curbless showers, has anyone done it?

[sintax]

So I live in a late 90's build home, it has a fairly decent sized en suite bathroom. It seems most of the homes in this era have these tiny tiny stall showers, and these massive tubs. Mine is back to back, shower / tub, all along the exterior wall, on the second story.

I'd love to totally ditch the giant tub (yes, i have a second one in the guest bath), and build a nice big shower, ideally curbless.

Has anyone gone down this road? Any regrets?

I do understand that choosing the right "system" is important when you're dealing with a wood subfloor, so wanted to see what peoples experiences have been.

Anyone have any recommended contractors / installers?

 

[lf2]

I did one for a customer a few years ago. Used the Wedi system, came out nice.

 

[sintax]

I did one for a customer a few years ago. Used the Wedi system, came out nice.

Awesome, looks good. Do you install in Corona / Riverside area?

 

[RichL]

If you haven't already considered it, I would suggest looking into a linear style drain. Will make slope and tile layout a little easier.

I have no connection here. Just an example.

Best Drain for Your Shower | Schluter

TV's Scott McGillivray explains how to choose the best drain for your shower. Read more now.

www.schluter.com

 

[sintax]

If you haven't already considered it, I would suggest looking into a linear style drain. Will make slope and tile layout a little easier.

I have no connection here. Just an example.

Best Drain for Your Shower | Schluter

TV's Scott McGillivray explains how to choose the best drain for your shower. Read more now.

www.schluter.com

Yes, this was on my radar for sure.

 

[sintax]

what about you @Melloyellovector or @NicPaus any comments when you get a minute?

 

[NicPaus]

I have done them. To far from me. One was for a elderly customer. We made it where the helper could wheel his wheelchair right into it. Linear drain is way to go. If raised foundation or second story the framing needs to be dropped for proper slope.

 

[RichL]

I have done them. To far from me. One was for a elderly customer. We made it where the helper could wheel his wheelchair right into it. Linear drain is way to go. If raised foundation or second story the framing needs to be dropped for proper slope.

^^^^This^^^^

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

Out of marble

 

[lf2]

Awesome, looks good. Do you install in Corona / Riverside area?

Yes Im in Norco. Rick (949)295-7909.

 

[Jed-O]

A buddy of mine (a fellow contractor in arrowhead) did one for a charity job several years ago for a disabled couple. He had to cut out the floor joists and re-frame the subfloor 4" below the original and fully waterproof it with a hot mop membrane over bituthane. Then he pitched the entire floor to the shower drain and tiled the whole thing. It was a huge undertaking and if it hadn't been a charity deal with a ton of sponsors it would have cost the owners close to 90K.

 

[mjc]

Just finished mine. 4 ft linear drain

 

[rivergames]

If your concrete or subfloor is not depressed, you can have a threshold made that brings the shower side of the damn up higher than the restroom floor to achieve proper slope to the drain

 

[white tortilla]

If you were in first floor with conventional slab it would be easier to do you could saw cut the slab and set it lower. On second floor it’s more complicated. For a decent size shower your going to probably take 4” out of your floor joists and even more at the trench drain if you did that. Would need someone who knows the loads of the joists and how to correctly beef them up onto bearing points below. I would strongly suggest going with typical shower with a curb it will probably cost 1/4 to do framing and rough changes then trying to do curb less.

 

[lf2]

With the Wedi system (schluter and others have come out with similar setups) you block and flush mount the subfloor with the top of the joists, no joist cutting or re framing needed. Then pan installs and is level with original sub floor.

 

[DLC]

can you post more pics that looks great! What a cool bathroom!
Is the rock wall tile the 12x12 sheets?


QUOTE="mjc, post: 3999434, member: 903"]
View attachment 967718
Just finished mine. 4 ft linear drain
[/QUOTE]

 

[sintax]

With the Wedi system (schluter and others have come out with similar setups) you block and flush mount the subfloor with the top of the joists, no joist cutting or re framing needed. Then pan installs and is level with original sub floor. View attachment 967728

This is what i've seen as well. I know technology is always changing in this area and thats why I reached out.

 

[badluck]

Did this 1 about a year ago. Lowered the floor 3”

 

[badluck]

 

[HALLETT BOY]

All I know is ,I would never do a shower with a big glass door again , way to much maintenance to keep clean .

 

[mjc]

can you post more pics that looks great! What a cool bathroom!
Is the rock wall tile the 12x12 sheets?


QUOTE="mjc, post: 3999434, member: 903"]
View attachment 967718
Just finished mine. 4 ft linear drain

[/QUOTE]
This is all I have

They are 12x24 tiles floor is 6x6. I had to take out 3 to 4 inches of concrete to do the pan. Put the shower valve on opposite side of shower head.

 

[RichL]

Depending on room layout and subfloor type, you would also be well advised to "waterproof" the room floor outside of the shower pan space as well. For example something along the lines of Laticrete's Hydro Ban.

 

[77charger]

As one who waterproofs the showers my advice it thismake sure when its built you sink it down far enough i cant tell you this enough.

Need to sink subfloor minimum 3 inches any less you risk water flowing back to the rest of floor outside.Your drain is about 2 inches high i add about 1 in to 1.5 of slope tile guy needs room to float and tile too.Cant tell you how many times i show up guy has only sunk floor about an inch i tell them it wont work they say im gonna do this and that it water wont run out,i cant go any lower because iit wont work etc.I stand back quietly grab a level set it on top of drain and just say this is where water is suppose to go first and its about an inch higher than the outside floor i then tell them add tile float and tile they will be above rest of floor and raising the rest of room and most important water will be running out.I dealt with shea homes they tried to throw me under the bus on a tract trying to explain to ego filled supers doesnt work then when it fails they change storie glad i documented it.

 

[jeteater1]

This is all I have View attachment 967755 View attachment 967756
They are 12x24 tiles floor is 6x6. I had to take out 3 to 4 inches of concrete to do the pan. Put the shower valve on opposite side of shower head.
[/QUOTE]
Wife and I are going doing the same looked once I save some more money.

 

[HNL2LHC]

We did ours 4 years ago in our basement addition. Sorry these are the best images being that it is a small area. We will be doing it again in our Havasu house starting next month. Going to pull the shower stall, break up concrete, reset the plumbing to include a linear drain and then build it all back up.

 

[beerrun]

I did one for a customer a few years ago. Used the Wedi system, came out nice. View attachment 967698
View attachment 967697

Ballpark price for something like this

 

[Warlock1]

View attachment 967718
Just finished mine. 4 ft linear drain

Well I know who is doing my shower upgrade. That is badass...

 

[jeteater1]

I did this one back when I was a contractor. Before and after.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Yes Im in Norco. Rick (949)295-7909.

Do you do complete bathroom and shower remodeling ? If so can you come by for a estimate I’m in riverside

 

[waterboy]

Here’s mine, almost done

 

[lakemadness]

I’ve put them in many flip home we’ve done. I put on in our last personal home. No issues at all. If the drain is slow that could be an issue.

Our new house had the bathroom updated not too long ago. It has a curb and I miss the curb less walk in. We renovated 100% of the downstairs, next is upstairs and curb less it will be.

I sold one of my flip homes to some unicorns (hot lesbians) it had a 6’x6’ curb less walk in shower with multiple jets and rainfall head. Damn I can only imagine how they broke that shower in...

 

[HBCraig]

So I live in a late 90's build home, it has a fairly decent sized en suite bathroom. It seems most of the homes in this era have these tiny tiny stall showers, and these massive tubs. Mine is back to back, shower / tub, all along the exterior wall, on the second story.

I'd love to totally ditch the giant tub (yes, i have a second one in the guest bath), and build a nice big shower, ideally curbless.

Has anyone gone down this road? Any regrets?

I do understand that choosing the right "system" is important when you're dealing with a wood subfloor, so wanted to see what peoples experiences have been.

Anyone have any recommended contractors / installers?

Curbless? What do you mean? I honestly don't know what you are referring to

Are you talking about the drain?

 

[HBCraig]

View attachment 967744 View attachment 967744 View attachment 967745

Legit

 

[mjc]

This is all I have View attachment 967755 View attachment 967756
They are 12x24 tiles floor is 6x6. I had to take out 3 to 4 inches of concrete to do the pan. Put the shower valve on opposite side of shower head.

Wife and I are going doing the same looked once I save some more money. View attachment 967800 View attachment 967806
[/QUOTE]
That's the ones I used

 

[mjc]

Curbless? What do you mean? I honestly don't know what you are referring to

Are you talking about the drain?

No stepover to get in the shower. Flat with the rest of the floor just a slope to thecdrain.

 

[HBCraig]

No stepover to get in the shower. Flat with the rest of the floor just a slope to thecdrain.

Ahhh. Got it.

 

[Hardly Satisfied]

Here’s mine, almost done View attachment 967821

Are you leaving the shower glass off ?

 

[waterboy]

Are you leaving the shower glass off ?

I wish I didn’t need the glass but didn’t have enough room, this is it when done

 

[Mandelon]

HydroBlok makes presloped pans for linear or center drains. Super simple. Like the Wedi system.

Homepage - HYDROBLOK

the future of building made easy HydroBlok is the lightest, strongest, most insulating and 100% waterproof building board that is revolutionizing the construction industry. https://hydroblok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Hydroblok-Overview-Compressed.mp4 LIGHTER FASTER BETTER LIGHTER. FASTER...

www.hydroblok.com

We have done many of these. Making it work with those Silent Foor I joists is a pain!

You need to put on plenty of sealer with that stone tile. Hard water and soap deposits will make it all white if you don't.

And maybe even if you do.

 

[sintax]

HydroBlok makes presloped pans for linear or center drains. Super simple. Like the Wedi system.

Homepage - HYDROBLOK

the future of building made easy HydroBlok is the lightest, strongest, most insulating and 100% waterproof building board that is revolutionizing the construction industry. https://hydroblok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Hydroblok-Overview-Compressed.mp4 LIGHTER FASTER BETTER LIGHTER. FASTER...

www.hydroblok.com

We have done many of these. Making it work with those Silent Foor I joists is a pain!

You need to put on plenty of sealer with that stone tile. Hard water and soap deposits will make it all white if you don't.

And maybe even if you do.

do you work in the Corona area?

 

[Gelcoater]

So I live in a late 90's build home, it has a fairly decent sized en suite bathroom. It seems most of the homes in this era have these tiny tiny stall showers, and these massive tubs. Mine is back to back, shower / tub, all along the exterior wall, on the second story.

I'd love to totally ditch the giant tub (yes, i have a second one in the guest bath), and build a nice big shower, ideally curbless.

Has anyone gone down this road? Any regrets?

I do understand that choosing the right "system" is important when you're dealing with a wood subfloor, so wanted to see what peoples experiences have been.

Anyone have any recommended contractors / installers?

upstairs? Or down?

 

[sintax]

upstairs? Or down?

upstairs my man! You know I like to live life risky....

haha I don’t know if it’ll make sense, but I gotta do something and I’d like the curbless if possible.

 

[Gelcoater]

upstairs my man! You know I like to live life risky....

haha I don’t know if it’ll make sense, but I gotta do something and I’d like the curbless if possible.

Is the only floor I’d consider living where we do.
On a downstairs application, and is being in septic systems?.... I see potential for a very shitty situation going curbless downstairs.

 

[77charger]

Another hint i can offer is that say you want it 3.5x5 and most i think will set glass on the 3.5 mark.Maybe make the sunken part 4x5 you wont notice it from the top then still set your glass at 3.5.

What this does is makes your showerpan bigger underneath and when water hits the glass it will fall down and some will go through the grout which will sink into your waterproofing.Its a minor thing that can make a big difference.Like someone mentioned the linier drains are taller,I referenced your standard type 2 piece drain which are about 2 inches in height the linier type can be about 3 or more.You will need to sink down the floor a little more for one.I think a tile guy can answer that one better but wherever it is you do want the top of drain to be lower than the bathroom floor i want to say atleast an inch?? or depending on where drain is 1/4 inch per foot??(like said on drain i aint sure)I only know the damn waterproofing part and how to make sure its water tight LOL.

 

[Racey]

As one who waterproofs the showers my advice it thismake sure when its built you sink it down far enough i cant tell you this enough.

Need to sink subfloor minimum 3 inches any less you risk water flowing back to the rest of floor outside.Your drain is about 2 inches high i add about 1 in to 1.5 of slope tile guy needs room to float and tile too.Cant tell you how many times i show up guy has only sunk floor about an inch i tell them it wont work they say im gonna do this and that it water wont run out,i cant go any lower because iit wont work etc.I stand back quietly grab a level set it on top of drain and just say this is where water is suppose to go first and its about an inch higher than the outside floor i then tell them add tile float and tile they will be above rest of floor and raising the rest of room and most important water will be running out.I dealt with shea homes they tried to throw me under the bus on a tract trying to explain to ego filled supers doesnt work then when it fails they change storie glad i documented it.

Yeah that would be my first thought as well, make sure the thing has excellent slope, it wouldn't hurt to have the tile guy float the next couple feet out of the shower with 1/4" to a 1/2" slope in the the right direction just in case any water did make it under the door it will eventually find the drain, not the rest of the room.

 

[BHC Vic]

Yes Im in Norco. Rick (949)295-7909.

Full bathrooms? I’m in norco and my wife wants them done.

 

[badluck]

I recommend a shower door. Our didn’t need 1 but it’s freaking cold/drafty without it. I’ve always been a fan of hot mop but I could not get anyone to do it here so I did a liner on top of my sloped plywood floor then I floated it and put red guard on top of that. Not a fan of the red guard product. It’s really difficult to tile a floor using 3” or larger tile with significant slope which I highly recommend when going curbless. I opted for 2x2 tile

 

[SoCalDave]

I recommend a shower door. Our didn’t need 1 but it’s freaking cold/drafty without it.

This. Stayed at a vacation house once with a curb less/door less shower and the draft that comes through is not very appealing.

 

[lf2]

Do you do complete bathroom and shower remodeling ? If so can you come by for a estimate I’m in riverside

Yes. General contractor. Rick (949)295-7909. Give me a call and i will come take a look

 

[lf2]

Another hint i can offer is that say you want it 3.5x5 and most i think will set glass on the 3.5 mark.Maybe make the sunken part 4x5 you wont notice it from the top then still set your glass at 3.5.

What this does is makes your showerpan bigger underneath and when water hits the glass it will fall down and some will go through the grout which will sink into your waterproofing.Its a minor thing that can make a big difference.Like someone mentioned the linier drains are taller,I referenced your standard type 2 piece drain which are about 2 inches in height the linier type can be about 3 or more.You will need to sink down the floor a little more for one.I think a tile guy can answer that one better but wherever it is you do want the top of drain to be lower than the bathroom floor i want to say atleast an inch?? or depending on where drain is 1/4 inch per foot??(like said on drain i aint sure)I only know the damn waterproofing part and how to make sure its water tight LOL.

1/4” per foot on a standard 3x5 shower with center drain is only 5/8” drop. The drains used with these kits are way lower profile than the stuff you use.