Shower Pan Install

[Walter Schwartz]

I plan to install a new bathroom with shower in my basement. If my fairly new concrete floor is level in that area, is it necessary to use thin set underneath the shower pan. Is there something else to put under the pan, or is the pan ok by itself?

 

[Jadnashua]

What kind of pan? It makes a big difference, depending. Also, what does the manufacturer's instructions say? In most cases, it helps, and in some cases, if you don't do more than just thinset, the pan will fail prematurely. So, there is no one right answer...need more info.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Walter Schwartz]

I haven't purchased the shower pan yet. I was just looking into it to see what is necessary to install it. I saw online where someone was installing a shower pan and they just put this felt pad underneath it. May not have been on a concrete floor though. What would fail with a pan if just using thinset?

 

[Cacher_Chick]

Many of us prefer to use a few piles of mortar "mushed" into place when setting a fiberglass or acrylic pan. This makes the pan feel very solid and eliminates any flex that might otherwise lead to a leaky drain or a cracked pan.

 

[Jadnashua]

The big thing, is, you do not want the pan to rock AND you want the bottom of it fully supported so it doesn't flex. Now, some are quite sturdy, and if the floor IS flat, you may not need to do anything, but there is no one right answer without having the thing first and then, seeing how well it actually sits on YOUR floor. Flex, over time, can cause stress cracks.

Now, if you're going to tile the walls, you might want to consider tiling the pan as well. How you do that depends on the system you use. You might want to check out www.johnbridge.com for tiling help and some other opinions.