Handmade tiled shower tray

[Deansplit]

Hi - I want to build my own shower tray from mosaic tiles - how do I make the base/tray before tiling? Does anyone know of any good sites with info?

Thx

 

[lancenotalot]

Use aquapanel,well supported underneath with timbers.Also get a tanking kit,tape all the corners and use the kit as per instructions.

 

[Deansplit]

Hi - Thx - I looked up the aqupanel, seems a good idea. Does this literally become the base then ie. fixed to the floor boards? How do I build up the sides? Also, where will I find a tank kit, or is there a special name? A quick search brings up tanks of the wrong kind!

Cheers

 

[kaseryn]

Search for tanking kits, you'll find em

 

[Deansplit]

Thx - how, exactly, do I make the base/carcass of the tray though, and with what materials? I presume once I have this, the tanking material is fitted into it to make it waterproof, ready for tiling?

 

[bathstyle]

In all honesty I would forget using Aquapanel.

Buy yourself a pre formed shower tray base which has a slope already built in, then build your tray edges with a Wedi, Marmox or Lux board, basically an extruded foam board (a nice thick bit, 50mm or so would be best)

I would fit a Marmox showerlay tray as these don't require tanking, you will need to tank the join between the tray and the edges though.

All in all, a fairly expensive project, it'll probably cost £300 just to make the tray.

 

[Deansplit]

But if I base it on an existing tray, I can't do what I want. I want an irregular shape to fit into a corner of an en suite, but it has a 45º angle part too. The outer edge I was gonna either do a similar shape, or even curve it.

 

[bathstyle]

I would still go with Marmox, the showerlay's can be cut to suit 45 deg walls.

I did one not so long ago, 30 degree wet room with a curved wall, I don't tend to have little block upstands though, just a glass screen

 

[Deansplit]

Oh, so the marmox device is a mat type thing which can be cut? What's it made of?

 

[bathstyle]

Off the top of my head, it is 22mm thick foam board with a cement sheet coating, it's fully waterproof.

Edit, this one is curved:-

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g304/bathstyle/003.jpg

 

[bathstyle]

This gives you a better idea. I suggest that you glue and screw some thicker sections of board to the outside of the tray area, then tank them, then you're ready to tile.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g304/bathstyle/019.jpg

 

[Deansplit]

Great! That's almost the same as I need to do (the back wall with a 90º corner plus a kink along one side. But the front/door will also have a kink or curve (depending on cost of glass door!) - this is to make entrance to the en suite easier (it's cosy!) So there's Maramox under these tiles? How did you get the dip in the centre? I'll be laying direct onto joists.

 

[Deansplit]

Good work - nice to see neat labour! This is really helpful, but as per my last comment, how do you mold the fall to the central waste? This looks flat or is it just the pic?

Here's the bathroom I did for our place - in fact all the rooms I did on my site here - need to update it!! Thought you'd appreciate the neat labour too!

I did everything, plumbing (was a bedroom with en suite - B&B!), electrics, tiling, jacuzzi, hand made corner sink... labour of love! But I'm not a tradesman, I'm a graphic designer, LOL - but turn my hand to anything (apart from plastering & roofing!!)

http://www.deanrichman.co.uk/design_cons_portfolio4.html

 

[bathstyle]

I have many pictures of how this proccess is done. It's basically a standard wet room construction, there's so many different types available now. Give me a shout if you need more pics......time for ZZZZzzzzzzzz for me, I'm up at 6am

It's not an easy job for a DIYer if I'm being truthful, many tradesmen mess it up.

Edit: the tray in my second pic has a pre formed slope you just tile onto it with a mosaic

 

[Deansplit]

I see it now... you can just about work out the 4 crease lines/shadows where if falls to the waste. So do you just score this on the reverse side or something?