Shower Pan/Base Installation & general shower discussion

[milkmania]

This is the look in going for, except 5' wide

[Elliot Naess]

Do not make the mistake I made:

I installed a conventional fiberglass shower stall, such as for a home.
The floor needs support, so it does not crack. The globs of mortar, plaster or such as shown earlier seem to be standard procedure.

Well, I used expanding foam, so it would fit nicely. I figured any excess foam would squirt harmlessly out the sides.

Not so. The expanding foam lifted the center of the floor -- which is where the drain is. So now I always have a circular puddle of water that does not drain.

I will redo it. The only question is whether I can get all the foam out from under there, or will need to replace the whole stall.

Next time I will place a few hundred pounds of weight on the floor, to ensure drainage.

While I'm at it....
When there is an appreciable amount of waste-water in the tank, which is located ahead of the shower, the stuff comes up the shower drain when I accelerate and/or climb hills. For now I tape over the drain. But the re-installation will get a shut-off valve below the shower drain.

[Timelord]

Originally Posted by Elliot Naess

While I'm at it....
When there is an appreciable amount of waste-water in the tank, which is located ahead of the shower, the stuff comes up the shower drain when I accelerate and/or climb hills. For now I tape over the drain. But the re-installation will get a shut-off valve below the shower drain.

Get one of those Hepvo Waterless Valve as it should act nicely as a one way valve.

[Elliot Naess]

That just might do it. Thanks!

[rossfree]

Here's a couple more pictures of the shower pan and walls. Also, I'm proud of my shower curtain rod. I used a bicycle flag pole from wallyworld, cut the flag and bracket off, drilled a couple of oak blocks and screwed it to the ceiling. Bought the hooks at Wally World too. They come threw to a pack. The curtain travels smoothly and it makes the shower seem huge. The last picture is my composting toilet... Almost finished with that!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...UhiNnNtWDFWMzA

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...nZjSFplRzVqNGM

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...VBZUzJ1ZHZ0bjQ

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...G1mTzBmTFZLTWs

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...GNuLWZoVkFmWFE

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...DRWbmNfa1BZOG8

Thanks for the tip on waste water in the shower Elliot! Will look into that!

Ross

[TAOLIK]

Originally Posted by rossfree

Here's a couple more pictures of the shower pan and walls. Also, I'm proud of my shower curtain rod. I used a bicycle flag pole from wallyworld, cut the flag and bracket off, drilled a couple of oak blocks and screwed it to the ceiling. Bought the hooks at Wally World too. They come threw to a pack. The curtain travels smoothly and it makes the shower seem huge. The last picture is my composting toilet... Almost finished with that!


https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...UhiNnNtWDFWMzA

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...nZjSFplRzVqNGM

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...VBZUzJ1ZHZ0bjQ

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...G1mTzBmTFZLTWs

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...GNuLWZoVkFmWFE

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...DRWbmNfa1BZOG8

Thanks for the tip on waste water in the shower Elliot! Will look into that!

Ross

Did some formatting for other viewers pleasure.












Ross that looks legit! The shower curtain rod improvisation is clever and appears to be very functional. I also like the tucked away feel your shower has.

[Jolly Roger]

Don't know what the hep of valve is yet but they have started selling some drain adapters to replace trap primers that do the job but add restrictions to the drain line that also collect stuff passing through like hair,mop string stuff. And they are called trap seals. They would work and or cheap but will clog your drain up.
I haven't thought about that problem but the first thing that came to my mind is something I have used when connecting swimming pool drains to the building sewer systems that are called Backwater valves. They are nothing more than a swing type check valve except unlike the same check valve for water that has water pressure on both sides and kinda hangs freely and only works when the water changes direction the backwater valves are designed for sewer drain lines that should only have intermittent pressure on the incoming side and none unless in a back pressure situation. To keep the sewer gases from traveling through the free swinging gate the backwater valve has a spring with slight pressure to hold the gate closed but when used it is a full open swing gate check valve with no obstructions.
Maybe to much info. That's not needed? I will look up the hepvo valves just so I have an idea next time there mentioned.

[Jolly Roger]

Sorry just looked at the hepvo thingies.
They will not stop a backflow or backup problem and they are only made in 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" which is standard for kitchen sinks and bathroom sinks/lavatories and I might try a few for my bus sink (long story) but most showers are standard size of 2" and hepvo don't have that yet?
Like you a shutoff valve will be ideal and probably cheaper but I do water for a living and I have shut offs everywhere needed for supply but now you have me thinking of the drains also.
I know at campgrounds around here on Sunday mornings everyone lines up to dump,clean and run and these old folgies get mad at a less experienced person for taking 20-minutes and then get up there and take 40 cause there still complaining to there buddies how long it took the newbies?
I really don't care and I haven't been that guy yet but I have tried to streamline the process but adding more valves adds more time at the dump station. If you know where the valves are and have a routine then it don't take that long so I guess it's a mute point but in that scenario I am the one that's liable to say something before I get out of the way so I guess I am just thinking of ways to avoid those conversations?
Good luck

[CadaSan]

Originally Posted by rossfree

Here's a couple more pictures of the shower pan and walls. Also, I'm proud of my shower curtain rod. I used a bicycle flag pole from wallyworld, cut the flag and bracket off, drilled a couple of oak blocks and screwed it to the ceiling. Bought the hooks at Wally World too. They come threw to a pack. The curtain travels smoothly and it makes the shower seem huge. The last picture is my composting toilet... Almost finished with that!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...UhiNnNtWDFWMzA

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...nZjSFplRzVqNGM

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...VBZUzJ1ZHZ0bjQ

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...G1mTzBmTFZLTWs

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...GNuLWZoVkFmWFE

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B3...DRWbmNfa1BZOG8

Thanks for the tip on waste water in the shower Elliot! Will look into that!

Ross

Hey Ross,

How did you get your shower drain to be level with your shower pan?
I am using FRP Panels (Fiber Glass) and I am trying to figure out how I will do that any advice?

I will have a sloped piece of plywood that will be treated for waterproofing and then glue the FRP Panel to the wood.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

look up kerdi and schluter shower systems.
things to think of once you wrap your head around it.

[TJones]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Don't know what the hep of valve is yet but they have started selling some drain adapters to replace trap primers that do the job but add restrictions to the drain line that also collect stuff passing through like hair,mop string stuff. And they are called trap seals. They would work and or cheap but will clog your drain up.
I haven't thought about that problem but the first thing that came to my mind is something I have used when connecting swimming pool drains to the building sewer systems that are called Backwater valves. They are nothing more than a swing type check valve except unlike the same check valve for water that has water pressure on both sides and kinda hangs freely and only works when the water changes direction the backwater valves are designed for sewer drain lines that should only have intermittent pressure on the incoming side and none unless in a back pressure situation. To keep the sewer gases from traveling through the free swinging gate the backwater valve has a spring with slight pressure to hold the gate closed but when used it is a full open swing gate check valve with no obstructions.
Maybe to much info. That's not needed? I will look up the hepvo valves just so I have an idea next time there mentioned.

Would this be one of the trap seals of which you speak?

https://kofflersales.com/p/green-drain-flow-trap.asp

From their demo video it looks like it would keep gasses and splashes contained in the tank until the seal had a hair ball keeping the seal open. I am trying to figure out how to have my shower drain straight down into the top of my gray water tank without taking up space with a p trap.

Thanks

Ted

[rossfree]

Originally Posted by CadaSan

Hey Ross,

How did you get your shower drain to be level with your shower pan?
I am using FRP Panels (Fiber Glass) and I am trying to figure out how I will do that any advice?

I will have a sloped piece of plywood that will be treated for waterproofing and then glue the FRP Panel to the wood.

CadaSan,

I'm sorry, I didn't get notified of your question so I am answering this pretty late. My drain clamps down on the plastic so it isn't really level with the pan. It will not drain completely and I figure I will have to hit the floor with a towel to dry it each time I shower. It was either that or raise the pan enough to drain everything and I didn't want to raise the pan because I wanted the head room.

There is a product called RedGuard available at Home Depot. It is a rubberized paint like coating that I used in another project to seal everything before tile. It worked GREAT and I can see that I could build my own pan with mortar, paint int with RedGuard and bits of fabric in the corners and tile the whole thing. It would look AWESOME this way and I think it would hold up just fine for the bus. This might be an upgrade in the future. We'll see.

Regards!

Ross

[Michael_Grumbach]

So glad to see that Im not the only one going with a concrete shower pan.
I found this really easy to follow diy shower pan made out of concrete video.
Im going to add a bunch of screws under the pan for the concrete to form around so that it wont go bouncing around while driving.
https://youtu.be/4KDaT5G7FE4
Im also thinking about making it a sit down shower to make better use of the vertical space.

[Michael_Grumbach]

So glad to see that Im not the only one going with a concrete shower pan.
I found this really easy to follow diy shower pan made out of concrete video.
Im going to add a bunch of screws under the pan for the concrete to form around so that it wont go bouncing around while driving.
https://youtu.be/4KDaT5G7FE4
Im also thinking about making it a sit down shower to make better use of the vertical space.