| The tile shower pan built the traditional way is built | | | | layer, the minimum thickness of the mortar at the |
| from the bottom up in layers. The heart of the pan | | | | drain should be 1 1/4 inches. Otherwise it's possible |
| is the vinyl membrane that really stops any water | | | | the mortar could crumble over time. But with the |
| that makes it past the shower floor. You do realize | | | | proper thickness the mortar layer is plenty strong |
| that shower floors naturally leak??? The pan is built | | | | without any special additives or ingredients. All you |
| to catch that water. After the liner membrane is in | | | | need is the deck mud recipe with the water kept at |
| place, a second layer of mortar goes over the liner | | | | a minimum so the finished mix is just moist. A |
| and it's the base for the tile. Here's how it goes on. | | | | soupy mortar mix is not acceptable since it will shrink |
| The second mortar layer of the pan is constructed | | | | too much as it dries. |
| of what's called deck mud. It's a simple mix of | | | | The second mortar layer, the top layer, of the tile |
| portland cement, sand and water. That's all. It's | | | | shower pan is the base for the ceramic tile. It's |
| put on and then formed using a flat trowel and | | | | made of simple material and shaped with simple |
| pieces of boards. The mortar is sloped at about 1/4 | | | | tools. The real work of building the leak-proof |
| inch per foot to make sure the water moves right to | | | | shower has been done by the time this layer is |
| the drain. | | | | finished. |
| In order to have enough mass to make for a strong | | | | |