Keep this as your project thread so we can keep up on the whole project along the way, pan, floor, etc. With the KERDI-SHOWER-TT thin shower tray on a wood subfloor, you can build up the rest of the bathroom floor by installing either a 5/8" or 3/4" plywood/OSB panel on top of the wood subfloor along with DITRA or another Schluter®-Systems uncoupling membrane. I want to put in a tile floor and it will be installed over the poured concrete basement slab. running parallel to the 60" side of the shower. Step 1: Reinforce the shower pan. Plywood is available in many thicknesses (1/8”, 1/4”, 11/32”, 15/32”, 19/32”, 23/32” and 1 1/8”). Use a wide-blade putty knife or a paint scraping tool to peel off old caulking and adhesive. Clear all debris and old adhesive from the surface. In some cases a mortar bed is a necessity; other times it isn't. When you install a shower pan over a wooden floor, this is not just an added line of defense for the floor, it also prevents the wood from absorbing the concrete's moisture too quickly and allows it to cure properly. I haven't found much help or info on the subject. On the subfloor of the shower, use tarpaper and diamond lath, then your mud. Cut about 5” - 6” hole in the sub floor … While preparing to lay 1100 square feet of hardwood flooring, we discovered significant variation in the OSB subfloor that will serve as the nailing surface for the hardwoods. Drive a nail into the floor every 8–12 inches (20–30 cm) so the tar paper stays in place. Keep the shower pan covered before and after installation. The bathroom floor gets wet. Marine plywood after all is water resistant. All the cement board will come out and be replaced with backer board. Mark the outline of the shower pan on the subfloor using pencil or a chalk line. I am planning on adding a second layer of 3/4" exterior plywood as additional sub floor support before installing the Schluter pan. Cement backerboard is made for tiling. When I use the term "subfloor", I'm talking about tongue & groove plywood or OSB or whatever, typically 3/4" thick, specifically engineered to be applied directly to the floor joists/underlying structure. Hi Tina. Cover subfloor plywood of shower pan with layer of tar Work not mentioned on this page and/or work using master craftsman, premium materials and … For your first questions, 1)Just use hardi over the floor area, not the shower area. determine the highest spot. Make sure the floor is level and clean. Re: Shower pan over 2nd story wood subfloor install As Lavrans said, you really do need to get a good book or sub out your pans. Picture of subfloor to clarify it is composed of planks with gaps. Re: thin set,mortar bed over 3/4 osb subfloor 3/4" osb is fine provided the joist deflection (span) is good (and spacing.) I have to level floor. Plywood as a Subfloor Material. Designed to drain water from the shower, it protects your floor from water intrusion, rot and mold. Fasten the bottom plates to the floor with 3-inch decking screws and tie the top corners together. No I would not apply water proofer to the subfloor under the shower pan (unless we are going to be waterproofing the entire floor it might be easier to just continue it under the shower pan). I completely remodeled my home and all that is left is to complete a master bedroom bath, which has a jacuzzi tub with a 36" by 36" shower next to it which will be tiled, floor and all. We do however still recommend the dry pack sand mix mortar bed whenever desired because of its incredible proven track record when installed correctly. Option 2: add 1/2" plywood shimmed and screwed to joists. Laying a shower tray onto structural marine plywood seeks to ensure a problem free installation. Regarding the shower pan build, if he plans to build a traditional sloped concrete pan with a sandwiched shower liner, he should be using a portland cement based floor mix concrete. The subfloor is not level. I don’t understand your joke. Option 1: Thin set 1/4" backer board then use self leveler over the top. ... A curbless application can be achieved by installing a plywood or OSB underlayment and DITRA-HEAT or DITRA-XL membranes over the bathroom floor. Replace an unsound subfloor with 3/4-inch exterior plywood. roofing felt to spread out over the wooden subfloor. Question. What you use depends somewhat on how far out of whack the floor is, and the construction of the base of the shower pan. Thin set Kerdi pan to that. Tar paper protects your subfloor if water ever gets underneath your shower pan. Purlins are thin triangular shims used to level floors (among other things). The shower will be 4'x6', and I'm doing a mortar pan, with a topical membrane and a linear flange drain at the wall. If a mortar bed is not installed with a shower pan that requires one--even with higher-quality pans--the shower pan will not be adequately supported underfoot. But, can you use structural plywood and use a waterproofing product to make the plywood water resistant? Erect and brace the walls. There is a lot involved in making a shower system that is waterproof and built to last. Seems like its going to … Most all the tile I've set has been over 3/4" osb. Purchase 4mL polyethylene or 15-lb. thin set Kerdi pan to plywood. Test-fit the shower pan to confirm the drain opening fits over the drain hole in the floor. Right now the entire bathroom has a 1/2" subfloor with some thick cement board on top (it looks 3/4"). The safest, most prudent course is to install tile on top of a cement backerboard such as Durock, Wonderboard, or HardieBacker. Cut pressure-treated bottom plates and pre-assemble the walls, centering the studs every 16 inches. set the top of the leveling board at that height and then nail it to the 2x4's level. Some methods call for cutting into the joists. Make sure the floor is level, flat and clean. Any leveling of the floor must be done prior to installing the tray. Mud bed for a shower should have a cleavage membrane under it so the mortar doesn't bond to the subfloor. This article provides detailed instructions for leveling a subfloor based … [3] We recommend cutting a plywood cover and setting it in the pan. Prefabricated shower pans come in one of two types: those that are installed in a bed of mortar spread over the floor and mortar-less pans that are designed to rest flat on the floor. The floor is not level. Check that everything is still level before attaching the pan. Generally, you want something on the plywood to prevent it from sucking the moisture out of whatever you use to level the pan before it can cure (assuming it is a cement based product). The sub floor must be level and flat within 1/8”. (the 5ft and the 32inch.) 6 ft. x 10 ft. Gray PVC Shower Pan Liner The choice for plumbing professionals, this The choice for plumbing professionals, this 6 ft. x 10 ft. Oatey 40 mil PVC Shower Pan Liner is an economical, flexible liner designed for use in tile showers and other concealed waterproofing applications. The room is new construction, with just studs and subfloor. ... including the subfloor, walls and the edge of the shower tray for proper support. set the tub on that board and shim as needed to make it firm. If it is not, mix Self Leveling Mortar and screed the floor level. Use a broom or a vacuum to clear loose debris. All nails and screws in the floor must be countersunk so nothing sticks up above the surface. Mix thinset per instructions and use modified. My 48X48 3/4" subfloor is out of level 5/8" from right side (exterior wall). It should be small enough to not interfere with wall material. Draw the Floor. I would never consider that as there are ways to avoid it, but removing (and/or recessing) the plywood subfloor does have an appeal. Can’t use self leveling compound. TruSlope shower trays are a viable alternative to the traditional sand mix shower mortar beds because of several significant benefits. The level is consistent for the extire 48" run. Traditionally, exterior grade plywood has been the subfloor material of choice for many bathroom flooring projects. Prepare the area for installation. Step 2: Determine the drain height, and the height of the perimeter screeds relative to the drain (in my case, the drain system dictated the drain height above the subfloor). For the water to drain correctly once the shower is in use, the base, which has an integrated slope to move water toward the drain, the floor must be perfectly level. Installing one requires some skill and there are certain rules and procedures to follow when doing so. Add shims to compensate for any sloping of the subfloor so that the acrylic or fiberglass pan sits level. I am installing a 36 x 48 acrylic shower pan on a plywood subfloor. Backerboard does not shrink or expand when it comes into … I have been investigating installing a curbless shower pan. ... predrilling screw holes and screwing down shims on top of glue on top of non level plywood. It's your floor, basically. Embed the curb and make sure it is level. Trugard TruSlope Shower Pan Kit is made of expanded polystyrene also know as high-density styrofoam. I saw some videos on youtube where the bathroom subfloor is removed and/or recessed. I'm thinking about installing 1/2" cement board under the shower pan (and surrounding area to provide for a smooth tiling surface). CDX plywood (¾”) in particular is used often because it has a high level of resistance to moisture and humidity. Lay a large sheet of tar paper on the entire floor of your shower pan and smooth it out as flat as possible. If the floor is not level, use Thinset or another leveling mix as needed (let harden before setting the base). This would save me a 1/2" between the sub floor under the shower pan and the sub floor in the rest of the room which should allow me to have a flush floor transition where the tiles on the Schluter shower pan meet the tiles on the rest of the floor. A recessed shower floor allows for the installation of a sloped mortar bed or a prefabricated shower tray that is flush with the rest of the bathroom floor. Draw the outline of the shower floor on the subfloor to use as a pattern for setting the mortar forms. Thanks. It's the continuous surface that's underneath your carpet, or your hardwood, or your vinyl, or your whatever. 2. the only time i have ever seen a tub come out of level was not from the shims rotting but from the subfloor rotting from a … Plywood allows for a much better build-up with lower undulations in the subfloor. The subfloor is tong & Grove 3/4" osb with joists at 16"o.c. Mark the center of each wall stud on the shower pan rim. I used an unbonded mortar bed, so I have a tar paper slip sheet on the subfloor with wire mesh stapled to the top of it. Slab-floor Preparation: 1. My question is logistics of using these shims under a bathtub. I have done many bathroom tile jobs, but have never done a shower stall floor. A shower base is a single-piece pan fitting underneath the shower walls. Mar 20, 2012 - This article is part of our series on How to Install Hardwood Floors. Plywood Substrate Alternatives . If this approach can be taken, can anyone please recommend a waterproofing product? Entire bathroom is only 6' x 7'. Thinset mortar is designed to be an adhesive for masonry products and … Plywood is made by gluing alternating layers of wood veneer.