Shower Base - Walk In

[coopns]

I was thinking about replacing the existing shower with a walk in. I have done a bit of research regarding the base. I see some plastic/acrylic/cast iron pans...36 x 60. Like the look of tile on the floor but the critic in me thinks what will that floor look like in 20 years, grout will be all dirty. So thought about an plastic/acrylic/cast iron pan then tile the walls. Thoughts and opinions?

 

[dparm]

Cleaning the grout once a year doesn't seem unreasonable.

 

[SteveSRT8]

We built a 9 X 5 walk in shower a few years ago. Try using a tile where you can set it with sanded grout instead of unsanded. Much more durable and cleanable, if you use yours like we do it needs frequent cleaning!

 

[Noey]

There's always a trade off when it comes to Style V. Functionality, but I always found the pans to be uber cheap looking. if you're going thru the expense of re doing the shower (for yourself and not for resale), then I'd say tile the floor. I've had a tiled enclosed shower for 20+ years, and the grout looks fine. In the summer when it's more likely to mold, a quit spritz of bleach instantly cleans it off, no worries.

 

[coopns]

Thanks for the opinions. We aren't selling. I don't mind if we have to redo in 25 years...kids will be out! So the tile guy will build a 'mud' base? Is that the best...cement base. What about the Kurdi stuff?

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: coopns

Thanks for the opinions. We aren't selling. I don't mind if we have to redo in 25 years...kids will be out! So the tile guy will build a 'mud' base? Is that the best...cement base. What about the Kurdi stuff?

In our last home, I had a tile guy we've used for years built me a "mud base" ~3ft x 5ft walk-in shower. He basically started with two pieces of 3/4" pressure treated plywood stacked, as a base and some 2x4's as a curb. He set a center drain, then applied 3 coats of Redgard membrane to the whole base and about a foot or so up the walls. Next day he tapered a mud base to the drain, then tiled over that. Old school and probably not the best, given moisture is always going to be under the shower floor tile, but he claimed he's got ones in service that are 25yrs old this way.

 

[Smcatub]

Personally, I would go with the Kerdi system. Check out www.johnbridge.com - their forum is the BITOG of the tile world

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted By: Smcatub

Personally, I would go with the Kerdi system. Check out www.johnbridge.com - their forum is the BITOG of the tile world

Agreed. What I've found is, lots of old school tile guys prefer to stick with old school techniques and shy away from Kerdi type systems. I've spend some hours reading the johnbridge site over the years. Those guys are the Holms on Homes super duper high dollar overkill professionals for sure.