curbless shower

[johnfrwhipple]

....To plug this shower I used a little 2" twist and lock plug made by Cherne.

[johnfrwhipple]

BE careful if you choose a liquid membrane. I have switched myself to cementious vs liquid.

[johnfrwhipple]

Always find a way to flood test

[johnfrwhipple]

This is a lot of information on Kerdi Installations. Some here but most abroad. I was doing some research on Kerdi Flood Tests and it amazes me that not one shower example can be found. These flood test are required and before you heed the advice of some random person online that tells you that you don't need to or let yourself "Believe" that it is not needed here is a simple way to build a Kerdi Curbless and test it.

The secret ingredient is Kerdi Fix. Kerdi Fix is the most amazing waterproofing product out there. I love it.

If you plan to bring your waterproofing out into the remainder of the bathroom (which you should and you should also be looking at a second emergency drain) you can leave the Kerdi un installed to the Ditra (the tailing 2" of the run). With a little Kerdi fix you can fold up the Kerdi over say a 2"x4" or something like I used and by using a couple of Kerdi Corners dam the wet zone with ease.

A tube of Kerdi Fix and a couple of corners is less than $30.00. $30.00 plus maybe a half hours work. Why would you not flood test it? Do not believe what you may read online that this step is not required - call the inspectors office yourself. If your tile installers says it is not needed tell him "That's OK - do it anyway." Tell your drywall crew you will be re-testing the showers after they are done so take care in the bathrooms.

And remember to get your tile installers "Kerdi Certificate Number" many Plumbing Inspectors ask for this at inspection time. You should have this number from your installer before you even send out a deposit cheque.

[johnfrwhipple]

A linear drain will open up the doors to tile selection and tile layout patterns. That said common sense also needs to be followed.



I'm not sure how the tile setter thought this shower would drain properly. With a slight change in the layout this shower could have been outstanding. Me and the boys are going to fix it up and get the shower working like planned. I looked at yet another failed Proline job in 2012 in addition to this one. Hire pros to install these drains.

Before you trust your crew to install these new linear drains ask them if they have before. Ask for references. Check them.

Is your installer qualified to install the waterproofing product?

How will the tile be installed?

Will you be flood testing the shower or the plumber?

Lots of details - work them out first.

The owner of the shower above called me after doing some research into the finished job. She didn't think it looked right - she was right. It was all wrong.

[Groutman]

Wow that is a great deal of work. It looks like John has done this before and has covered all of the steps. Great info Thanks.....

[johnfrwhipple]

"Have you ever build a curbless shower before?" simple question ASK IT!!!

This is what happens when your "Team" talks them selves into that building a curbless shower is easy. We are ripping out this nearly completed bathroom to re do the whole thing.

What a waste of materials and time. Another pickup of trash in the landfill because some contractor watched a little do much DIY in the evenings.

HIRE PRO's to build these showers. Ask your builder "Have you ever built a curbless shower before?" then check the references.



Other wise your new shower can look like this before you have even tried it.

What a Joke....

[johnfrwhipple]

Grading large format tile requires special thin-set.

[johnfrwhipple]

This newest curbless feature of ours here in Vancouver is almost wrapped up. The Vanity should be going in today and then a little paint, a counter and sink and this bathroom is ready for action.

[johnfrwhipple]

I got called in the other day to look at a stunning West Vancouver project being built up above the Golf Course in West Vancouver. An amazing home that will feature among other things barrier free transitions from inside to outside and of course no curbs or steps up or down into the shower. There are only simple changes that need to be made to insure this can be done. Map out your elevations closely when design your new home or work with a builder who understands the steps needed.

[Wren Thomos]

Does anyone have any input on the pros and cons of floor-level or "curbless" showers? Of course the American Disabilities Act (ADA) showers allow wheelchair access into the shower for the disabled, and is a really sharp, contemporary, cutting-edge look, but under normal circumstances, are they likely to leak out into the room if the gentle slope to the drain is not effective enough? Under abnormal circumstances, has anyone ever heard of devastating problems caused by sewage backup and there was no "curb" to catch the overflow? Please help, I must decide soon.

[jadnashua]

Regardless of curb or not, the shower area requires at least a 1/4"/foot slope to the drain. If you position things properly, you should not get any water out of the room. If your sewer backed up, a curb may not help at all, so I'm not sure I'd consider that a problem or not.

[johnfrwhipple]

Does anyone have any input on the pros and cons of floor-level or "curbless" showers? Of course the American Disabilities Act (ADA) showers allow wheelchair access into the shower for the disabled, and is a really sharp, contemporary, cutting-edge look, but under normal circumstances, are they likely to leak out into the room if the gentle slope to the drain is not effective enough? Under abnormal circumstances, has anyone ever heard of devastating problems caused by sewage backup and there was no "curb" to catch the overflow? Please help, I must decide soon.

The look is the hottest thing in bathroom design and the curb not so necessary if enough thought is given to the total shower and bathroom design.

[johnfrwhipple]

Here is a look at a Neo Angle Curbless Shower we wrapped up two months back.

[jadnashua]

The key to any slope to direct water flow is it should be fairly consistent without birdbaths or humps. When you are manually making the floor, it's best to aim for the 1/4" per foot. On a manufacturered pan, since its slope is tightly controlled during the manufacturering process, you can get by with less since it is very consistent. WHen using Kerdi, you have the choice of using their preformed pan, which may not meet your exact size considerations, or building a traditional preslope in any shape you want with any slope to fit your exact needs. This is less expensive, since the shipping of a large piece gets costly, and deck mud is so cheap. But, if you are looking for speed, and a reliable surface to tile for a DIY'er, their pans have some advantages. You can set it, cover with the membrane and be tiling all the same day.

One thing to consider on any shower floor is how slippery the tile is when wet. There can be significant differences between tile. Also, the grout lines tend to offer additional grip, regardless of the tile (unless you happen to choose epoxy grout, at least some of them). So, while you can use larger tile for a linear drain type of install, you may want to temper that with the specific tile and their size.