How to install a Shower Pan for the Shower Base in a Custom Shower Stall

How to install a Shower Pan Membrane liner in a Shower Base

Planning a custom ceramic tile shower and don't know where to begin? Not sure how to install a Shower Pan Membrane Liner. See [Shower Pan Membrane Liner Installation EBook]

Installing a Shower Pan Membrane Liner in the Shower base of a Custom Shower stall is something a homeowner can tackle with a little planning and knowledge.

The shower pan membrane liner is used to ensure a leak-proof shower base.

Shower pan membrane liners are used to funnel water that seeps through the base of the shower or wall grout to the shower drain below. The shower pan membrane liner is made up of a flexible type of plastic material that sits below a bed of mortar, and the tile, in the base of the shower area.

Prior to installing the shower pan membrane liner, the base of the shower needs to be pre-sloped to ensure that the water will flow towards the shower drain assembly. The pre-slope is accomplished by applying a layer of mortar in the base shower area. The layer of mortar is troweled in such as way as to create a gentle slope from the shower wall edges to the center of the shower where the drain resides.

Once the pre-slope mortar has cured, the flexible shower pan membrane liner can then be installed. There are a couple of types of shower pan membrane liners on the market, with each having their own benefits. With either type of membrane, the homeowner needs to form and fold the material into the base of the shower area and secure it to the sides of the shower wall frame with staples and/or nails. In addition, an opening in the membrane should be cut out to allow the adjustable shower drain assembly to slip through.

With the shower pan membrane installed, the cementitious ceramic tile backerboard can then be secured to the framed shower walls. The backerboard is a rigid material that is ideal for attaching tile in wet areas such as a shower stall.

After installing the ceramic tile backerboard, a final coat of mortar needs to be applied on top of the membrane to protect it and to provide a solid base for laying the ceramic floor tile.

With the final coat of mortar cured, the ceramic tile can then be installed in the shower.

Once the tile and grout have been installed, the shower drain assembly should be adjusted so that the drain height sits flush with the finished ceramic tile floor.

Planning a custom ceramic tile shower and don't know where to begin? Not sure how to install a Shower Pan Membrane Liner. See [Shower Pan Membrane Liner Installation EBook]