How To Install Membrane Shower Liner

Bert spent 25 years working every bit a home-comeback and residential construction contractor in key Florida.

Acquire how to properly install a shower pan membrane.

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A shower floor membrane, sometimes called a pan liner, catches all moisture that seeps by the flooring tile and directs it toward the floor drain. In a perfect world, the tile floor would divert all the water toward the bleed opening. However, in existent life, small-scale cracks class along the shower walls and next to the drain. Caulking does help seal these problem areas. Unfortunately, some water passes through these areas and reaches the pan liner. The membrane protects the building from water damage, mold, and mildew.

Step 1: Set for the Project

Acquire all necessary permits from your local building inspector before starting this project. Some communities require a permit for any plumbing work. Remember of the permit as an insurance policy that protects a homeowner from non-compliant contractor workmanship. The shower flooring installation portion of the project starts after a local building inspector approves the piece of work, when applicable.

The contractor should repair the concrete slab earlier installing a shower flooring membrane.

Step two: Repair the Slap if Necessary

All quality piece of work starts with a solid foundation. A tub drain penetrates the shower'south subfloor nigh one wall, while the drain in a typical standup shower usually sits about the center of the flooring. If the installer keeps the drain near ane wall, he must consider the shower floor's slope.

For instance, a tub measures five-feet long, which would make the flooring'due south mortar base approximately 1.25 inches thicker at the walls than it is near the tub's original drain opening. This would make the pitch between the new shower drain and the closest wall farthermost.

To avoid this situation, the contractor must relocate the drain penetration. If the bath sits on a wood subfloor, the contractor simply cuts the new opening the aforementioned size and shape equally the original and uses the cutout as a scab piece to make full in the old opening afterwards finishing the plumbing work.

Bathrooms sitting on a concrete slab require a piffling bit more piece of work. To relocate the drain, a contractor must remove the concrete between the old bleed location and the new one. He and then cuts away the old trap, adds a section of bleed pipe and installs the trap and shower floor drain assembly at the new drain location. This leaves a big gaping pigsty in the slab. Failure to repair the slab often leads to future shower floor settlement issues, such every bit grout cracks.

1. Backfill the slab repair: To limit the amount of concrete used, an installer backfills the pigsty with sand and the droppings removed during the relocation process. Keep the backfill material beneath the slab's bottom surface. The depth of the mortar repair should at a minimum match the existing slab'southward thickness.
2. Make a batch of mortar: Mix a bag of physical with water, using the manufacturer's recommended ratio. I adopt to use a fast-setting ready-mix concrete for this. This blazon of mortar cures quickly enough to continue on with the job almost immediately.
3. Repair slab with mortar: Cascade the mortar into the hole. Shave the surface of the mortar with a trowel until it matches the slab. Make clean up any mess before the mortar dries.

Pre-gradient

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Stride 3: Create the Pre-Slope

Consider the pre-slope the concluding line of defence confronting mold. When an installer fails to create a pre-slope, water collects on the pan liner in the problem areas. This leaves constantly moisture areas nether the shower flooring for mold and mildew to grow.

1. Calculate the slope: Measure from the bleed opening to the furthest wall and round up to the nearest human foot. To calculate the pitch, multiply the length in feet by .25. The pre-slope should not exceed this calculation.
2. Transfer the calculation to the shower: Make a pencil mark on the wall's base of operations pate at the calculated pre-gradient depth. Make a line around the shower's perimeter at this height, using a bubble level as a guide.
3. Mix mortar: Combine a sand-mix concrete with water, using the manufacturer'southward recommended ratio.
4. Spread mortar around the perimeter: Dump a pocket-sized corporeality of mortar on the slab. Distribute the mortar around the flooring's perimeter. Pack the mortar with a trowel. Create a three-inch broad shelf at the same depth as the slope's layout line. The shelf serves as an easy-to-follow guide for the final pre-slope.
5. Create the pre-slope: Start working on the opposite side every bit the shower door. Feather the mortar on the floor from the shelf toward the drain opening. If the plumber previously installed the shower drain flange, finish the pre-slope flush with the top of the flange. If the plumber did not install the shower bleed flange, stop the pre-slope approximately iii inches away from the bleed pipe. This leaves enough room for the flange to sit tight against the building'southward slab. Use a flat trowel to smooth the pre-slope'due south surface.

Roll to Go on

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Four bolts concur the clamp ring against the flange. This model too uses 8 cry holes.

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Step 4: Install the Bleed Fitting Flange

A shower floor drain consists of three parts: a flange, clamp band, and drain barrel opening. The bleed flange mounts to the sewer pipe, the clench band holds the membrane in identify, and the drain butt holds the finished drain grate at the right height.

1. Gear up the bleed plumbing equipment: Disassemble the drain fitting. Set the cap and flange aside. Reinstall the flange bolts.
2. Cut the sewer pipe flush with the subfloor.
3. Apply PVC cement to the sewer pipe and drain flange.
4. Press the drain flange onto the sewer pipe until information technology rests flush with the finished subfloor.

Step five: Buy the Membrane

1. Measure the shower flooring: Measure the shower'due south length and width. Circular each measurement upward to the nearest foot.
2. Add approximately i human foot per wall to this measurement: If the shower floor calculation equaled 3-foot by 5-foot, the pan liner would mensurate 5-foot by 7-human foot.
3. Purchase the shower floor membrane: Many abode improvement stores sell shower flooring membrane past the linear foot and offer the membrane in different widths. Some stores also sell pre-packaged sections cut to fit common sized shower floors.

Step 6: Create Waterproof Seams

Some larger showers require more than than i section of membrane to cover the floor and wall overlaps. In these cases, the installer must create a long-lasting waterproof seam.

1. Position both pieces of membrane on the shower floor: Position each section of membrane on the shower flooring, keeping the 1-human foot-tall wall overlaps in mind—plan for a 3- to half dozen-inch broad seam along any joints. If the top section covers the bottom department significantly more than six inches, cut the excess off with scissors.
2. Set the membrane: Fold over the tiptop section, exposing the bottom membrane. Roughen the seam on both pieces of membrane with a wire brush. Remove any debris with a make clean dry out rag.
3. Apply cement to the bottom section of membrane: Utilise specialized cement designed specifically for pan liner. Utilise a generous layer of cement approximately ane inch wider than the seam across the entire length of the seam.
4. Gather the seam: Place the overlapping membrane on the wet cement before information technology starts to dry. Press the membrane sections together with a seam roller, or other similar tool. Remove all raised areas, such equally folds or bubbles.
5. Seal the border: Utilize a second coat of cement beyond the seam'south border. This helps seal any rolled or lifted areas. Wait at to the lowest degree 15 minutes before continuing.

Center the membrane in the shower stall. Notice the overlap for the walls and adjourn.

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Pace 7: Install the Membrane on the Bleed Flange

1. Place the membrane on the shower floor: Center information technology in the stall.
2. Expose the drain flange: Fold the membrane in half, exposing the drain flange. Use intendance to avoid shifting the membrane's positioning within the stall.
3. Utilise sealant to the flange: Run a 3/viii-inch wide dewdrop of 100% silicone caulking effectually the outside perimeter of the drain flange.
4. Unfold membrane: Employ care to avoid shifting the membrane, particularly where it contacts the silicone.
5. Betrayal the drain flange's bolts: Press downwardly on the membrane with fingers and find the drain flange bolts. Brand a small slice in the membrane across each bolt head.
6. Press the membrane against the silicone: Force each bolt through its membrane slit. Employ even pressure to the membrane between each commodities. Smooth out whatever creases.
7. Install the locking ring: Position the large part of the locking ring's keyhole-shaped openings over the bolt heads. Press down on the band and rotate the ring. Tighten the bolts.
8. Clear the bleed opening: Remove the membrane from the hole in the center of the locking ring with a utility knife.

Notice how advisedly the installer folded the pan liner corners. Tight corners similar these make wall board installation easy.

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Step 8: Attach the Membrane to the Walls and Curb

1. Perfect the membrane laying on the flooring: Work from the bleed opening toward the furthest wall from the curb. Remove whatsoever lumps or creases in the membrane. Shifting the membrane virtually the appropriate wall unremarkably cures these issues.
2. Attach the membrane to the wall studs: Start in the center of a wall and work toward each corner, repeating this stride for each wall stud. Make a tight fold in the membrane where the wall meets the floor and hold it there with one mitt. Use the other hand to position the membrane against the wall stud. Attach the membrane to the wall stud with either galvanized nails or stainless steel screws. Keep all nails or screws approximately ane/2 inch below the top of the membrane.
3. Fold the corners: Loose or bulky membrane corners push against the bottom of the wall boards, making them out of plumb. This creates uneven tile cuts in the corners, specially about the bottom. Dispense the membrane with both hands until it presses tightly confronting one wall.
4. Comprehend the curb: The membrane should adhere to the top of the curb near the outside edge. This requires a couple of cuts where the curb meets the walls. Advisedly cut the membrane from the superlative of the curb up the wall. The membrane cloth should overlap the curb. Seal the cuts with corner guards.

Step 9: H2o Test the Membrane

1. Seal the bleed opening: Insert a examination plug into the drain opening. Inflate the plug with air.
2. Fill the pan up to the top of the adjourn with h2o.
3. Expect at to the lowest degree 4 hours and search around the shower's outside perimeter for seepage. If the pan did not contain all the h2o, pull the plug and search for the leak. Common faults include the membrane-to-drain connection, nails below the water line and holes created when someone steps on a nail. Repair as necessary and then retest.

This article is accurate and true to the all-time of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or amusement purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional person advice in business, fiscal, legal, or technical matters.

© 2022 Bert Holopaw

Source: https://dengarden.com/home-improvement/How-to-Install-a-Shower-Pan-Membrane

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