How To Install Ceramic Tile Shower Pan

Prefabricated shower bases are often used when remodeling a bathroom.

How to install ceramic tile shower pan.

If you plan to cut the bottom row of tile start your installation with the second row. For the vertical layout begin your pattern at the top of the wall so there ll be full uncut tile at the top. How to install tiled shower walls with a prefab base. Often showers are created out of one type of material only.

Wear heavy duty work gloves and remove the tile and backer board down to the studs. Have a professional install a shower membrane and shower pan appropriate for the space. In our project the shower pan is poured concrete image 2. Once demolition of the old tile is complete install a cement backer board in the shower area image 1.

For do it yourselfers this is much easier and more foolproof than the traditional tilers method of forming a shower base from scratch. The first step of understanding how to tile a shower is preparing your work area. That way if you do have to cut tile to fit they ll be at the bottom where the tub or shower pan might be slightly out of level. And with a mortar and tile floor your shower can be any shape.

This isn t especially problematic if the pan was installed separately from the shower walls but it can be tricky if the pan is part of a one piece fiberglass stall and it may need professional expertise. So if you d like to install a tile shower and are willing to build your own custom shower pan you ll be able to tile it to match the walls. With the right type of shower pan you can have an easy to install virtually leakproof prefab pan and a tiled shower floor because you can simply tile over the pan. Remove all shower accessories and hardware.

While prefabricated pans are faster and easier to install if you want to use tile instead of an acrylic or fiberglass enclosure you need this tailor made option. Made of fiberglass or acrylic they have an expanded polystyrene eps. This is necessary for durability style and so the pan is the exact size and shape for your new shower. This custom built pan provides the necessary base over which to lay tile.

With over 10 years of experience he specializes in bathroom and kitchen renovations. Although fiberglass units make shower pans quick and easy they lack the elegance of a handcrafted mortar and tile floor. Now you can get the best of both worlds. Art focuses on a single contractor approach to customized renovation work and performs projects such as installing custom tile showers fixing tiled shower leaks replacing cracked tiles and installing floor and wall tile.

The proper way to tile over a fiberglass shower pan is to remove the pan.