Custom shower pans are considered to be a substitute for bathtubs and are easy to install. There are different types that are available in the market. Plastic, mortar, and fiberglass are the materials usually used to build them.
The construction of custom shower pans includes the preparation of a shower bed with the help of plywood, a shower liner, and a deck mud. The procedure is easy to carry out, provided that one has planned it properly.
Most of the pans in the market are available in standard sizes. However, the ones that are easy and quick to install are also available.
They form an important component of the enclosure. The plastic ones are leakproof and solve many problems, including the issue of liners. The ones made of fiberglass are expensive, while the mortar ones are also a great option. Vinyl waterproof membrane is used along with them.
Required raw materials
Plywood
Staple gun
Roofing felt
Latex additive mortar mix
Liner
Wheel barrel shovel
Deck mud trowel
Utility knife
Process of construction
Work on the floor
To begin with, a plywood having a thickness of 3/4 inch should be placed over joists that are 2 by 10 inches in size. This is what creates the floor.
A hole in the center of the plywood serves the purpose of drainage.
A slip sheet that covers the entire area of the plywood should be laid down over the given floor space. Roofing felt or garbage bags can also be used for the same.
A wire mesh that fits the floor area should be laid, and then the whole thing should be fixed to the plywood with the help of a staple gun.
Work on the drainage and liner
Put the bottom flange of the drainage assembly together. For this purpose, a mixture of mortar and latex additive should be prepared in a wheelbarrow. The reason behind using latex additive instead of water is to give the mixture a greater compression strength.
The mortar mixture prepared using the above procedure is needed for filling the shower bed. It should be filled in such a way that there is a slope towards the center that facilitates the drainage.
After packing the mortar tightly, it should be allowed to cure for at least 24 hours.
After the curing process, the liner should be placed over it. Even if it is bigger in size than the floor area, it should be allowed to drape up on to the sidewalls.
The excess liner should be folded at every corner and then stapled through the near most stud.
It should then be folded over the curb and stapled from the outside. A hole should be cut with a knife at the center of the liner.
Work on the deck mud
It is prepared by mixing one part each of water and cement to five parts of sand.
The pan should be filled with the mixture and a slope towards the center for drainage needs to be maintained. Care should be taken to leave a gap of 1 and 1/4 inches around the drain.
The mud should be packed properly with the help of a trowel.
The level of peripheral areas or the perimeter of the pan needs to be even.
The deck mud layer being the topmost layer, should be finished properly.
With the completion of above steps, the process concludes. A little patience, hard work, and passion can save you quite a bit of money if you construct everything yourself.