tom, I have a new question. In setting a shower base, on concrete, how much mortar should a person spread, just a couple inches around the drain? Or, should it be more than that. Also, what's the deal in the instructions about putting plastic over the mortar? The base wouldn't be stuck down with plastic between it and the mortar. Wayne

I am not Tom but I will give you my views on how to install the shower. First you install a double seepage shower drain, to descrie it it is a drain that has the regular top drain with the chrome strainer, below that you have another drain It is about six inches in diamiter and the top part of the drain screws into this bottom part. This bottom part of the drain has another part that is either bolted down or it also screws together, so actually there are three pieces to this drain. The very bottom part goes down over your drain pipe, the rim of it should be level with the concrete floor, it would not hurt if it was one quarter inch lower then the floor. After you have this on and it is sealed to the drain pipe you they cover the shower floor and up the walls with a vynal sheet of plastic.
This should roll up the walls about 8 inches but you can make it as high as you want. You do not cut the corners but fold that similar to the way you would wrap a package, this way the plastic with fit snug into the corners of the shower. Secure the plastic to the walls of the shower with staples or nails, do this as high up on the plastic as you can, you might use somekind of bushing material, like the little roofing disk so the plastic willonot tear out of the nails or staples as you are working on it. After you have the vynal in place cut a hole right in the center of the drain. Make a small hole at first, then enlarge it to expose the threads that the second part of the drain will go into. Of if it is bolted down make sher all of the plastic is under the second flange. Tighten this ring tight to the bottom part of the drain. Now screw the third part of the drain into the second part and adjust the height to how thick you want you Quickset or mud for the tile or what ever you are going to cover the floor with. Make sure you have a sloope in all directions toward the drain.
Doing it this way any water that would ever get through the floor of the shower would be caught in the plastic and the drain is built to let this water drain into the sewer drain.
If you had one of the double seepage drains in your hand it would be very easy to understand all of the above.

Hi Not Tom. Thanks for the info. From what I wrote it probably looked like I was talking about a tile base, but I was talking about a prefab base, a fiberglass or ABS (don't know which) that sets on the floor. However, I do thank you because what you wrote is good information and, who knows even at 77, I might be putting in a tiled shower floor sometime. I tiled four bathroom floors last winter, but no shower floors. Just joined this site a short time ago and I like it. Thanks again, Wayne

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Bob Wayne

Tom, I have a new question. In setting a shower base, on concrete, how much mortar should a person spread, just a couple inches around the drain? Or, should it be more than that. Also, what's the deal in the instructions about putting plastic over the mortar? The base wouldn't be stuck down with plastic between it and the mortar. Wayne

Hey Billy Bob,

Are you asking about "bedding" the base so it doesn't have "soft spots" that can sag and produce leaks around the lip of the drain? If so, then place the base over the raiser and step in it. Note where it gives and that's where you puddle a mound of mortar or cement and let the base squash it down. I would puddle around the drain and then let the mortar set up. You do not need to install a barrier sheet of plastic between the mortar and the plastic base.

Let me tell you gave you excellent directions on installing a flange type shower drain,( see image) and how to pan it out using Blue Compaseal.
I couldn't have done a better explanation myself. Regards, Tom

Thanks Tom. Yes you have it right. I was glad to have the other information also. If I can learn something every day I'm happy! Thanks. BBW

Should a toilet have hot water all the time?

Distress

The person installilng my shower put in a pre-fabbed base and tiled the walls. Afterwards I realized that there are gaps between the base and the floor (concrete) by stepping on the base. What are my options other than tearing down the tile and resetting the base while avoiding possible mold and mildew buildup?