Adding shower in barn, TILE Questions

[Dr Dave]

They do make a raised shower pan, with enough clearance for pvc, to run to your existing drain. I think Menards has it.

Dave

 

[TomSeller]

I would consider putting a shower in the barn but I don't if I could find one large large enough for one of my cows. Even then, I am not sure they would use it. Or if they did they might not know to hold it until they get out of the shower. So it would need a good drain.

 

[dave1949]

I would consider putting a shower in the barn but I don't if I could find one large large enough for one of my cows. Even then, I am not sure they would use it. Or if they did they might not know to hold it until they get out of the shower. So it would need a good drain.

Gary Larson's The Farside fan by any chance? :laughing:

 

[SPIKER]

I see 2 problems with using the concrete floor as a shower base.

1. If you look carefully at any shower base you will see that the surface slopes slightly toward the drain from all directions.

2. All shower pans have a lip which you step over to enter the shower. The lip goes all around the shower pan and if tile is used on the inside, the tile overlaps the lip so water will drain into the pan.

No matter how good a caulk job you do, your shower will have neither of these features, and you will end up with water all over the floor of the barn and not much down the drain at all.

At a minimum, select a shower pan that will couple with your drain and fur out the existing walls to meet it.

Hi Dave:

the floor already slopes to the drain in the "center" of the floor though in this case this crock is actually the door opening of the shower so 2 sides terminate at the rounded edge of the crock. the crock then needs the 2 sides to trap water and direct it to it. I can't cover the crock as it contains a trash pump which will need periodic service. this room area has limited height due to overhead structure which holds incoming water lines, yet to be installed pressure tank/filter and storage.

Pics will be coming soon.

Mark

 

[EddieWalker]

Pics will help.

I remodel bathrooms for a living and I see a lot of water damage in homes because of leaking showers. The number one leaking spot is at the corner of the pan because of all the movement in a building and the pan not being able to take it over the years. Some pans are plastic, others are lead and some are fiberglass. Depends on when the house was built and what was being used at the time. The other common leak is around the drain. You absolutely have to have the right drain for the type of pan you are going to use. I have a job coming up this year to tear out and redo a shower that is less then a year old because the contractor used the wrong drain and it's leaking already.

Eddie

 

[SPIKER]

Eddie I was hoping you would chime in, I know you love Tile & your mainstay. this "Shower" may only be used a few times a year at most (NOW) as it is down stairs and there will be living quarters with full tub/shower upstairs in near future. the room itself is the storm shelter which is why it has been constructed with lots of bracing and interior Plywood/OSB framed 2x6 screwed/glued walls.

this is an early pic of the room, (poor quality) it is ~10wide by 16 deep, the shower is far back right corner and the crock is 4' out from the interior wall (right side w PEX) and 4' out away from the back exterior wall (lean too side.) the floor slopes from the interior wall towards the crock (other than a low spot where the PEX exits the floor.)



this pic shows where the wall goes in at and to the right side is the crock surrounded by water with plywood cover on it. the PEX low spot shows up with the water used to help slow cure this was shortly after the pour. the PEX level is about 1/8~3/16" lower than the crock using the water pooling as a guide.



this video shows the crock area from outside window when finishing the floor NOTE CLICK PIC. TO SEE VIDEO>




the crock set in hand laid concrete with plumbing under slab shown prior to the pour.




edit this pic to add red line where underground 4" PVC runs out to exterior of barn grinder pump. the CROCK pump exit water runs thru the crock side VIA PUMP where the Pink Styro is cut out due to height of the line I didnt want to make the thickness of concrete thinner so I cut out the 1" PINK FOAM and only have the Radiant Barrier Foil Bubble Bubble Poly insulation between the sand-2" pump exit and concrete.



there are other videos and pics of the barn in that same area. I took some really good up close pics (lost?) that are on line of the old PCs here I'm guessing as I can't find them on my laptop which is newer than the pour.


NOTE EDIT IN, I EDITED and added a couple pics above, hit Control F5 or click the pics the TOP and the BOTTOM two have better views and TBN is not showing the new pics on it's site. to see the updates click those two photos...

Shelf Beam detail view upper left.


Pic of the Crock with the line running to left thru side of crock it is set in concrete and piping is in sand, p-trap is under floor & has a check valve flapper type in-line too.


Pic of FALL to the crock from corner of the shower area. level is "LEVEL" & shows 3/8" fall.



the WORKING mess of Utility room area outside looking in it. (Note CAMERA VIEW makes it look odd but mostly all flat/level/plumb.)




Mark

 

[EddieWalker]

With everything that you have going on in there, and the fact that it is a utility room, I would go with building a platform a step up and running the drain lines under it. Then using a one piece, fiberglass shower unit.

Eddie

 

[SPIKER]

Hi Eddie:

bit too far along with the installed overhead shelf and today put in the wall and started the DUROROCK board. The shelf is only 7' high the downstairs barn height is about 10 feet is all. wish I had 12' down there but...

installed the wet wall today, see where it comes out past the arc of the in-floor CROCK. NOTE THUMBNAILS PHOTOS so click to view larger. Thinking of using a glass block half wall for the 4th side to contain the open side into the crock and give a good stop for the floor/side tile.




Second closer view, I think I'll go ahead and put Tile on the floor as well, only talking a few more bucks and then I can sculpt the tile so it flows right into the crock. There are some "Soft Tile Crack Stop" stuff should that go down on the Concrete? there are no cracks in there at all now (18months old concrete.)



Started installing the DuroRock board in the back, going to tape off the OSB Wednesday, (have to go to Cleveland tomorrow.)




Mark

 

[ThomasH]

Mark -

I don't see any tar paper or plastic behind the durorock. Since durorock is basically a water sponge when water gets on it, it will cause mold and wood rot if there isn't a water barrier used behind it.

Tile shower floors typically have about 1/4" per foot of slope towards the drain. This is not a ton of slope, so it's important to use a level and screed and make the mud bed level at the edges, and with a consistent slope.

 

[JimRB]

I have seen my share of rotten structures from flat vinyl pans with no slope laid with a 1/4 jump up at the drain and nail holes in the pan. You get splashed removing the mortar bed because the pan is actually a pool for two reasons. One there was no slope and two is that 3/8" rise at the drain flange. Using greenboard instead of tile backer board and failure to use a moisture barrier between the tile backer board and the framing can be a source of rotten framing. Durock will also wick. Glazed tile might be waterproof but grout joints are not. Caulk is not a substitute for proper work. Caulk is good at those 90 or 45 degree intersections of walls though just because it looks better than the cracks in grout from building expansion and contraction.

Won't studs sitting on always wet pressure treated bottom plates start to rot?