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Installing Ceramic Tile in a Shower Using a Shower Pan Membrane Liner
Building a Custom Ceramic
Tile Shower starts with a Shower Pan Membrane Liner and Cement Board
By Mark J. Donovan
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Installing
ceramic tile in a shower starts with a proper foundation. The foundation
consists of Durock cement board on the walls and a Shower Pan Membrane Liner
in the base of the shower, if the shower floor is to be tiled too.
Durock cement board, also known as backerboard, is resistant to water and is
ideal materials for applying ceramic tiles to high-moisture areas. Durock
can be applied directly to wall studs and ceiling joists using hot-dipped
galvanized nails or galvanized wood screws.
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Thin-set or an
adhesive mortar can be applied directly on the Durock cement
board for attaching the ceramic tiles. However, fiberglass mesh tape should be
applied over all seams and smoothed out with a latex thin-set prior to the
application of ceramic tiles.
If ceramic
tile is desired on the floor of the shower as well, then a shower pan membrane
liner should be installed prior to the installation of the Durock
cement board. See HomeAdditionPlus.com's
Shower Pan
Membrane Liner Installation Ebook to learn about shower
pan membrane liner installation.
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The shower pan
membrane liner is used to ensure a leak-proof shower. Shower pan membrane liners
are used to funnel any water that seeps through the floor or wall grout to the
shower drain below. The shower pan membrane liner is made up of a flexible type
of plastic material that sits below a bed of mortar, and the tile, in the shower
floor area.
Prior to installing a shower pan membrane liner, the floor of the shower
needs to be pre-sloped to ensure that the water will flow towards the shower
drain assembly. The pre-slope is accomplished by applying a layer of mortar
to the floor of the shower unit area. |
The layer of mortar is troweled in such as way as to create a
gentle slope from the shower wall edges to the center of the shower where the
drain resides.
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Once the
pre-slope mortar has cured, the flexible shower pan membrane liner can then be
installed. There are a couple of types of shower pan membrane liners on the
market, with each having their own benefits. With either type of membrane, the
homeowner needs to form and fold the material into the base of the shower area
and secure it to the sides of the shower wall frame with staples and/or nails.
In addition, an opening in the membrane should be cut out to allow the
adjustable shower drain assembly to slip through. |
With the
shower pan membrane installed, the cementitious ceramic tile backerboard
(Durock) can then be secured to the framed shower walls.
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After
installing the ceramic tile backerboard, a final coat of mortar needs to be
applied on top of the shower pan membrane to protect it and to provide a solid
base for laying the ceramic floor tile.
With the final
coat of mortar cured, the ceramic tile can then be installed in the shower.
For more
information on installing a shower pan membrane liner, see the
Shower
Pan Membrane Liner Installation Ebook
from HomeAdditionPlus.com. The Shower Pan Membrane Liner EBook will quickly
teach you the step-by-step process for installing the shower pan membrane liner
correctly. It includes instructions on framing the shower stall, pouring the
pre-slope and shower base mortar, and installing the shower pan membrane liner.
For more
information on tiling a custom ceramic tile shower, see the
How to Tile a Custom Ceramic Tile Shower Ebook
from HomeAdditionPlus.com. It provides detailed instructions for every
step in the process of tiling a custom ceramic tile shower and is loaded with
instructional pictures!
See HomeAdditionPlus.com's
Ceramic Tile Calculator
How to Finance your Home Improvement Project -
can help provide funds for your new home improvement project if financing is
required.
Related Ceramic Tile
Information
Additional Ceramic Tile Resources from Amazon.com
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