Master Bathroom Shower

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Concrete Shower Pan

Posted by James on January 17, 2016
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , , . 18 Comments

When we last left off, we were in need a shower pan in our master bathroom shower. (The shower pan is the concrete sub-floor of the shower)

That’s right, we’re working on the master bathroom remodel again……

After quite a bit of  ill-advised* research from a website that shall not be named, we settled on Portland Cement for our shower pan.

*(Foreshadowing)

Bag of Portland Cement Mix

We know that the slope of the pan should be about 1/4″ for every foot away from the drain the pan is.

This keeps the water running towards the drain.

….So to aid in this, Jamie got us a laser level.

Lazer Level

He held it at about 1 inch up on the walls and we marked it with a chalk line all around.

Our drain is about 3/4″ above the floor and that 1/4″ slope should take the edges up to about an inch.

Use a Lazer Level to Determine Cement Height

Seems about right.

I added water to the dry Portland Cement mix a little at a time, never add dry mix to water – always the other way around, and stirred it with a hoe.

Add a Small Amount of Water at a Time

We mixed it until it was about the consistency of peanut butter.

This was a little bit of a bitch.

It’s thick, and hard work. (Not sure how we got a blurry action shot, because this was a slow process…….especially for 2 guys not used to any actual manual labor)

Use a Hoe to Mix the Cement

When we felt it was just right,

I plopped a few scoops into the back-end of the shower and started working it with a trowel towards the drain……The drain I covered with painter’s tape so nothing falls in the hole and clogs it…..

Starting in the Back of the Shower with the Cement Mix

….making sure I kept that slight dip towards the drain.

Keep Adding Cement and Making a Slight Slope to the Center

It really went a lot faster than I was expecting it to….and I was pretty damn proud of our work.

Took exactly 1 50-pound bag too.

Our Finished Shower Pan

Absolutely beautiful,

Or so we thought…….

Y’all are not gunna believe what happens next…….

The Shower Sub-Floor

Posted by James on May 16, 2015
Posted in: New Home. Tagged: , , . 4 Comments

I know that this probably isn’t too thrilling, but I documented it anyway.

The previous shower had rotted through the sub-floor……good thing we never used it. The cross beams were a little weathered as well. We solved that issue by doubling them up with new pressure treated 2X6’s attached with lag screws.

Way, Much, More better….but we’re still left with a “Reverse-Nevada” shaped hole in the floor completely exposing our crawl space.

Reinforced Beams in the Reverse Nevada Shaped Shower Hole

First off, we need to get the hole up to the height of the existing sub-floor, 1/2 inch. There’s no way I’d ever get a 4X8 sheet of 1/2 inch plywood in my Jeep.

No worries, because I found Ismael at the Home Depot to cut it for me. More like; he found me and even asked if I needed any help today. He must be new….all the other guys there know to run the other way when they see me with a cart of lumber.*

*(I’m a little too precise with my measurements for most of them…..and have been know to make them re-cut wood before. You know, until they get it correct)

Ismal at H Depot Cutting My Plywood Subfloor

Didn’t faze Ismael one bit. He sliced that 4X8 sheet into 5 perfect pieces.

Most importantly, one piece 39″ X 30″, and another 51.5″ X 32.5″ (I checked his work with my own tape measure)

These pieces will fit in my Jeep just fine.

My 4 X 8 Plywood Sheet Cut into 5 Pieces

The 39″ X 30″ piece will become the “Reverse-Nevada” after I slice a corner off…….like so.

IMG_8750

Should fit in my empty space just perfectly. But I can’t tell because there’s a drain in the way.

I must slice the “Reverse-Nevada” in half with a circular saw and make room for the drain.

Slicing that Reverse Nevada Collage

After making a cut-line through the almost middle, I use a drinking glass as a template for the drain hole. Pretty clever, I know.

I Use a Drinking Glass as a Template for the Drain

Once the board is cut in half, I used a jig-saw to cut out the 2 half-circles.

I Use a Jig Saw to Cut my Hole

Then simply slipped it around the drain. (I know, looks like my precise measurements were about 1/4″ off on the left)

My Perfect Reverse Nevada Shaped Plywood Subfloor

I screwed the “Reverse-Nevada” down with about 25 drywall screws, and started the process over with the 51.5″ X 32.5″ sheet.

This one will cover the entire shower floor. It took 3 slices to get it around the drain, but it fits beautifully.

The Full Plywood Subfloor in Our Shower

Did the same with 1/2″ thick cement board. Could not possibly screw this thing down enough.

The New Shower Floor with the Cement Board

So there ya have it.

Looks like our plumber centered that drain just perfectly BTW.

The new dimensions of the shower floor, 51 X 32 (Pretty big for an 8′ X 5′ room)

Still have to do a layer of sloping Quickcreate, the water-proof liner, and tile.

And Way, More Better than the gaping hole that was there this morning…….