Shower Tray on sloping floor

Neil1975 · Oct 9, 2019

Hi, need some advice please. Getting new bathroom fitted. Plumber has fitted my new stone resin shower tray. Floor sloping quite badly so he has levelled it using whatever white coloured adhesive or tile cement or something (not sure) in big dollops. It just looks like it will not be solid once it eventually dries and sets but he said it will be.

Photos attached.

Any advice gratefully received, tiler due in on Friday. Thanks

snowhead · Oct 9, 2019

Tiler's going to love tiling up to that.
Who layed the plywood and didn't level it all up?

Brambles · Oct 9, 2019

I think you already know the answer! If the tray is mounted on a solid ( concrete or stone) floor, you might get away with it. If it is on an upper or slightly flexible floor ( more than 1 in 300 movement) - it will flex. Over time flexing will cause cracking and or leaks.

Generally bedding (as a minimum) needs to be consistent an across the full width and length of the tray.

Not an easy photo to see, but what sort of waterproofing has been installed between the tray and the wall?

Neil1975 · Oct 9, 2019

Brambles said:
I think you already know the answer! If the tray is mounted on a solid ( concrete or stone) floor, you might get away with it. If it is on an upper or slightly flexible floor ( more than 1 in 300 movement) - it will flex. Over time flexing will cause cracking and or leaks.

Generally bedding (as a minimum) needs to be consistent an across the full width and length of the tray.

Not an easy photo to see, but what sort of waterproofing has been installed between the tray and the wall?

Hi, thanks for response.

I really don't know, I've just taken advice of plumber. It's on plywood, well screwed to floorboards. There is a clear sealant between tray and walls.

I'm not sure what you mean about 1 in 300 movement, I'm not technical at all with any of this type of thing, sorry. When you say cracking, where would it crack?

Thanks again.
[automerge]1570655853[/automerge]

snowhead said:
Tiler's going to love tiling up to that.
Who layed the plywood and didn't level it all up?

Plumber

Brambles · Oct 9, 2019

Neil,

The design criteria for deflection on floors in to limit the deflection to less than 1 in 300. That is to say that a span of 1 meter deflects by no more than 1.5mm at the mid point. The reasoning behind this is that a human walking across a floor that deflects less than 1 in 300 does not notice it.

However, with respect to shower trays this is no where near small enough to prevent cracking on the seals and distortion. So installing a shower tray on an upper floor normally requires significant stiffening of the floor to prevent cracking of the wall / tray interface.

With respect to your issue, I would be astounded if the tray manufacturer did not require / specify a full and consistent bedding underneath and across the full width of the tray.

I appreciate that this is not want you want to hear - but stand in the tray now and jump around and if you feel the slightest movement - you will either be disappointed with future cracking at the wall interface or it will leak.

ShaunCorbs · Oct 9, 2019

I wouldn’t be happy with the tray bedding / fixing will put excess stress on the tray itself and will probably crack down the road

Needs to be totally bedded and sound

Harvest Fields · Oct 10, 2019

Good evening @Neil1975. I would speak to the plumber and tell him you are not happy and you would like it if he/she would level the tray correctly on the correct base specified in the manufactures instructions.

Please like this post if you found it helpful.

king of pipes · Oct 10, 2019

The floor should of been levelled first the tray needs supporting over it's whole base I have done a good few of these , if you are tiling the floor ply wood is not a good enough surface to tile onto it will need a tile backer board fitting on top either a cement based board or the foam type tile backer board . Kop

Neil1975 · Oct 10, 2019

Thanks everyone, I'll need to go away and talk to plumber and put tiler on hold.

snowhead · Oct 10, 2019

Speak to the tiler as well to see if he has recommendations to overcome the issue or see how he expects to see it pre tiling.
It won't be the first one like this that he's seen

Neil1975 · Oct 10, 2019

snowhead said:
Speak to the tiler as well to see if he has recommendations to overcome the issue or see how he expects to see it pre tiling.
It won't be the first one like this that he's seen

Thanks, I did that this morning...I was thinking non stop in my sleep. Good advice, the tiler has definitely seen it all before. Working between them both now. Cheers

Frank Nicklin · Oct 10, 2019

If the floor cannot be levelled across the bathroom I would have at least levelled it under the shower tray so you have even support, even if it means a slight step up to the shower tray. I would not be happy with what he has done and could end up costing you a lot more due to cracks and leaks. You might be better off with a fully lipped tray on risers so you can level it properly, rather than these fancy slate trays, not all designs suit their location.

oz-plumber · Oct 11, 2019

I think that installation is 'woeful'.
In fact I don't think I have seen a shower base installed that bad.

Rip it up and sit it on a sand and cement screed.

Is that silicon or expander foam that the shower base is sitting on?

Neil1975 · Oct 11, 2019

oz-plumber said:
I think that installation is 'woeful'.
In fact I don't think I have seen a shower base installed that bad.

Rip it up and sit it on a sand and cement screed.

Is that silicon or expander foam that the shower base is sitting on?

Cheers, it's all sorted now

Frank Nicklin · Oct 11, 2019

Neil1975 said:
Cheers, it's all sorted now

What's been done to correct it. Some pics would be good. Could provide assistance to someone else in this situation.

Deleted member 32524 · Oct 11, 2019

What is under the ply? I have had to many times level the floor from the joists up due to poor condition and joists not level in first place. Then build a level floor suitable for the tray to go on to and tiles to go on quickly and flat.

Neil1975 · Oct 11, 2019

Frank Nicklin said:
What's been done to correct it. Some pics would be good. Could provide assistance to someone else in this situation.

Ripped up, levelled floor just where tray going with cement/sand so a solid level base. Stuck down with something, pink grip or similar I think. Tiler in now so can only really get photos of finished article. Happy to post once tiler done

Welcome to PlumbersTalk.net

American Visitor?

Shower Tray on sloping floor

Neil1975

Attachments

snowhead

Brambles

Neil1975

Brambles

ShaunCorbs

Super Moderator

Harvest Fields

king of pipes

Attachments

Neil1975

snowhead

Neil1975

Frank Nicklin

oz-plumber

Neil1975

Frank Nicklin

Deleted member 32524

Plumbers Arms member

Neil1975

Similar plumbing topics