LESLIE: Eric in Mississippi is working on a shower project. What can we help you with?
ERIC: Yeah, I’m working on a shower pan and I’m looking for what type of concrete to use on top of the underlayment. I got the PVC underlayment underneath and then I’m going to have to pour another inch or inch-and-a-half of concrete on top of that.
TOM: OK.
ERIC: And what would be the best type of concrete to use?
TOM: Eric, typically you would use normal concrete to pour a shower pan, but keep in mind that concrete’s probably not the best surface for shower pans and tubs and things like that only because the water will eventually erode it and also just the day-to-day use of grime and so on is going to get in there; it’s going to look kind of dirty. But if you want to do it, typically it’s regular concrete and has to slope about a quarter of an inch per foot in towards the drain. And the second thing is to make sure you reinforce it, so you need to put some wire mesh reinforcing embedded into it so it doesn’t crack on you.
ERIC: OK, yeah I’ll be placing tile on top of this.
TOM: Oh, OK. Well then, basically, you’re just talking about a mud base under the tile.
ERIC: Exactly.
TOM: In that case, it should be fine.
LESLIE: Because there are opportunities where folks have done, you know, a high-design bath where they’ve completely poured the shower pan out of concrete and it’s doable but it does require a lot of attention paid to it.
TOM: Yep.
ERIC: Just a standard 3:1 mix?
TOM: Standard, yep.
Eric, thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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