Shower Bench Seat Framing and Construction for Wedi Fundo Primo (Step-by-Step)

Shower bench seat construction begins with good framing. If framed wrong, a shower bench can lead to water leaks. Today we’ll show step-by-step how to build a shower bench seat with 2x4s.
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In a later video we’ll share how to waterproof the bench with wedi backer boards and tile it with subway tiles. This video is Part 1 of a series of videos showing how to build a curbed subway tile shower.
The first step is to figure out the shower pan dimension. In this example our shower pan was 48" long by 36" wide.
So we made our bench 34 3/4" wide to allow for a slight overhang of the bench top which will be quartz. The depth of the shower bench seat was 12"
Also, we're leaving the existing tile floor. We cut the tile floor to 35 1/8" using Fein's WSG7 angle grinder and Montolit's CGX115 diamond blade.
Be safe while using an angle grinder. Use safety glasses and a good respirator like the Sundstrom silica mask (amzn.to/2BccMlD).
Frame the shower bench such that the 2x4s are 12" on-center and about 20" to 26" high. Use a nail gun or 3" deck screws to connect all the 2x4s.
The shower bench should be level. Shim it if necessary. Anchor the seat to studs with wood blocking if it's between studs. And have blocking for the Wedi backer board.
Apply Liquid Nails to the top of the bench. Then screw a 3/4" plywood seat to the bench.
Watch our video for all the details on how to frame and build a custom shower bench seat using 2x4s.
• Shower Bench Seat Fram...

[@crissalamango41]

Exceptional video. Thanks for posting. Mine is almost identical in size @ 33 wide x 57” long. I replicated your bench exactly as my total length is 69”. Great video. Nice to learn from the pros!!

[@dmitryburak]

Hey, thanks for the video. I have built many gunite hot tubs, they always include a bench. I realized the best finish height is 18". 22 or 20 is good for 6'+ persons, but a bit high for those who shorter than 6'.

[@Okfishmas54]

Were doing a shower for a 85 old lady and were doing 20" so she can stand up without too much effort. She's like 5'3"

[@dmitryburak]

@@Okfishmas54 Bench edge will stick into the back of her knee joints and cause discomfort just in a few minutes of sitting. We have tested different bench heights with different people. Basically our workers :)

[@dbmservicesllc9266]

Behind the seat it would be okay to have a 2x4 or 2x6 behind each frame block.jusr for lower block supports

[@rowanjon1680]

I agree with many of the others commenting here.... so appreciative of your details! Great job!

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Many thanks, hope the video helped 👍🏻

[@hannahlindsay2911]

Thanks alot, I was trying to find a better solution to build the seat.

[@Wishmaster333]

My husband did that but he also added cinder blocks to add stability to the seat.

[@superdave54811]

I would have made it to fit in the shower pan demensions for full shower sliding doors to be installed.

[@sharonwooliver2223]

I love the detail included in this video and in all the videos you put here, very helpful!

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks Sharon, you're awesome. Hopefully you'll like the next video on the shower pan. We're very excited to post it here on KZbin.

[@kirklandmcghie6496]

Nice one

[@Roy-ij1wq]

ADA shower bench standard height is between 17" and 19". Depth is minimum 15".

[@toobad9946]

I am still trying to decide where to build the bench inside the shower. I'm assuming my wife will have the most need for a bench since she has a lot more to accomplish inside the shower than I do. The bench location will also dictate niche/shelf placement. It needs to be out of the direct line of water spray but easily accessible. I am also thinking of short raised "arms" on each end to the bench to act as a "foot stop" to help her with shaving her legs. I think our bench will be about 40" long. The shower will be between 22 and 32 square feet, depending upon the final design, so I have plenty of room to play with. By the way, I'm having a little bit of difficulty finding all of the parts to your video subjects. Maybe if you could develop consistent naming conventions for use in the video titles?? Thanks, for the informative videos and effort making them!

[@barrycrouch1230]

Awesome sponge trick

[@dudamage8241]

Good video but you’re supposed to use pressure treated wood against the shower pan and bench should be sloped towards the pan (1/4” for every foot) . Just shim the plywood .

[@jonathanclark6489]

Pressure treated will warp as it dries,

[@dudamage8241]

@@jonathanclark6489 to each their own. I’ve built numerous showers , and never had a problem . The pt wood was fully dried prior to install.

[@paulmaxwell8851]

The problem is that today's pressure treated is garbage. Sure, it's green, but without the copper arsenate it doesn't last any longer than untreated lumber. And it's twice the price. I wish this weren't so, but ACQ lumber is something of a scam.

[@cphx1208]

Love your videos! Question about the glass wall that sits on the bench: If the top of the bench seat overhangs the front of the bench, how will glass be close enough to the vertical part of the bench to keep water from bathroom floor? Keep up the good work!

[@werdsmith23]

Definitely shower bench. Good work.

[@ajducey1868]

You guys are AWESOME!! I'm trying to figure out how to integrate the shower bench with the shower sliding glass door. Do you have any content on that?

[@PyroPolo]

Seems like the bench should have a slight fall towards the drain instead of level so that it can't build up water?

[@460sw3]

Awesome guys, great tips in there for beginners. As always....great video!

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks, we’re working on the next video which will be available soon. Lots of good tips on how to customize the wedi Fundo Primo Shower Pan

[@elainepatterson9905]

Carpentry work looks great. However, I didn’t see him add an angle slant for water runoff on the bench like I’ve seen others do before.

[@HomeRepairTutor]

good question, the slope was done during the solid bench top installation

[@Jd1446825]

@@HomeRepairTutormarble is porous, your waterproof substrate needs to be pitched

[@bubunelu7027]

Where would you stop with the bench if one wanted to put sliding doors instead of that fixed glass that follows the contour of the bench? How much space would you leave between the edge of the bench and the curb ?

[@browsebywire4096]

Had a bench like this in a home we bought. Just got done tearing out the whole shower and bench because apparently over the years since whoever did the shower renovation, water seeped through the grout and cement board into the wooden bench(there was no vapor barrier behind the cement) and rotted the wood which also spread and caused mold/rot elsewhere. So disappointing. I was hoping the video would go to the next steps to show how they would waterproof the bench so that water damage doesn't occur.

[@bl3840]

Use cement block

[@djbryson]

It's a waterproof membrane that was missing (not vapor barrier). The top of the bench needs a slight slope so water doesn't pool. That probably wasn't done either.

[@eliast4780]

Nice video, all pressure treated Lumber would be my choice.

[@yevgenikovelman3306]

What’s the purpose of pressure treated lumber, if water gets in there you have bigger issues

[@Funkafella01]

@@yevgenikovelman3306 I would assume because of moisture. I didn’t see if the floor was concrete or not but will prevent mold if it comes in contact with moisture.

[@cocorise9797]

The problem with this type of bench is that it's on the Curb, and it interfere s with the shower door

[@DeA2875]

Great videos!

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks

[@mdhaskins1]

Is it necessary to to slope the bench during framing, or is that the tilers job?

[@NowAmFound]

Benches all the way. I think I'm going to use flat concrete block for my bench. But What do I know I am just a painter

[@getstuk87]

Did you nail that using the gun into the concrete at 8:05???? How??

[@Dallas28.]

Nice work man 👨

[@jeffreylonigro1382]

Half-assed if I’ve ever seen it. My benches are 100%in the pan. Made 100% from masonry. No wood in the shower! WoOd shrinks, especially construction lumber, cracks appear, and where’s that water going to go? In the pan? What pan?

[@andrewplough9897]

i agree with most of that statement however by the time wood is kiln dried its shrinkage is hardly noticeable leave a stack in an ac shop and itll be done shrinking in a month

[@jeffreylonigro1382]

@@andrewplough9897 no professional remodeler is going to do that.

[@jeffreylonigro1382]

@@andrewplough9897 water is the smallest molecule on the planet. Even shrinkage that is “hardly noticeable “ will cause a leak.

[@alexill]

Great video!

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks AI S, really appreciate your kind words. We're working on the next video that's about the shower pan installation.

[@joshdaniel5737]

How do you choose when to use nails and when to use screws? I see a variety in this video! thanks, very helpful

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Nails when we can fit the nailer in the space, screws when we can't

[@joshdaniel5737]

Home Repair Tutor ok great! And can I use the manual method of hammer and nail?! Nail guns are around £500 here so don’t plan on buying! Also should the bench slope in towards the shower slightly or not?

[@HomeRepairTutor]

You could use hammer and nails, but also use liquid nail to keep the nails from popping. Yes, have the shower bench slope toward the shower pan by 1/4" per linear foot, or what that equates to in the metric system :)

[@joshdaniel5737]

Home Repair Tutor ok would you do this by shimming the actual bench that is placed on top or making the frame slightly lower at the front than back?

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Either approach works, but adding a little more thin-set mortar under the Wedi will likely be the easiest approach. What kind of shower are you building?

[@zspeed3]

Can you use this bench for a steam shower?

[@inbossy]

I got that same level

[@ByersLeafguard]

Nice video!

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks

[@mikem8093]

Love it

[@charliejonas3416]

Does the bench not need a small amount of slope so water doesn't pool?

[@FdUpNews]

This unanswered question is the only reason why I watched.

[@MikhailPanasyuk]

The slope is made when installing the tile with the amount of thinset you use.

[@aricvaniterson7936]

@@MikhailPanasyuk But wouldn't it be easier to set that slop with the bench framing?

[@paulmaxwell8851]

@@aricvaniterson7936 Yes, yes it would be easier at the framing stage.

[@leebannister3759]

The shower bench plywood, is that level (and the tiles will slope) or is it already slightly sloped (and tile flat to the board) for water drain?

[@youknow1334]

What about bench with tub/shower combo?

[@antwanhouse7872]

You built the bench completely level? Or does it need a slight tilt for water to run off?

[@mowens1972]

Im getting ready to build the same style bench for our new shower. Shouldn't the bench top slope toward the shower so water will not like on top of the bench?

[@HomeRepairTutor]

all benches should be sloped toward the shower pan, this was accomplished when we installed the solid quartz top

[@mowens1972]

@@HomeRepairTutor I looked all over KZbin for that video where you are setting the seat but couldn't find it.

[@HomeRepairTutor]

M O that portion of the installation is inside our Bathroom Repair Tutor Video Library, you might really benefit from those videos

[@shaquillefarrington1310]

@@HomeRepairTutor why is the curb stop On front of the bench why didn’t the curb go straight back and the bench inside?

[@kylerice5225]

Well done as always.

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks Kyle

[@MrWilsonyediel]

Are y'all make the bench level or back side is 1/4 high ?

[@VideoNash]

Nice.

[@j31355a]

Is the shower bench pitched at all to shed water. I didn’t see that addressed.

[@chupalia]

good stuff

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks Chupalia

[@vidhyadileepkumar831]

Are you guys free to give me a quote on my bathroom please? I had a bathroom done 2 years ago but all started coming a part after few months of completion. I live in london. Please let me know

[@lauravelazquez6775]

Hi can I ask what kind of nail gun are you using?

[@mrsincere4640]

No slope on the bench?

[@charliejonas3416]

Did you guys add a glass wall to this? Video?

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Yes, frameless glass shower door and wall that sits on the bench

[@italy9327]

What if my floor is concrete? How do I attach the framed bench?

[@bubunelu7027]

Add 2x4's on top of the concrete and use concrete screws like Tap on from Home Depot. You will need a hammer drill to drill the holes in the concrete first.

[@kirklandmcghie6496]

❤❤

[@goodmandiad2713]

Great video, I am doing just this install as part of a bathroom that 2 weeks again I got a bug up my but and tore it out. I am going to build the bench in the morning along with a knew wall next to the bench. I bought the weed curb pat because we may put a glass splash panel in the shower. is there a rule of thumb for how wide such glass panels need to be to avoid getting water all over the bathroom? The whole bathroom will be tiled but only the shower will have a drain. Thanks.

[@digitalcurrents]

What about the moisture coming from the concrete? Why aren't you using pressure treated wood or putting gasket between the wood and the concrete?

[@edgargomez4930]

16 on center?

[@illestk24civic]

I was disappointed to see a Pittsburg harbor freight level

[@ZteveW]

So if you frame the shower bench it for 20", how tall will it actually be after you subtract the shower pan materials?

[@L6901Malice]

Probably 20.25-20.5" if it were tile, this one is getting a slab

[@Jdakota]

Really depends on the thickness of the pan and also the thickness of the plywood and the thickness of the slap that will go on top of the bench. In think over 20 is too much no? A tall toilet seat seat stands 17 inches tall

[@turboflush]

Bench depends on space available. I just dont like corner benchs.. waist.

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Corner benches mostly collect soap and shampoo bottles, lol. That said, I guess some people like them

[@hardkore360]

people with disabilities see it as a place to sit, so it's not a complete waste to some

[@HomeRepairTutor]

Thanks hardkore360

[@ko6128]

Maybe you added blocking to the back of seat after video was done?

[@HomeRepairTutor]

?

[@ko6128]

Home Repair Tutor some tile installers put down lathe and use mortar to float walls and floor (after hot mopping), others use hardibacker and some membrane on the floor. When they go the lathe/mortar route, 2x’s are placed between the studs to give them surface to attach the lathe with staples. My tile guy does it the lathe/mortar way which is considered old school in Southern California.

[@ultras6167]

Nous sommes deux marocains travaillant dans le domaine de la teinture et du plâtre. Nous recherchons un contrat de travail. Nous espérons votre aide

[@rickmarks3100]

Terrible build. It will leak and rot. Bench should slope. The pan should cover the entire bench.