- 1). Frame in the shower walls with 2-by-4 studs, and frame the shower threshold with three pressure treated 2-by-4s on edge, fastening them to the floor joists with 16d common nails. End-nail on edge 2-by-10 lumber in between the frame studs around the perimeter of the shower.
- 2). Disassemble the three-piece shower drain, install the drain base to the drain pipe and glue it with PVC cement. Stuff a rag into the drain to prevent mortar from falling in. Mark the height of the middle of the floor drain along the farthest wall, and then add 1/4 inch to the height for every 12 inches of shower floor between the drain and the wall. Mark this height all around the perimeter of the shower enclosure with a level.
- 3). Mix the custom bed mortar to the manufacturer's specifications, pour, and use a scrap piece of wood to slope the bed toward the drain but not over it, using your perimeter height marks as a guide. Check the slope with a level and fill all low spots with mortar. Once the slope is achieved, use a trowel to smooth the mortar, and let it cure to the manufacturer's recommendations.
- 4). Measure the size of the shower floor and mark it out on a sheet of CPE membrane. Add an additional 8 inches around the perimeter and an additional 16 inches to the curb end. Use caulk around the face of the drain base and screw the bolts partway into the floor. Put the CPE membrane in place and cut an "X" over the bolts so the liner will fit into place. Put pressure on the liner with your hands to flatten out air bubbles and smooth the liner out towards the walls, making sure to push the membrane tightly into the wall corners and fold the extra into hospital corners. Staple the liner to the wall 1/2 inch below the edge of the membrane. Cut out the drain hole and let the caulk dry completely.
- 5). Test the shower pan by filling it up with water 1 inch below the curb. Let the water sit overnight and check the level in the morning. If the water is lower, there is a leak and you will need to use patches of CPE membrane and caulk to patch the holes. Repeat this process until no leaks are found.
- 6). Staple 4 mil poly to the studs of the walls and along the shower curb, overlapping the CPE membrane by 2 inches. Install 1/2-inch cement board over the poly, screwing in every 8 inches with cement board screws. Attach the drain strainer piece to the drain with a height of 1 1/2 inches above the shower pan. Mark this same height along the perimeter of your shower walls as a reference. Spread pea gravel along the weep holes of the drain to prevent mortar from falling in. Fill the pan with mortar to 3/4 inch and smooth with a trowel; covering the pea gravel, screed a slope to the drain.
- 7). Cut metal lath to fit the shower pan and place it over the mortar, keeping it 1/2 inch away from the drain flange. Fill the shower pan with mortar to the rest of the 1 1/2 inches you marked in Step 6, and screed with a trowel, leaving space around the drain flange for the thickness of the tile. When finished, allow the mortar to cure to the manufacturer's specifications.
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