# Curbless shower & Large format tile



## inthe6 (Mar 18, 2018)

Hey guys

Totally going to feel like a noob here but my client has decided to go with a curbless shower for the master bath potentially the basement bath as well. Some realator friend said its the way to go blah blah. 

I always do curbed shower old school way. Liner, top mix and penny tile. 

I think I figured out the way to properly do it. However I just need some input here so it doesnt look like a dog breakfast. 

I was thinking ditra floor membrane, and ill start sloping it from the drain and have it kinda go like a trough in the middle where the drain is and then work to level on the one side and slopedish on the other side. I want to avoid cutting into triangles and such. Also its apparently to be a large format tile in a cheveon pattern. Ive tried my hardest to get my client to change mind but nothing.

Could anyone give me some advice and pointers here if there is another way to go about it without it looking like a mess.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

Schluter Systems or the like is the way to go. I believe Laticrete has something similar and other brands are now following. Watch these videos and then keep watching and reading. Large format is what many want today. Harder to do on floors, but it is possible. Layout is going to be very important. 






Sal is da man!


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## inthe6 (Mar 18, 2018)

Thanks you! I will definitely watch the videos. 

Someone told me I may need to sink the floor to approximately 4" and do a mortar bed. Does this sound accurate?


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

There are multiple options for doing the curbless. 

Schluter as mentioned above, Wedi, ARC. Look into all of them, then make a decision on which will work best for your situation. 

Tom


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## inthe6 (Mar 18, 2018)

Im going to look into all the options. Its good to know. I just need the most simplest solution at the moment. Somethint that works with no leaks


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

The simplest may be the ARC. I’ve never used one but TNT has mentioned he really likes them. 

The walls I’d go with Kerdi board.

Tom


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## Tom M (Jan 3, 2007)

inthe6 said:


> Thanks you! I will definitely watch the videos.
> 
> Someone told me I may need to sink the floor to approximately 4" and do a mortar bed. Does this sound accurate?


I saw Wedi first hand, where they installed cleats between the joists and dropped the sheathing flush. From there tapered boards.


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## tjbnwi (Feb 24, 2009)

inthe6 said:


> Thanks you! I will definitely watch the videos.
> 
> Someone told me I may need to sink the floor to approximately 4" and do a mortar bed. Does this sound accurate?


Don’t do this. 

Worse case is the Schluter LS pan which is about 2-1/2”. 

As Tom M mentioned Wedi is remove sheeting, cleat, drop 3/4”. 

Again I’ve never used an ARC, believe it is remove sheeting, place pan joists. 

Tom


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

ARC all day airy day.

Finished in up last week and tiling another next week.

I think I install more than any other contractor in my area. 

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## 402joel (Sep 1, 2011)

I’ll agree on th ARC pan, used it in my own home 5 years ago as well-
If the subfloor is already down, pull it up and replace with the ARC pan
Easy peasy


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## tang (Jan 5, 2009)

Just looked at the ARC pan. Cost over a gand!I cold do it in deck mud for less than 20 bucks..... Schluter school is the best vacation a contractor can take! Free room, meals, and drinks. Took a couple of my guys to Anaheim a few years ago, and wrote off some travel expense. We all learned the importance of surface bonded waterproofing, be it schluter or another brand. It changed the way we build showers.


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## Xtrememtnbiker (Jun 9, 2013)

tang said:


> Just looked at the ARC pan. Cost over a gand!I cold do it in deck mud for less than 20 bucks..... Schluter school is the best vacation a contractor can take! Free room, meals, and drinks. Took a couple of my guys to Anaheim a few years ago, and wrote off some travel expense. We all learned the importance of surface bonded waterproofing, be it schluter or another brand. It changed the way we build showers.


Not curbless without cutting down joists you couldn't. :no:


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## TNTRenovate (Aug 19, 2010)

tang said:


> Just looked at the ARC pan. Cost over a gand!I cold do it in deck mud for less than 20 bucks..... Schluter school is the best vacation a contractor can take! Free room, meals, and drinks. Took a couple of my guys to Anaheim a few years ago, and wrote off some travel expense. We all learned the importance of surface bonded waterproofing, be it schluter or another brand. It changed the way we build showers.


You would have more than $20 in costs for mud deck. You would have to build a lower deck, drain and waterproofing. It takes about 2 hours to install the ARC TrueDek system.

I make more money in them than traditional methods. 

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## B.D.R. (May 22, 2007)

I used to care about how much things cost. 
Not anymore. 
If the customer want to do “A”, then this is what is required to get it. And this is how much it costs. 
If that is too much, I’m sorry, let’s look at plan B. 



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