Wet Bath Beginnings

[Danjo]

Here’s the beginning of my wet bath. That’s a Dreamline shower base and a Dometic 310 toilet.

[ol trunt]

Well, you're starting out with good stuff. What are the rest of your plans? Stand up shower, sit down shower, walls, tanks?
Jack

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by ol trunt

Well, you're starting out with good stuff. What are the rest of your plans? Stand up shower, sit down shower, walls, tanks?
Jack

I thought a single window width was going to be too narrow for.a toilet and I didn’t want to split windows, so there it is, a pretty big bath for a shorty. Since it’s big it might as well be a shower pan.

I’m going to frame the walls up around it and make a sliding door. Hole saw for the toilet flange directly into the black tank that will be fit into the C Channel cross members. Shower drain to the grey tank mounted where the AC condenser is now.

I guess it’s time to start the official build thread.

[Native]

Great start to the "essentials" room.


Yeah, time for the build thread.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

Originally Posted by Danjo

Here’s the beginning of my wet bath. That’s a Dreamline shower base and a Dometic 310 toilet.

how far have you made it on this install and finish.
i would like some pics and ideas if you have them.
i also have the 3500 chassis shorty.
did you remove the underskirt condensor to be able to put the tank there?
several questions since we have the same chassis.
might PM you if you dont mind.

[Danjo]

So I finished the wet bath. It turned out pretty nice. Pictures to follow. Here are some thoughts on how to do it better;

In the process I found out about the XPS core tile backer. There are several brands. I used HydroBlock. one of the things that came up is doing a floor base with that stuff. I was too far along to do this, but how I’d do it now is to make the shower pan as a flat board of of this XPS foam board FLAT and add a linear drain on two sides.that wY whichever way the bus tilts, it drains.

I’d look at PVC quickdrain, an Oatey product, I came across this product doing a house bathe remodel. whatever you want to use as a shower base (plywood) and a moisture barier That Quickdrain recommends. They are great. They have a warehouse in Ohio where they demonstrate the product and showed it on a FaceTime call.

So you make a floor out of plywood and have a drai. On both ends, covered with a moisture barrier and walls of HydroBlock or whatever tile backer (Lowe’s has t too) and tile, and you’re golden.

[Danjo]

I also have black/gray tank infi for you, but I need more detail

[Danjo]

Oh,I also have a toilet/step shower idea that might help you if you want to save space

[Danjo]

Feel free to PM

[dzl_]

Originally Posted by Danjo

So I finished the wet bath. It turned out pretty nice. Pictures to follow. Here are some thoughts on how to do it better;

In the process I found out about the XPS core tile backer. There are several brands. I used HydroBlock. one of the things that came up is doing a floor base with that stuff. I was too far along to do this, but how I’d do it now is to make the shower pan as a flat board of of this XPS foam board FLAT and add a linear drain on two sides.that wY whichever way the bus tilts, it drains.

I’d look at PVC quickdrain, an Oatey product, I came across this product doing a house bathe remodel. whatever you want to use as a shower base (plywood) and a moisture barier That Quickdrain recommends. They are great. They have a warehouse in Ohio where they demonstrate the product and showed it on a FaceTime call.

So you make a floor out of plywood and have a drai. On both ends, covered with a moisture barrier and walls of HydroBlock or whatever tile backer (Lowe’s has t too) and tile, and you’re golden.

Very nice! what are the dimensions?

[musigenesis]

Looks great. That's a good tip about the linear drains.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

thanks for the picture.
looks good.

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by dzl_

Very nice! what are the dimensions?

I really thought long and hard about using this much space for a bathroom in a short bus. Its roomy! The pan is 54x36. I couldn’t find a pan that was the exact width of 2 windows so I got one a little shorter and framed the end into a little shelf.

It didn’t occur to me at the time to make an entryway step shower. I might have done that instead to save a windows width of space for the kitchen. It’s all good though, I’m happy with how it’s coming along.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

did you remove the A/C condensor?
the answer to that question is only going to lead to more questions of course.

[Danjo]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger bus 223

did you remove the A/C condensor?
the answer to that question is only going to lead to more questions of course.

I did remove the condenser. I got a screaming deal at firestone to recover the refrigerant. $20! I chased down the wiring and took the coolant lines off at the condenser and tucked them up inside the frame. I haven’t reinstalled it yet. The hanger is the same on the passenger side. I need to have a longer low pressure side hose made.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

thanks for the ideas.
had not thought about linear or trench drains for a shower but it makes since.
i do commercial plumbing for a living so already know the oaty products.
and even knowing waterproofing membranes i never thought of building my own?
told you i would have more questions.
did you use epoxy grout?
have you driven anywhere after install?
does your cabin a/c still work after underskirt condensor delete?
not on a fast track build yet?
going through the mechanics and wiring deletes right now but planning the build so your advice is appreciated.
and its not associated to the wetbath?
but vanda lock delete is a pain in the butt and very time consuming.
thanks for any ideas danjo. and yes i would like to know your tank choices. whether here or PM.

[Jolly Roger bus 223]

mine only has the condenser on the driver side and am worried that it carries the dash a/c as well because of the way mine is piped/plumbed for auxillary a/c in the back.
are you at the point that you have your dash ac working without any underskirt condenser ?

[Danjo]

I used the Custom Brand urethane grout in a bucket.

I’ve driven about 700 miles so far, including some BLM rutty dirt roads. Still all intact. No cracked grout, even at the base and in the corners.


The cockpit AC and cabin AC are the same circuit on mine, so I’ve been very careful to not run it!

The most time consuming part was to figure out how I was going to fit the black tank. I decided the way to go was to fit it in between the cross members. The auxiliary battery on my bus is on the passenger side just behind the front door and that space between cross members is just behind the drivers seat and just under the shower. So I got the left hand drain, leaving the right side free to mount the toilet. I found a tank the correct size to fit between the cross members and short enough to stay away from the exhaust. I made a sheet metal shield for the top and bottom of the tank and duct taped that all together. I took the battery compartment apart and pushed the tank to the other side, under the shower. I used a few pieces of unistrut and some all-thread to mount it. Once that was in place I measured the center of the toilet flange and hole sawed through the shower pan and then through the floor, following up with the correct sized hole saw for the tank gasket. I used a can of foam to fill the space under the toilet (I used a can when I set the pan in place of the cement bed the manufacturer wants) and let that dry. With a cardboard collar to keep it out of the drain hole.

[Danjo]

I installed one of those PVC linear drains with he schluter Kerdi membrane on a mud base recently. I think that it would work great on a plywood base as long as you routed out for the flange to sit flush and then glued the entire membrane down with the schluter urethane to the plywood and tiled directly onto the membrane.

[veglorde]

Danjo, this has been so helpful.

I’m taking a lot of inspiration from it, including your suggestion to do double linear drains. I’m down to the metal floor and just laid furring strips, and before I put down insulation and subfloor, I’m considering what my shower floor might be comprised of. I’m not planning on using a shower pan, and the side of the bus is quite short (I’m currently the same height as the wall/ceiling seam), so I’m trying to save on headroom.

You said this almost verbatim above, but I want to confirm I’ve got the layering right. Metal floor, insulation, subfloor, could I then lay the Oatey PVC sheeting or Schluter Kerdi membrane and tile on top? Which of these would be best? Thanks for any help you can provide!

Oh, and I’ll also note that beside the entry door, the wet bath will be in the back (erm, passenger side) and thus two of the walls are bus windows/walls. The only full wall will be corrugated metal—should I also line the back of that with the membrane?