How to lower a heavy stone resin shower tray into position in tight space

[PingCrosby]

Simple question - can anyone recommend a technique for lowering a heavy stone resin shower base into position onto a bed of mortar.

The tray is to fit inside a cubicle , boarded on 3 walls . The opening is ~810mm wide and the tray 800mm giving me little room for maneuver and weighing in at approx 20kg.

I was hoping to use suction cups but the shower base has anti-slip bumps on it so that was a no go. There is no room for to climb into the cubicle and lower it without standing on the mortar so am at a loss as to how I can lower it horizontally.

How do the pro-s achieve this? There is nothing for me to grip as i lower it.

 

[Newboy]

Either two lengths of batten slightly deeper than the mortar bed - slide the tray onto the battens then pull the battens out from under the tray or
Two lengths of polypropylene rope round the tray and lower the tray onto the mortar bed - the rope is easier.

 

[dreadnoughtheating]

get yourself some Glaziers Suction cups.... ( you know the ones in the movies, whenever there is a comedy car chase in a city centre, there is ALWAYS a large sheet of glass being carried across that very same street at that very same time) use them all too regularly when replacing stone trays in tight spots, also handy for polished bath MDF bath apples

 

[muggles]

I'll second Dreadnought on the suction cups, wouldn't be without mine

 

[Newboy]

I was hoping to use suction cups but the shower base has anti-slip bumps on it so that was a no go.

 

[WabbitPoo]

Either two lengths of batten slightly deeper than the mortar bed - slide the tray onto the battens then pull the battens out from under the tray or
Two lengths of polypropylene rope round the tray and lower the tray onto the mortar bed - the rope is easier.

What he said, though I found that two lengths of plastic pipe slid out better than timber...

 

[Agile]

Another variant is use rectangular battens, long side up at first.

When in place rotate the battens 90 degrees so the tray lowers onto the mortar.

Tony

 

[mfarrow]

Load straps from poundland. Thin and flat, unlike rope

 

[DP]

OP, is the floor under the tray good?
If yes, why not a blob or two of silicon and slide the tray into the cubicle

 

[Nige F]

I like the loadstraps idea- fixed to the back wall - then in front of the tray over a length of 4x2, then fixed to the floor. Tray sits on the straps above the mortar, unfix from floor and lower gently

 

[PingCrosby]

All

Thanks for your great tips and help on this - just thought i would post a follow up for the solution I used in the end.

I rigged up a simple pulley to enabled me to raise the tray; spread mortar then lower it with one hand onto the mix.

I used some redundant packaging straps from a builders merchant skip.

The pulley is from Silverline https://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-633957-Cable-Pulley-Set/dp/B0015NNONG and cost me just over a £5. But ill no doubt find other uses for it.