The screed is the surface on which the shower tray is laid and must be perfectly leveled to prevent it from becoming deformed or damaged over time. To check the flatness of the screed, it is possible to use a spirit level or an aluminum ruler as long as the screed itself.
Use a hand level to maintain level around the perimeter. Check level both on each side as well as from edge to edge. Once perimeter is level, fill in the center of the shower pan to start establishing a rough slope from the edges to the drain.
Flush with floor shower trays are a popular choice in modern bathrooms due to their minimalistic, clean line, and fresh look. Likewise, due to our aging population, more accessible spaces are needed and many families are deciding to install flush with floor shower trays.
The Optimal Slope for Effective Drainage
For optimal water drainage, it's advisable to ensure that the shower floor maintains a gentle gradient of approximately 2-4 percent. This corresponds to a decline of ¼ to ½ inch for every 12 inches from the shower enclosure to the drain.
If you've got a floor in your bathroom where it isn't possible to install a waste underneath the floorboard then you need to get yourself a raised shower tray.
The proper working of the shower enclosure is guaranteed only if the shower tray is installed perfectly level. Out-of-level trays may cause water leakage and an abnormal wear of the gaskets.
You then need to use a spirit level to make sure that the tray is completely level. Check all angles just to be sure. This is an important stage that shouldn't be skipped over as a tray that isn't level can cause you quite a few problems when you come to take a shower…don't say we didn't warn you!
A slight incline steers the water to the wall drain. With a RainDrain shower drain, you design harmoniously with the rest of the style in the bathroom, the showers and faucets, or you set elegant, high-quality accents in contrast. Modern bathroom technology allows floor-level installation of extra-shallow shower tubs.
ADA compliant thresholds for roll-in or transfer showers have a maximum height of ½”. Roll-in showers would then also require at least 48” from the entrance of the shower to the shower drain with a slope of just ¼” per foot between the drain and the shower perimeter (i.e. an inch per four feet, or a 1:48 slope ratio).
This includes tiling and gradients of bathroom floors including shower recesses. The recommended ratio of fall within showers is between 1:60 and 1:80.
This is one of the most important steps in installing a shower tray as a tray that isn't level will cause issues with drainage and water could gather on one side of the tray and potentially overflow. Trays are designed so that the water runs towards the waste outlet, so there's no need to tilt the tray.
Prepare the Subfloor
The entire bottom of the shower pan needs to sit on a flat, level surface. Check the subfloor area from left to right and from front to back to make sure it's level.
Use a spirit level to ensure the tray is perfectly level from all angles. Leveling is critical to prevent future issues.
There needs to be the capacity to have a 6-7 cm slope so that the water can flow away as it should do. The right shower tray material needs to be selected to ensure that it is not slippery.
Using thin set to fill low areas by applying it a little thicker (most times it is much thicker) as the tile is being installed, is not a good idea. In fact, most manufacturers indicate in their product literature NOT to use thin set mortar to level or flatten the floor or wall.
Yes, you need both. The pre-pitch is used first. This provides the slope that the membrane sits on. Then you use the quick pitch on top of the membrane.
The finished floor shall slope uniformly toward the drain not less than 1/4 unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2-percent slope) nor more than 1/2 unit vertical per 12 units horizontal (4-percent slope) and floor drains shall be flanged to provide a water-tight joint in the floor.
No subfloor is perfectly level, but any signs of unevenness and high or low spots must be remedied. Please follow these requirements: Subfloor unevenness cannot be greater than 3/16 of an inch over a 10-foot span or 1/8 inch over a 6-foot span. Subfloors must not slope more than ½ inch per 6 feet (25 mm per 1.8 m)
Based on national averages, you can expect the cost of installing a new shower pan to range from $220–$3,500, assuming your project requires no major plumbing work. Additional variables can affect the total cost of installing a new shower pan, such as existing shower pan removal, labor, and shower pan type and size.
Inadequate slope at flooring can lead to formation of water pockets, hence floor water will not get drained easily from floor drain outlet and get accumulated at the corner. It will lead to damp/ moisture seepage related issues in adjacent areas, and also water seepage in the below floors.
Make sure to dry fit your pan and use a level to ensure that the slope is approximately 1/4 inch per foot towards the drain. Take time during this step, as it sets the foundation for a functional shower pan.
For those looking for an ultra-sleek look in their bathroom then go no further than our simple but sublime low-profile. They're only 40mm high and sit snugly to the floor, creating a wet room effect that can't be matched when it comes to style.