How To Build A Custom Shower

A splash here and a spatter there is definitely more fun than a usual bath. Isn’t it? And with custom showers, you can certainly enjoy your bath all day, every day. Custom showers enable you to indulge in body sprays, rain heads and massages, allowing you to start off and end the day in a relaxing and refreshing way. However, while building custom showers, there are two major decisions to be considered. While the first is the layout of the shower and its design, the second is the type of the liner that you would be using. Since pre-molded pans are not set for custom designs, you have to make a concrete pan. Also, while making a step-less shower, it is best to use a fabric liner. For learning how to build your own custom shower, go through the following lines.

Building Your Own Custom Shower

Things Required

15 lb. Roofing Felt/ 4 ml Polyethylene
Hammer
Concrete
Backerboard
Straight Edge Tape Measure
Roofing Nails
Galvanized Mesh
Galvanized Screws
Screw Gun
Level Drain
Board
Pencil
Portland Cement
Sand
Trowel
Mixing Pan
Thinset
Fabric Membrane Kit

Procedure

Before you start off with building the shower pan, you need to first build the framework of the walls. For doing this, hire a plumber and get the distance from the walls or the end of the shower to the middle of the drain measured. This measurement will help you determine the slope of the shower. The slope should be ¼ inch for every foot of distance to allow easy drainage and prevent water from standing. Multiply ¼ inch by the number of feet and use this measurement to measure the framework for the height of the concrete.
In the area so measured, place the 15 lb. roofing belt or 4 ml polyethylene on the sub-floor. This will keep the concrete from drying out too quickly.
Overlap the sheets where they meet and place a layer of galvanized mesh. Nail or screw the mesh at a distance of 6 inches, using galvanized screws.
Prepare a batch of mortar by combining one part of Portland cement with three or four parts of sand.
In case you are fixing a large shower and it does not have a step-up curb, measure an extra foot beyond where the water will hit the slope and use a small, ½ rise instead of a curb. Mark this area with a pencil.
Apply the concrete on the outside area and build it up to the pencil mark.
Apply a small layer of the mortar prepared around the drain. This will give you a proper slope.
Gently press the drain into place and make sure that it is a little lower than the outside area.
Allow the concrete to dry overnight.
Next, apply a thin layer of thinset on the concrete.
Put the waterproof fabric membrane on top of it and smooth it out using ¼ by 3/16-inch V-notched trowel.
Place a piece of cardboard on the floor before proceeding with the walls and edges.
Seal all the seams, focusing those on the floor-to-wall connections.
Make a notch in the corner, allowing you to overlap it by 2 inches later on.
Apply a coat of thinset and seal the edges.
Cover the threshold with backerboard and then with waterproof fabric liner. Hang it like wallpaper and overlap the seams tightly. Allow the area to dry overnight.
Conduct a waterproof seal test in the shower pan. Plug the drain and fill it with 1 or 2 inches of water. Allow the water to sit overnight. Any leak in the pan will be known by water on the floor or mixing water in the pan. If there is no leak, let the area dry completely before proceeding further.
Connect the faucet to the plumbing and attach both the hot and cold water pipes.
Test by running water through the pipe to the shower.
Cut holes for the shower head and faucet handles.
If you are using tiles for decorating your bathroom, attach tiles or natural stones to the shower pan, along with a thin coat of thinset, to serve as an adhesive.
Finally, attach the handles to the faucet and put on the shower head.

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