Any of you fellows ever install

[DEACONLLB]

At my age I am thinking of removing my bath tub and installing a walk in shower. I was looking on Lowe's web site and they have shower pans that look like I can just remove the tub and replace it with a fiberglass pan of the same size. even the drain is in the right place. Install backer board up to the old tile and tile from pan up to the old tile. I have set hundreds of feet of tile and I still have all my cutters saws etc. Main thing was wondering about the quality of pan and if any of you ever installed one?

Deaconllb

[O-mega]

At my age I am thinking of removing my bath tub and installing a walk in shower. I was looking on Lowe's web site and they have shower pans that look like I can just remove the tub and replace it with a fiberglass pan of the same size. even the drain is in the right place. Install backer board up to the old tile and tile from pan up to the old tile. I have set hundreds of feet of tile and I still have all my cutters saws etc. Main thing was wondering about the quality of pan and if any of you ever installed one?

Deaconllb

Just had two done.  I wanted to replace the downstairs tub with another, while the upstairs one we wanted a shower.  But, due to the way my stairs are, we couldn't get the wall portion up the stairs, so did the opposite.  The areas were the same size and only the plumbing needed to be moved a bit on the one upstairs due to the shower.  One thing though, be sure everything is there, physically, at the store.  We had to purchase parts in four different stores to get the two kits.  I had to even convince the Lowes store to give me a demo model due to all the stores being out, even at the warehouses and factory.

[Lloyd Smale]

if your heavy stay clear of the plastic liners and make sure your buying a good fiberglass one. I made the mistake and mine cracked from weight. Im not huge but go about 225 and it was enough to crack one.

[Mule 11]

We always set tubs in drywall mud. Have not done that type of shower pan but would do the same if it were not already reinforced with styrofoam...

[oldandslow]

At your age are you able to get down on your knees and do that tile work? If you can I'm happy for you.

[O-mega]

if your heavy stay clear of the plastic liners and make sure your buying a good fiberglass one. I made the mistake and mine cracked from weight. Im not huge but go about 225 and it was enough to crack one.

Yea, one thing I noticed was that the new one was not as well reinforced as the ones we took out.  The old ones were fiberglass with cardboard, yea carboard, core.  The new ones are resin, but seem brittle so I foresee these not lasting as long. The one we replaced was cracked and was installed probably in 95 when the house was built.  I had the garage converted into a shower back in 03 or 04, that shower seems to be holding up quite well, but don't recall if fiberglass or resin. 

[mcbammer]

  I   almost slipped an  busted my arse in the shower last week , so I am looking into a walk in bathtub , would a been a real mess as I have  a glass slider instead of plastic shower curtains .

[moamonkey]

Had one once, never again. Mine developed a hairline crack around the drain that I didn't know existed for a long time. Once the crack started to grow and I could see it, the floor had started to rot out from under it. I would at least look for a more substantial pan.

[mcbammer]

  If your good at laying tile ,just build the pan with tile .

[Mule 11]

  If your good at laying tile ,just build the pan with tile .

The tile in the pan is not waterproof. It’s a bit more complicated than just laying tile...

[DEACONLLB]

I am well versed on lay in tile shower pan and they are not for me down the road they start leaking and causing floor damage, if floor is concrete then the leaks begin to cause bottom plate rot. I am beginning to think my best bet may be to remove the glass tub enclose and put in a nice shower curtain. My tub is not very deep and I can better survive a slip and fall than breaking through a glass door.

Deaconllb

[Mule 11]

Actually a well installed tile pan will last longer than you or I. Problem is there are few that can do it without water seepage. (Although many say they can). Grab bars work well. But again improperly installed will allow water infiltration which will cause mold and rott. There are clamp on grab bars that attach to the tub and work well. If ya really want to educate yourself on tile showers I suggest John Bridge’s website. It is a site for tile and custom tile shower beginners to guru’s on the subject and will gladly talk your ear off on the object of there affection which is tile setting and building custom tile showers.

[northwoodneil]

I built my own shower pan. Cement board and cement to shape it and build the curb. There is a product Redgard. A couple coats applied as directed to pan and walls and it's waterproof forever. You just tile right over it. It makes a flexible waterproof membrane that works.  I tested this stuff by coating the inside of a cardboard box, letting it cure, and filling the box with water. A week later I still had dry cardboard.

[oldandslow]

I am well versed on lay in tile shower pan and they are not for me down the road they start leaking and causing floor damage, if floor is concrete then the leaks begin to cause bottom plate rot. I am beginning to think my best bet may be to remove the glass tub enclose and put in a nice shower curtain. My tub is not very deep and I can better survive a slip and fall than breaking through a glass door.

Deaconllb

Install a grab rail or two to hang on to. I did that for my wife’s older sister that visits now and then and needs them.

[Mule 11]

I built my own shower pan. Cement board and cement to shape it and build the curb. There is a product Redgard. A couple coats applied as directed to pan and walls and it's waterproof forever. You just tile right over it. It makes a flexible waterproof membrane that works.  I tested this stuff by coating the inside of a cardboard box, letting it cure, and filling the box with water. A week later I still had dry cardboard.

This is a outdoor hunting, fishing, and shooting forum. If ya want to know? Go to a tile forum. Red guard, aqua shield and a miriad Of other products may work. Not knocking em. Personally, I do it a bit differently and use a pvc liner between mortar beds. Not sayin the others won’t work if applied properly and I have used them to some extent. Butt. I like to sleep well at night...

[scattershot]

As I get older (75 in August) my favorite tool is a checkbook.

[ironglows]

.
   I have a corner style shower setup, much like the one shown below, except mine has a heavier base, with about a 5" stepover.  It was installed at a very reasonable price, by a plumber friend of my son.  I had it installed several years ago, when my wife needed it.  Now that she is gone, I still appreciate it over the tub shower for the same reasons .
  Mine is a fiberglass wall panels, with what I believe to be a plastic base.  The plumber had much experience with them and had confidence in this one.

  I do have  a tubular D-handle type grip just outside the door and another inside to the right of the shower adjust handle, which works well... since I can hold the inside, right handle with one hand, while my left hand reaches for the outside handle.

  You and I share a situation...  Being alone now, we don't put near as much pressure on any shower facility as a family of 5 or 6 people would do.

  BTW: I disagree with the idea that GBO is a hunt-fish-shoot forum only.  My goodness, we have here, forms on trapping, religion, bikes and many subjects... Mrs. GBO even has a genealogy forum..and I say GREAT !

  If there is any form I don't like...I just don't go there.  ..However, we do have thousands of mostly life-experienced people here.  I like to hear from those who are more familiar with areas I am interested in..we can learn SOMETHING  from almost everyone.

[oldandslow]

Yes, this the pot bellied stove section where general discussions are held. To me that means subjects other than shooting, hunting, or fishing. I may be in the minority but that is my take on it. I have to say that it seems to have become more of an extension of the political section in the last several months. As to the outdoors part there are plenty of places here for that but they seem to get little or no use now.

[ironglows]

Yes, this the pot bellied stove section where general discussions are held. To me that means subjects other than shooting, hunting, or fishing. I may be in the minority but that is my take on it. I have to say that it seems to have become more of an extension of the political section in the last several months. As to the outdoors part there are plenty of places here for that but they seem to get little or no use now.

  Maybe some don't /can't remember the old general store..where there was often a pot bellied stove located somewhere near center..with a couple old chairs and perhaps an old nail keg nearby..where the locals would often gather and converse..ABOUT EVERYTHING.
 
   As I see it...if there isn't a proper forum for what you want to discuss, take it to the "stove"..

  ...And of course, there is always the option which is available to all.. if you're not interested, just don't participate

[Mule 11]

My point was. Better information on the John Bridge tile forum. You can discuss gynecology for all I care...

[oldandslow]

If you don't care why did you bring it up. Just post where the better info is found and let it go at that.

Ironglow, being a geezer like you I can remember some places of business with a pot belled stove and people sitting around it and shooting the bull. No general store though we did have a large animal feed store owned by a guy nick named "Windy" Beckham and in nice weather several congregated in chairs he kept on his loading dock and discussed such subjects as the rain or lack of, stock and commodity prices (cotton and milo), and just general gossip. Windy came by his nick name honestly. Guy could talk the arm off a cigar store indian. Our example was across town from the feedstore and retained both his arms.

[Mule 11]

Apparently ya needed clarification...

[ironglows]

If you don't care why did you bring it up. Just post where the better info is found and let it go at that.

Ironglow, being a geezer like you I can remember some places of business with a pot belled stove and people sitting around it and shooting the bull. No general store though we did have a large animal feed store owned by a guy nick named "Windy" Beckham and in nice weather several congregated in chairs he kept on his loading dock and discussed such subjects as the rain or lack of, stock and commodity prices (cotton and milo), and just general gossip. Windy came by his nick name honestly. Guy could talk the arm off a cigar store indian. Our example was across town from the feedstore and retained both his arms.

  Yep; Feed mills and feed stores also..  At the stores, the guys were always nipping a tiny wedge off the big cheese round, where the cheddar was sold by the pound.
  I don't suppose the feed mill suffered that kind of loss, unless the guy had his horse or cow with him !

[northwoodneil]

I remember one such store I visited probably 40 years back. I was working road construction and it was cold early September and had been raining for most of a week. In a little town store in northern Wisconsin set two old boys around a small heater. I had walked in for a little tobacco and smiled and asked "is it ever gonna' quit raining?" One of the old men leaned back on his stool and gave me these words of wisdom " it always has". The second man looked up and said "we had summer here last month....it was on Tuesday I believe." Now I'm the old man giving those same responses to shivering wet young bucks.

[oldandslow]

Apparently ya needed clarification...

No, I didn't. You were bellyaching about this being a hunting, etc. forum although the OP was posting in the pot belled stove section which is for off topic posts when you could have just posted that there was better information on the subject in the forums you mentioned and left it at that.

[ironglows]

.
  according to the members list, there are 47,680 members here on GBO.  With that kind of membership, there must be a few hundred with such information, so why not tap that reserve, rather than joining a new group somewhere, just to ask one question?

      Fact is, it looks like the  GBO membership includes many life experienced members, and they seem quite willing to be of assistance.

  Now..back to the OP...  As I said earlier Deacon, living alone you will be presenting your shower with much less usage than a family will, so it should last as long as you need it !  My shower is so much better that the regular tub shower I replaced it with..I still appreciate it every time I use it.

  My second bath has the old tub/shower curtain setup, and I have to run some water occasionally, just to keep the trap filled...that's how much I use it...never.

[Mule 11]

Apparently ya needed clarification...

No, I didn't. You were bellyaching about this being a hunting, etc. forum although the OP was posting in the pot belled stove section which is for off topic posts when you could have just posted that there was better information on the subject in the forums you mentioned and left it at that.

Your the only one belly achin here... I post my opinion same as you...

[Mule 11]

.
  according to the members list, there are 47,680 members here on GBO.  With that kind of membership, there must be a few hundred with such information, so why not tap that reserve, rather than joining a new group somewhere, just to ask one question?

      Fact is, it looks like the  GBO membership includes many life experienced members, and they seem quite willing to be of assistance.

  Now..back to the OP...  As I said earlier Deacon, living alone you will be presenting your shower with much less usage than a family will, so it should last as long as you need it !  My shower is so much better that the regular tub shower I replaced it with..I still appreciate it every time I use it.

  My second bath has the old tub/shower curtain setup, and I have to run some water occasionally, just to keep the trap filled...that's how much I use it...never.

Yet there are only a handful posting. I have experience in this area and am suggesting there is better information on custom tile showers elsewhere. Sometimes ya just gotta bitch right... The op’s ? Was about replacing his pan with a fiberglass pan and I made suggestions about how (we) do it. Then others posted about (off topic). Putting in a tile base. Totally different. I posted the best place I know where to get that information and where I go to get it...  Also, ya don’t need  to join there forum to tap into there huge library of information and check out there advice. How much time have you codgers spent studying custom tile showers? None of course...

[Graybeard]

OK guys let's get back to discussion and stop the bickering.

Now don't be fooled by the number of registered members. That number is what GBO had when we sold it plus whatever number have signed up here since Matt set this site up.

I honestly have no idea how many of our members are currently active but on any given day several hundred different folks check in here, not all are registered members or at least not logged in members. We definitely DO NOT have the number of folks posting here now that we had at GBO when I sold it. Maybe in time but not now.

Matt took the database as of March 1, 2014, the date we sold GBO, and used it to start this site. All the members registered then automatically became members here when he set the site up. That doesn't mean they've been here or even know of this site yet.

I have no issues with members trying to tap into the knowledge base here to help them with problems they are having. I also agree that with some issues going to a site that specializes in that is a better source of info.

[ulav8r]

I will be installing a walk in shower in the next week or two using Kerdi membrane and pan system for the first time.  The foam pan has the proper slope built in as a base for tile..  I have done just a little tiling before, including two walk ins, 3 or 4 tub surrounds and 3 to 4 hundred sq ft of floor, and one repair to a walk in that had a tiled seat that leaked.  The seat was formed over an osb base.  As water soaked through the grout lines, the osb swelled and the grout lines cracked.  When I removed the seat, there was water standing under it and soaking under the wall.  What a mess.

Getting a concrete pan properly sloped and smooth is a b******.  Hopefully the Kerdi system will make it much easier.  Also, the membrane is supposed to make it fully waterproof.