# Redoing commercial shower..ideas wanted



## nhill2090 (Dec 11, 2010)

Hey guys to make this brief i have a commercial shower i plan to redo for a local industrial company shower. It is existing besides they had to tear up parts of the floor to do a plumbing repair.

Basically the old bed has inconsistent slope and i was hoping to overlay the exsisting with a new base with the proper slope. I figured on installing tar paper between the pours to allow independent movement between the slabs.

Unfortunately their budgdt does not allow for a full shower demo. So i plan to pour a new slope of minimal thickness (probably 1.5-2" at the perimter). The shower is approximately 7'x12'. 

Now i had planned to use sand mix like i typically do on all of my shower bases. It would probably have to use a fortifier in the mix as suggested by quickrete for pours of less than 1". Im assuming i should probably pour to a minimum deoth of about 3/8" and use a feather finish product like ardex to go from 3/8" to zero. 

The base will then be coated in waterproofing. I would have liked to pour to a depth of around 1" at the drain however the plumbers didnt leave the drain up at all so i am already stuck with either using rondec profiles or shimmming up thd drain.(4"x36"approximate drain size)

Any input on methodology you guys have used in the past or products i could benefit by using in this scenario?

Thanks:thumbup:


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

If I understand this right you want to lay down tar paper then mud over that from 1.5-2" to zero? I'd get rid of the tar paper, scruff up the existing floor with a grinder and put at least 3/4" at the drain. Or just demo out the existing bed and start fresh.

If the drain is too low have plumber raise it up to where you need it. You two should have talked about it anyway.


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## nhill2090 (Dec 11, 2010)

I can nix the tar paper. That was just an idea.

I would love to demo it down to bare concrete but that's not an option unfortunately. 

I'll see if I can have a plumber move the drain. Some hack plumber installed it then poured concrete around it. Flush with the existing base.


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

Did he install a clamping shower drain or something else? How is the base waterproofed since the drain was moved?

You might be better off with Hydroban over the existing tile and not bother having the drain raised. You may need to chisel out around the drain for the new tile a little bit.

Got any pictures?


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## nhill2090 (Dec 11, 2010)

Here is a picture.

The base has been installed for 20 years. Like I said this situation is not ideal and will only be topically waterproofed. The plumbers really screwed this one up


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## srwcontracting (Dec 11, 2009)

I wouldn't even touch a repair like that. There is no way to waterproof correctly. Every thing you do there is going to be a Mickey Mouse job


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## GO Remodeling (Apr 5, 2005)

Hill, srw is correct. While you can waterproof the shower floor surface, the walls will not be waterproofed. Water going into the wall grout joints will drain under your topical floor waterproofing. 

If the plumber did his job correctly ( a liner connected to the drain) skip the topical waterproofing and just tile the floor.


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## CarpenterSFO (Dec 12, 2012)

nhill2090 said:


> Unfortunately their budget does not allow for a full shower demo.


 If their budget does not allow for it to be done right, then do the tile job, but don't claim that you're fixing the mess - you're not being paid enough to take the blame when the band-aid comes off in the shower.


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## skcolo (May 16, 2009)

I'd skip the waterproofing also. Let any water that gets under the tile drain through the slab into the dirt. Otherwise, you'll just be trapping it under the tile when it undoubtedly leaks. Call it a temporary minor repair.


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Those are the channel drains they sell in the landscaping dept. at Lowes. :laughing:

Ill bet it ties into perf pipe..


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

And I would scrub that notebook with that bleach..


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## skcolo (May 16, 2009)

ohiohomedoctor said:


> Those are the channel drains they sell in the landscaping dept. at Lowes. :laughing:
> 
> Ill bet it ties into perf pipe..


You might be right. Run Forest, run.


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