Waterproofing Our Shower START-TO-FINISH

[@mattchristensen182]

i’m a diyer and I did a bathroom two summers ago, i do find it helpful to wet the substrate a bit before applying thinset (even if modified) so it doesnt pull the moisture out of the thinset

[@codyplant4788]

Really good job. Thanks for the in depth instructions. I was nervous for you when you started to inspect the ceiling under the shower pan.

[@kevinhornbuckle]

That drain system is great. It can be used on dry pack mud beds also.

[@adamh6190]

254 platinum....they sent you the bomb proof stuff. Good work for only your second shower prep job.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

haha thank you! Laticrete definitely knows a thing or two about thinset

[@billvojtech5686]

I've seen it recommeded that you frame areas to be tiled, or where you will hang cabinets, with composite studs. You avoid the problems with warped lumber.

[@CMCraftsman]

You mean engineered lumber.

[@Verb1037]

Not sure if you mentioned it in the video but the more blocking the better for glass shower doors

[@HopingforPower]

Man... up until this point you had me convinced that I could MAYBE do everything you both have been doing to build this house. This video brought me back down to earth. There's a lot you mentioned in this video that I have no knowledge of. Very impressive work! I know you're super meticulous with your work but I was curious: I thought common practice for tiling on plywood was to lightly damp the wood before applying the grout. Do I have that wrong? Also, why is it common practice to put grout down with the tool you were using in ridges? I'd figure the seal would be tighter without the ridges and grooves -- more surface area touching the styrofoam. This looks great though, seriously. Nice work!

[@MattSapp]

First thing would be to clarify that this waterproofing step doesn't use grout - this is thinset mortar. Grout is the filler that goes in between the tiles once they are mortared in place. The notch trowel to put the thinset down is used because it ensures an even layer of thinset across the whole surface. IF you used a flat trowel, you'd have thick sections and thin sections and no way to even those out. When material is put down on top of mortar that has been placed with a notch trowel, the ridges collapse to an even, consistent thickness. As far as wetting the plywood...dry plywood could potentially pull moisture out of a traditional unmodified thinset. Waterproofing systems like what Alex is using almost entirely call for modified thinset (it has mostly various latex additives) that, amongst other things, maintain a good bond even without having to wet the plywood first.

[@SKWDMDYT]

Good series, but don't understand why everything had to get so technical and complicated. I did two bathrooms with good ole Durock and never had a leak over 25 years. I was a DIYer as meticulous as you are. My parents still have there home built in 1975 and never a bathroom leak and don't know what was used in the 70's, probably greenboard. And of course with new techniques, I'm sure the expense goes up.

[@odsolis10]

Would suggest looking into a tile-redi pan. One piece system so fewer steps and fewer points of failure too.

[@MasonDixonAcres]

We used their preformed niche on the previous shower, will have to look into the pan! Probably easier to clean than a tiled floor as well. The key is finding one that looks & feels just like stone or tile

[@odsolis10]

⁠@@MasonDixonAcresit’s great, I’ve had mine installed for going on 7 years now. You would tile over the pan, so need to worry about the visual appearance! They have a variety of different sizes and layouts, even do custom ones as well

[@kevinhornbuckle]

A margin trowel is essential for this type of work.

[@sammax4245]

I would cut the drain pipe from the first floor , leave it hanging till i finish with the all the gluing and the bathroom floor then I will go down later connect it to the rest of the drain pipes

[@caseyarmstrong7064]

I don’t understand the layering of all the floor, corner and ribbon pieces of water membrane. If you think about how water drains, you think the floor piece would be the first piece to go down, then the ribbon or corner pieces then the wall pieces.

[@kevinhornbuckle]

It is counter-intuitive. You don’t have to think like a drop of water.

[@michaelm3255]

When cutting foam with a knife, try to keep your non-dominant hand in a place you are cutting away from -- not towards. Don't ask me how I know this....

[@undonesofficial]

I hope you didn't just install that drain with sealant.