How to install swanstone shower pan

I would like to install a copper shower pan for a custom shower. Not quite sure how to do this? Anyone have experience doing this? I already have a copper shower pan installed. I need to know do I just put decks mud in, or should I put in a pre-slope layer, then a vinyl liner, then final deck mud.

In know a vinyl liner alone would have been best, but the copper is already there. I would greatly appreciate any advice with Remember Me? Find questions to answer Find today's questions Find unanswered questions. Search Topics. Show Questions Show Posts. Login Not a member? Join our community. Jan 24, , AM. How do I properly install a Swanstone Shower Pan?

A couple of years ago, when I did my basement renovation, I came to this site often and it was a great help. So after a couple years 'off', I've got the bug again to do some home remodeling. This time it's the upstairs main bath. I'm tearing out the fiberglass tub and shower installed by the builder and all the fixtures, and going with a walk in single threshold 60 x 32" shower only with tile walls.

The floor outside the shower will be tiled also. I purchased a Swanstone shower pan and have been reading posts at several sites regarding the install. I had intended to simply place the heavy pan on the subfloor and caulk it in, but it appears that's not the right way to do it.

I have read all the old posts on here regarding the Swanstone shower pan, but would someone please be so kind as to go step by step for me on the proper install? Swanstone's website is very specific about the location of the pan relative to the studs etc and the correct gaps and distances for proper placement of the backerboard once the pan is set, but there's only one statement regarding setting the pan and that is to use mortar or thinset.

Anyone care to walk me through the steps to set the pan? I would certainly appreciate it. My subfloor is sound and level, but is your typical OSB board fastned directly to the floor joists. The bath is on the second floor. Jan 24, , PM. HI Jforce I'd be glad to help, but the answer is involved enough that I don't have time tonight. Please post back to confirm that you would still like me to post on this question and I should have an answer up for you by tomorrow night, OK. See, here in my area, we are below zero and have all kinds of freeze ups and no heat calls, but I promised a friend that I would cover the plumbing page so I am definitely popping in and out when I can, OK?

If others come along and have done this work and want to post on it then work with that as most of the guys in here really do know their stuff! I'll be checking in when I can Jan 28, , AM. Hello Mass! I see that you are still here. Its still working out great for us. Anyway, yes, my shower pan delivers on Feb 7 and I'm getting ready to tear out the fiberglass surround and pretty much gut the entire bathroom this coming weekend.

It is a second floor install without access below well at least easy access. For a three sided shower alcove, I have read here that some use caulk in corners instead of grout. Is this common practice? It seems to make sense as my dad has a big handicapped roll in shower done and they grouted the corners and they also have some level of cracking after 1 year. I am thinking about installing a warmly yours floor heater under the floor tile.

I was wondering what people out there were using for a a leveling compound to create a good surface to thinset the tiles to? I plan on doing it in two stages, float a layer of leveling material above the fiberglass mesh and then thinset the tile as the following step.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again for a great site, Jay. Welcome, Jay.

You'll get a drain with the purchase of that Swanstone pan. It acts much like a bolt and nut. You drop the drain body through the top of the pan's hole and screw on the nut from below. A bead of silicone is used under the flange of the drain in place of more traditional plumber's putty before it's installed on the pan. It's generally easier to install this drain before setting the pan because you have easy access to both sides.

Without access below the floor for your plumbing, your big challenge is setting up the p-trap and vertical drain pipe in exactly the right location before the pan is set. When you lower that heavy pan into position on the floor, you are going to have to "thread the needle", so to speak. Once the pan is in position, you fit a rubber sealing ring between the drain pipe and the drain body, then bulge it tightly between the two by screwing down what looks to be a giant castle nut. So if you can cut an access hole in the ceiling below to make these drain connections after the pan is set, you'll save yourself some aggravation.

Full coverage of mortar under the whole pan is great, but there's no thickness requirement. Getting the pan level is what's important. Thanks for the quick reply. I was afraid you might say that. In my house the bathrooms are stacked. I just got done doing the downstairs one not so long ago, but I could cut a hole in the ceiling above the downstairs tub if need be should have done upstairs first.

It is just hard to get to. For a regular tub, isnt the drain more complicated than just a p trap? From what I recall you have a riser that connects the p trap to the tub overflow? I wasnt sure how this setup adapted to the new non overflow setup and what modifications I would have to make there. As for the floor heater, a self leveling cement is what I had heard, but did not know if you had any specific reccomendations of something I could get at Lowe's or Homer. Thanks again Jay.

For what it's worth, I installed my WYs using the one-step method - tacked the mat to the subfloor, applied the thinset, then set the tile. Careful so you don't nick the wire and remember to wire the siren and take your Ohm readings.

I just recently replaced my tub with a Swanstone unit. I installed the p trap and riser before setting the unit in place without access from below , and it went OK, no problems.

I would suggest having two people to lower the unit in place to make it easier; you're talking just under pounds if I remember right. Have you taken into account either notching the studs or using furring strips to bring the face of the studs out over the flange? If you notch, you will have to notch enough height clearance to slide the whole thing into the 3 wall alcove, then lower it down into place on the mortar bed.

I am pleased with how solid the base feels, and l like the clean look of the install, too. Chris, Thanks for the info on the WY. I have only done one other bathroom and this one will have a more complicated design, but now you have me thinking about one stepping it. Did you put thinset down on the floor and more on back of the tile to increase the mortar bed thickness? I just got nightmares about getting the tiles bedded well and level with all that craziness below. Jim, Thanks for the info on the drain, it is what has me most concerned As for setting the pan, why would I need to fir the studs out?

Can you let me know what I am missing? One problem I will have is that one of the three walls has the toilet against it ans it will be close as it is now as the roughin is close and firring out would get me jammed up I would imagine.