What Kind Of Cement To Use For Shower Pan
Portland cement the most common type of cement used in homes today it has been around for centuries it seems and is one of the best types of cements for a shower base.
What kind of cement to use for shower pan. The shower pan must be framed properly to support the pan liner and cement installation. For this example we ll use a drain that is in the center of the shower pan. Sakrete sand mix is a prepackaged cement mix ideally suited to this application. It is very important to use only portland cement and not masonry cement which contains lime.
It is essentially metal mesh not unlike chicken wire that is placed inside the frame of the shower base before the. We first need to frame in the shower pan with 2x10 lumber around the bottom of the floor and regular 2x4 studs up the walls. Use a trowel or cement mixer to properly mix the mortar and keep it soft until you are ready to spread it. Install a drain dam inside the drain pipe or drain hole to prevent mortar from falling through it.
As a safety precaution you should stuff a loose rag down the drain so that any tools or cement you drop down the drain will be easily retrievable while you are building the tile shower pan. Don t be fooled by the words sand mix. The floor of a tile shower commonly referred to as the shower pan is a hard packed mixture of sand preferably sharp sand which is crushed rock and traditional portland cement over a vinyl or pvc membrane. Mortar is the type of concrete product that works best for shower pan applications since it contains no gravel allowing it to work easily and dry with a gentle slope.
Use a 2x8 or larger board placed on edge between each stud on the shower side of the wall. They should be mixed to a ratio of 5 1. This type of sand may also be called concrete sand. The idea is to create a flat surface for the shower base to lay on.
Lath is material that is added to concrete to give it tensile strength. To apply the mortar bed spread it evenly around the shower area. Finally add water gradually so that the sand and cement come together in a ball with no excess water or crumbling. The sand should be sharp sand which is made from crushed stone.
It does not need to be pretty just be sure it is flush with the face of the wall. Portland cement is water resistant when it hardens smooth and easy to trowel onto the floor and available everywhere. This product is actually a high strength mortar made with sand and portland cement which i will henceforth refer to as mortar. The slope directs water toward the shower drain.
The drain can be anywhere on the pan as long as we slope the concrete for proper drainage. This is usually 24 to 48 hours. Allow the mortar bed to dry completely and cure before installing the shower base.