Shower base, what kind?

[Zeke]

I'm putting this here because a lot of you have showers in your out buildings. I think I'm looking for a composite base and possibly matching walls. I've seen Onyx and Swanstone but not in person. Can you folks that have looked at these and/or purchased give me some feedback? Any brand. I'm in SoCal, so it sorta needs to be sold here. Small, direct to public manufactures out of state won't be of much help.

Anyone get a shower base local to SoCal from one of the little shops, please let me know. Looking for more high end than any kind of fiberglass, so let's leave those out of the discussion. OTOH, I'm not spending Corian money.

Lastly, even though I'm a contractor, this is not my area.

 

[nolimits76]

I recently redid my master bath because the fiberglass bottom was cracked and a piece of garbage. I was very specific with my bath contractor that I wanted a solid, last forever, type of base.

The main part of the base is the concrete slab foundation with additional concrete on top that is sloped slightly towards the center drain. The "step" between the main base and tile floor is 2x6 blocking with waterproof board and then grout and tile on the vertical pieces, and a granite piece on the top.

Below are some pictures if it makes more sense.

 

[Top_Fuel]

I just built a 60" x 48" shower with a tiled floor and walls. I looked into the "proper" way to do it (mortar bed, rubber membrane, weep holes etc.)...and quite frankly it sounded like a big pain in the *** while still leaving a risk for potential moisture problems if everything wans't done perfectly. Not a good outlook for a DIY'er.

I ended up using a Schluter Shower Pan Kit. I'm not sure you can beat these for fool-proof installations if you are tiling the floor. Yeah...this is not the cheapest way to build a shower...but I know the installation is 100% leak-proof and I don't lay awake at night wondering if my shower floor will start smelling moldy because I f'd up the installation.

Oh...and I'm done with Hardibacker, Durock and every other ******** cement board out there! If I build a shower or tub surround, I spend a few extra bucks and use Kerdi Board. It's 100% waterproof, weighs nothing (I think a 4x 8 sheet weighs something like 7 lbs), cuts with a utility knife, and comes in a wide variety of thicknesses. For a DIY shower or tub walls, you can't beat this stuff.

 

[txst]

I put in an Onyx when I updated the bath in our current house - we love it. We had a custom size made. Wasn't cheap, but it won't leak either. They have a really nice lip design.

 

[nolimits76]

I just built a 60" x 48" shower with a tiled floor and walls. I looked into the "proper" way to do it (mortar bed, rubber membrane, weep holes etc.)...and quite frankly it sounded like a big pain in the *** while still leaving a risk for potential moisture problems if everything wans't done perfectly. Not a good outlook for a DIY'er.

I didn't specifically mention it earlier, but Top Fuel's quote jingled my memory and I know the rubber membrane and weep holes were used in addition to the mortar bed (or concrete as I said above, lol).

Anyhow, yes, if done wrong it can leak; however, there are some many layers to prevent that I think it's a really small concern unless you just butcher the job to pieces.

 

[cbacres]

Zeke, can't name anything in your area, but I have an acrylic pan and walls in my master. It's a higher quality than fiberglass, but not outrageous in cost.
It's plain, nothing fancy.
I think I paid about $400 12 years ago.

They vacuum form the pan, the walls are just sheets that glue to whatever sub base you have for walls.

Easy to keep up.

 

[Zeke]

I should have mentioned that I won't be doing any tile in the shower. We are getting older and cleaning grout is becoming way too much of a chore. We have hard, hard water here and I con't care too much for water softeners. I'm not sure, but they may be on CA's hit list nowadays. Just another device to service.

So, when I said 'composite' base, I meant one piece. In fact, 4 pieces total should do the whole shower. Years ago I installed a Surell base and 1/4" walls for a customer. In those days you bought the sheets and fabbed them yourself. The stuff cuts like wood but is hell on blades and the tools with the abrasive dust. I'd rather this all be done for me so I can frame it, lay in the base and install the wall sections over Hardi Board (an extra step that really ins't needed).

@Top Fuel, I'm familiar with that system and did the walls over tub in the other bath last year. Good system but, again, no tile!

 

[Cyberbear]

Probably not what you are looking for, but I once knew a fellow who poured a concrete base for his in-shop shower stall used to clean up before entering the house. It worked for him because he never had to worry about cleaning tile, or scratching the walls, etc., he simply hosed it down from time to time and it was maintenance free, indestructible and no worries. Seemed like a good thing to me, and it kept his wife happy.

 

[boiler7904]

For single piece heavy duty shower bases it's hard to be a precast terrazo unit along the lines of these from Stern-Williams. http://sternwilliams.com/?cat=11 There are other manufacturers out there but this is the last one I've used and could find info on the fastest.

They typically have an intergral drain assembly and a metal flange on three sides that goes behind your waterproofing / finish surface. Some base manufacturers also offer sidewall kits but I have never used one of those.

One commercial client a few years ago was a fire department that had 11 showers being built in a new fully-staffed station. Like you, they wanted easy to clean, no tile / grout, no fiberglass, and had the additional requirement of all bases being mandated to meet Illinois Accessibility Code. Guys coming in from calls were filthy and the last thing anyone wanted was to add cleaning soot from light colored grout to the chore list. The answer was terrazzo bases like this with 1/4" thick Corian laminated to the walls. They liked having 8 caulk joints as the only possible maintenance to contend with for the foreseeable future. This is a detail / method I would recommend to anyone with similar shower requirements. If I remember right, they just added a metal shower caddy over the shower head for soap, shampoo, etc. to avoid mounting anything to the walls. Going from memory, the Corian walls weren't too bad price was compared to correctly detailed and water-proofed tile either.

I've done similar bases with tile on the walls too but for a space like a garage with hard water, I'd go for as simple and low-maintenance as possible.

 

[rburke65]

I'm pretty sure mine is a Swanstone shower....matching side walls from Lowes. Been happy with it.

 

[mires]

Onyx base with onyx walls. Not sure what your budget is but it would be the easiest to install, will last a lifetime and is bulletproof.

 

[6768rogues]

I put one in my house last year and it was composite similar to Swanstone. They work fine. Put down a mortar bed and set the base in it, fully supporting the basin part of the base. Then it will be solid and will never break. I used cement board and ceramic tiles for the walls.

 

[ryan77]

if you get a cheaper plastic style shower, spray expanding foam down on the floor it is to be placed,then set the shower on it before it sets, it will give the bottom a solid support, it won't wiggle when you step into it, after its cured will feel very solid.

 

[rburke65]

Did mine according to directions and just as 6768rogues said.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Sterling division of Kohler makes some very nice looking showers in several different widths up to 60 inch to replace a tub, and 36 and 42 inch also. The whole thing assembles with overlapping, interlocking panels so no caulk is needed but they apparently don't leak either. Nice looking material. Lowes sells them so you can go and see some of the models in the store. Lots of different ones on the web site.

Charles

 

[sracer99]

Probably too late, but when we built our house the showers were built with the rubber membrane/tile, but more importantly, set below the height of the floor so there is no step over, which makes for less cleaning, too.

 

[indyokie]

If you don't mind two separate items - Kohler cast iron shower base. - and Kohler now makes wall kits of a composite that matches up.

You mentioned getting older....due to the strength of the cast iron, they have a very small "curb" to walk over getting in.

 

[dw1]

Sterling division of Kohler makes some very nice looking showers in several different widths up to 60 inch to replace a tub, and 36 and 42 inch also. The whole thing assembles with overlapping, interlocking panels so no caulk is needed but they apparently don't leak either. Nice looking material. Lowes sells them so you can go and see some of the models in the store. Lots of different ones on the web site.

Charles

I'll second the Sterling units, I have put two 4 piece tub/shower units in two of my rentals, they are holding up very well as far as being durable, I would say the shower units would do just fine.

 

[Zeke]

I had a concrete shower once in a house I rented that was once owned by an old plasterer. He built it during WWII. It wasn't just mortar either, it was a polished cementitious finish contiguous pan and walls. It might have been a pool or pond plaster.

For a mid century modern house this would be right in place. Not easy to clean though. Chemicals in various cleaners (especially back then in the 70's when wheel cleaner contained phosphoric acid and other things had lye) would attack the finish.

 

[BMW Rider]

....
I ended up using a Schluter Shower Pan Kit. I'm not sure you can beat these for fool-proof installations if you are tiling the floor. Yeah...this is not the cheapest way to build a shower...but I know the installation is 100% leak-proof and I don't lay awake at night wondering if my shower floor will start smelling moldy because I f'd up the installation.

Oh...and I'm done with Hardibacker, Durock and every other ******** cement board out there! If I build a shower or tub surround, I spend a few extra bucks and use Kerdi Board. It's 100% waterproof, weighs nothing (I think a 4x 8 sheet weighs something like 7 lbs), cuts with a utility knife, and comes in a wide variety of thicknesses. For a DIY shower or tub walls, you can't beat this stuff.

I just re did our ensuite shower and also used the Schluter products. I did not get the full kit as I did not need all the components in the kit. I went with the base and the drain individually and built my own curbs. I just used regular moisture resistant drywall and then covered the entire shower walls, base and curbs with the Kerdi liner which I happened to have a free roll of all ready. Otherwise I may have gone with the Kerdi board instead. I did use one of the pre-formed Kerdi board niches. This was the second shower I've done with the Kerdi. Our basement bathroom has a steam shower that I did about eight years ago and has not had any leaks or problems.

 

[Falcon67]

When I remodeled the old house bathrooms, I used a fiberglass shower in one and a fiberglass shower/tub in the master. The thing I did there was to use a big bag - 60 or 80 lb - of mortar mix under the pan. Mixed like you were going to pour, then spread out on the subfloor and the pan or tub set in it. After it sets up, there is no give or flex in the tub or shower base.

 

[KenC]

I used to install Swan pans and wall sheets. Really good stuff, but pricy. Requires their proprietary glue to seam walls if needed, and color matched caulk. If you use the glue you also need their dispenser or equivalent. all that costs extra. But, it is be best non-tile solution. The only downside is they require a certified installer to purchase material other than the prefab items! I am certified but no longer do Swan because my supplier dropped the line.

I am using an Onyx base in a remodel in progress. I don't think it will be as durable as Swan, but they have a lot more options and sizes available.

 

[Onewolf]

I'll second the Sterling units, I have put two 4 piece tub/shower units in two of my rentals, they are holding up very well as far as being durable, I would say the shower units would do just fine.

We had a Sterling Ensemble 4 piece pre-fab shower installed in our current detached garage/workshop build. Seems pretty reasonable so far.

 

[clamhammer]

I used a Polystone shower pan when i did my shower. Not sure what retail cost is, my family owns a floor covering store so i got it for cost which is around $50 per sq ft. They are near impossible to break and no household cleaners will harm them. They are all custom made by which ever company around you sells the Polystone brand. A guy will come out measure for what you need and they will make it up. Theres like 50 colors to choose from. I installed a heated floor under my bathroom floor and also under the pan i love it.

 

[6768rogues]

I would not use expanding foam under it. The foam will lift it up. My son put in a huge tub and filled it half way with water, then foamed under it. The foam still lifted it a little. Use a mortar bed and set in the base.

 

[brouser01]

+1 use mortar

 

[Zeke]

I'm bumping this just to see if there are any other opinions. It's getting close to show time.

 

[Radix2]

We had a Sterling Ensemble 4 piece pre-fab shower installed in our current detached garage/workshop build. Seems pretty reasonable so far.

I'll third or forth this, the fact that there is no visible caulk is huge - even the high end corian units look like **** after a few years when the silicone gets loose and moldy.

And if you mortar down the base as instructed it feels and sounds exactly like concrete.

 

[Zeke]

I think I've settled on a Kohler cast iron shower base. BTW, one benefit to a SB is that no labor is spent doing a Kerdi system membrane. Lay that heavy ***** on the floor, hook up the drain and it's done. AFA walls, I'm using sheets of Corian or equivalent. I don't want any cubby holes or niches. I hate the cluttered look. I'll find another way to handle bathing products.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I ended up using a Schluter Shower Pan Kit. I'm not sure you can beat these for fool-proof installations if you are tiling the floor.

Most of the DIY TV shows use this.