Shower base/Shower receptor opinions?

[Lina]

Hi, I am planning the remodeling of a small bathroom in my home.
The bathroom currently has a one piece fiberglass shower stall in it. I think it looks kind of cheesy and I would like to replace it while I'm doing everything else. I will be tiling the floors and partway up the walls in the rest of the bathroom. I have done tilework in my kitchen so I feel I can do that.


I was thinking of getting a pre-made shower base/receptor with a tile flange and doing the shower walls with cement board and tile. But I can't decide. There are a lot of shower bases out there with a very large range of prices-- like anywhere from $130 to $800. I don't want to rip out the old shower only to replace it with something else "cheap and cheezy". Another complicating factor is that it appears the stud spacing where the shower is, is 47 1/2" across-- not 48 or 48 1/2 like many of the prefab bases are. I don't feel like taking on the project of doing a mud job and tile shower pan myself. I wonder if I should just bite the bullet and hire someone to do a mud job shower pan

So I'm looking for opinions and discussion. If I get a pre-made shower base, what should I look for? Will the cheaper ones look tacky and cruddy after a few years? Are there any really nice ones that will hold up? Is a custom mud and tile base worth it?? Help!

L.

[jadnashua]

There are tileable pans that can be cut. Wedi makes a neat shower system www.wedi.de (I can never remember their US website, but you can find it on that one!). Kerdi system by www.schluter.com also makes a nice system. If you can put up wallpaper, you can put up a Kerdi shower. They have a video on their site that shows you how that goes.

Check out www.johnbridge.com for help with tiling exercises...lots of tile pros there.

The biggest two things about pre-made pans is your drain location must be EXACT, and the floor MUST be flat in order to use one.

A deck mud pan isn't all that tough, but it is intimidating the first time. It is heavy work, though. It's sort of like working with beach sand. Ever made a sand castle?

[Lina]

Thank you, jad.

I looked at the Wedi website and that system looks very easy to work with. However they don't seem to have a list of distributors or prices. I will email them to ask, but do you happen to know if there is a particular store chain that sells their products? I am in Florida.

[jadnashua]

If you navigate to the US site from the homepage of the one I listed, you should be able to find a distributor. They don't have a huge quantity, but the stuff is light enough that it can be shipped via UPS direct to your door, if you go that way. It's not inexpensive, but if time is money...it's cheap.

[Lina]

If you navigate to the US site from the homepage of the one I listed, you should be able to find a distributor. They don't have a huge quantity, but the stuff is light enough that it can be shipped via UPS direct to your door, if you go that way. It's not inexpensive, but if time is money...it's cheap.

Unfortunately the US site does not have a list of distributors. I emailed them but so far they haven't replied. Hopefully they will in a couple of days.

I really like what I've seen about the Wedi/Fundo stuff--- it looks very, very easy to install. I don't mind paying more for materials if this makes it more likely I'll be able to get the job done right without a huge struggle.

[TomFrost]

Gainsborough showers is a good company with a wide range of products and spare parts with affordable prices. And they have Advice centre. I bought Stanza Black there two month ago. This is a good shower but not very powerful... 8.5 kw only. But you can find other models from mixer showers, electric showers, combi showers. Triton & Mira are good and qualitative too! But I'v never cooperated with those companies.

[hj]

A 1/2" is very easy to accomodate by trimming a 1/4" from the bottom on both sides. It would also recess the flange a bit to make it easier for the cement board to fit over it.

[johnfrwhipple]

Options in shower pans.

I have found many options in shower pans and I have yet to find one that looks as nice as a custom one.

There are many products as well to help with creating the pitch and lots of helpful online instructions. If you own a shovel and a wheel barrow I would be mixing up some of Latecrete's Thick Bed or some of their 3701 which is used for shower pans.

Nobel Company makes some great bases (Pro Base)as well and also provides a pitch guide to make it easier.

You might consider a channel drain from one of these companies to further simplify the grading process.

Channel Drain suppliers in North America;

Quartz by ACO
My Shower Grate Shop
Nobel Company
Heel Guard USA
Proline by Quick Drain USA