Hello,

I am finishing my father-in-laws basement, to include full bath. Around here, for some reason they pour concrete all the way around the shower stub. I know there is a P-trap below... but my question is that this shower stub is right in the corner on the basement with barely enough room for a 36x36 shower. I installed one wall (the tightest tolerance relative to the shower stub being centered to the fiberglass drain hole) and I was able to shave the wall thin enough to have the shower base centered about 1/8" from center. Is this necessary to have the shower base perfectly centered? I can try to bust the concrete nails out for the second time and shave the wall a little more, but wasn't sure if there was some flexibility for the drain fitting to center enough to seal?

My next question is, what are the steps for shimming and leveling the base? Do I need to install anything under the fibreglass base, use mortar, etc...or can I just fit base to concrete floor, shim it and screw to studs (that doesnt' sound right though)? AND I also noticed that when I do level the base with shims and with the 15" stub coming up through the drain hole of the base... that there is only about 2-7/8" depth from the surface of the concrete floor to bottom of fiberglass shower drain surface. Is this enough room to glue on the PVC drain fitting to stub after cutting it down to size and shower still be high enough without drain fitting putting excess pressure on lower surface (hope I make sense)? It seems tight since I saw my first floor shower drain under floor joists shower and the shower drain fitting looks fairly thick. It actually connects to the bottom of my first floor shower and the plumber had to cut the subfloor under the shower to accomodate the drain fitting below. That's why it looks like a tight distance. What is the typical method for installing a simple shower in a basement (plug-and-play version) Is the system for a basement shower install different than it is for a typical main floor install?

I appreciate any feedback..sorry for the extreme detail...just wanted to cover as much as I could.

 

Seeing that no one has posted a reply, I'll try to give you some of my limited experience in the hopes that it might help you.

I just put in 2 acrylic fiberglass showers in a new home we're building and the shower drains connected to the 2" PVC with rubber FERNCO couplings (basically a rubber sleeve). These were Kohler showers and Kohlers drain fittings. To allow you to compare to your installation, the drain pipe came up into the metal drain fitting (stopping short of the shower floor) and then the FERNCO sleeve was lubed with liquid dish detergent and driven down to fill the circular gap between the PVC pipe and drain fitting. In my application, being 1/8" off-center wouldn't have worked. You say that you have a glue-on drain fitting, so I can't make a judgement call on your application, only you can.

If the 2 7/8" height is not adequate, could you raise the shower up a small amount, maybe 1 1/2" with a treated 2x around the perimeter?

A lot of showers are installed with no additional support under the floor of the shower pan. Our current shower (actually a garden tub) was installed this way and is developing cracks after 10 years. Many plumbers recommend placing a mortar bed under the shower pan. I did under my 2 acrylic shower and the difference is amazing; it feels absolutely rock solid. Actually, I overdid the support and came close to a full mortar bed under my showers, many plumbers just dump a small bucket or 2 of mortar under the pan for added support, which is probably just fine.

As far as shimming the base, that probably only matters if the shower pan is so out of level that it won't drain properly or the walls won't assemble to the base properly. If you combine an out-of-level situation and your 2 7/8" height issue from above, maybe you could pour a shallow concrete/mortar platform, level it and smooth it out to build the shower on?

Hope this helps.

Rick

 

Thanks Rick,

I also have a Fernco (Kohler) shower. No I do not have a glue on, but assumed that was the only choice. But after researching the drain you described, it would be very stupid to use a glue on type since it's permanent after install.

My next question is: I have never leveled out a floor. The shower is in the corner of the basement, so therefore, the perimeter of the basement is higher to accomodate the floor drains in the basement. I did level the shower prior taking the measurement I mentioned before on the floor to base drain height. But one corner of this 36" shower does need to be lifted on the front edge about 1" or so. Seems extreme, but I would like to dam the pan area and level it out. But what do I use that I can pour in and let gravity do the leveling. I'm afraid if I use concrete or thick mortar, I would be responsible for the leveling and not gravity. Is there an easy application I can use? If there is nothing out there that is self leveling, can anyone give me some tips on how to approach it (tools, etc?)

I really appreciate your input.

 

I'm in the EXACT same spot. I'm installing a 3-piece surround and built all the stud walls to maufacturer's specifications. I bought the base BEFORE building the walls and dry fit it a couple of times so there would be no surprises. I just got the plumbing done and did the same with the wall where the fixtures will go (to make sure I got the heights right), and noticed that the floor is not level, as the wall wouldn't line up straight.

I KNOW there are self-leveling cements, but are there any truly pre-mixed products easily available? Most bags are 50 pounds and have to be mixed up. I'm only doing under the shower, not the whole floor. I searched online and have actually seen "pre-mixed, just add water." That doesn't sound exactly like "pre-mixed" to me!

Tom

 

The leveling issue isn't really that hard. My local box store (Menard's) sells a Mapei product where a 50# bag is mixed with a few quarts of water. I used the Ultraplan I with the acrylic Primer L. (Lowe's sells Mapei, but only seems to carry the epoxy primer). There are also other brands that are equivalent to Mapei. The Mapei product web site is:

http://www.mapei.com/MapeiAmericas/en/products_line2.htm

A bag will mix in a 5 gallon bucket with a heavy duty drill and a mixing paddlle. It can be poured in thicknesses from featheredge to 1 1/2" and cures in a few hours. It will find ALL the leaks in your forms! About anything can be used to make dams for pouring - foam weatherstripping, boards, caulk, cardboard tubes, plastic pipe, etc. Just make edges and cracks are sealed.

 

Thanks. I'll look for it. I'm thinking of using some 1/4" luan strips (2" X 24") I've cut for spacers and duct taping them to seal up the seams and then taping to the floor.

I was in Lowe's last night to see if they had anything different than HD and I didn't see ANY self-leveling compound there. I said to my wife, "I'll bet Menards's has it!" Unfortunately, there are no Menards here in Northern Virginia. But I was in one in Wisconsin over Christmas. I think I'd spend a lot of time there!

Tom

 

Look for the self-leveling compounds in the floor tile department.

 

I actually got some good help at my local HD and found a small bucket of leveling compound in the tile department, as suggested. Poured over the weekend, but will require a second pour. I KNEW I should have bought two in the first place. A bit pricey, but fast and easy to work with! Second pour should do it.

Thanks for the tip!
Tom

 

I was reading your reply about the drain and how you have to use dishsoap to lube the drain rubber thingy ... well I didnt and I almost goT it to go down almost level except one side wouldnt go any further.. so I cut the extra off level with a blade .. is that okay? it was only about a 1/4 inch out...I 'm pretty confident it should be alright yeah????..but just making sure before I put the rock sheet up..also do I caulk anywhere around that rubber or on top of ithe drain fittings before i put the drain cover on (which wont pound in either) so I saw that I could glue that on right ? if i pound down the nubs? thanks if you can help me
Julia