Can anyone recommend where to purchase Kerdi by the roll? Is it strictly an online order from Kerdi/Shluter or do some of the big box stores carry it? Perhaps the tile store where the tile is purchased? I am in South Florida and there are many places I can look. Thanks all.

You can get it from Home Depot and most tile shops should have access to it as well. If you have a problem, let us know where you are and maybe we can direct you better.

I started out buying it from http://www.tile-experts.com then started getting it from a local dealer for the same price. Then there was a price increase, so I went back to tile-experts. For a standard shower, I can order what I need and pay shipping and still save $40 over the local distributors. I order two or three a month from them. The more Kerdi you buy, the cheaper it is.

The only downside is I have to wait a few days, but it comes directly to the front door, which is a plus.

Thanks you for the Kerdi info., gentleman.

Harry, a while back I inquired about an instructional video regarding tile installation. As you mentioned, some videos were posted to the website but none of them really go into detail for tile installation in a bathroom shower or drywall/CBU placement.

Aside from the excellent info in all the posts here, can you or anyone else in the forum recommend any video/dvd instructions out there? I did try this link but wasn't particularly impressed. http://www.tileashower.com/

Thanks again for all the advice.

Harry, I am in the West Palm Beach area.

Schluter just sent me 2 videos and permission to use them on this site, but after watching them they aren't much good as instructional videos. They show the installation, but not the "real" roll your sleeves up and get messy kind of installation needed to explain in practical detail.
I haven't bothered to look for any lately because they've all seemed to be more of a marketing tool than anything else.

Also the Schluter videos use too many of their profile edges and other gadgets that don't always belong in a shower.

OK, thanks. I will keep looking around to see what I can find.

Has anyone downloaded the http://www.tileashower.com videos? I viewed the link's previews, but as everyone else has stated I'm looking for a hands-on, step-by-step video...Ted

I quess if you want to spend $28 or more for videos, thats up to you.

We'll help you thru it here for free.

Randall: Thanks, I'll probably need all the help I can get. The existing drain pipe from the tub I removed is PVC and above the slab floor. Plus the opening around the drain, from where the forms where (I guess), is not level. As I see it, I'll need to chiesel down to install a new, flush drain and grind the floor level? If so, what is the recommended slope of the drain? Would pictures help, and if so, how do I post pictures? Thanks...Ted

Look at some of the excellent info on the main page. Things being out of level should not be a problem, since you will be piling deck mud on there anyway for the pre-slope. I would encourage you to go with a Schluter drain. It will connect easily to 2" PVC. The drain will sit 1" above the existing slab. From there things need to slope up a minimum of 1/4 inch per foot. So if the furthest corner is 2 feet from the drain, you will need the shower floor perimeter 1/2 inch above the drain. that's a minimum, it can slope a bit more.

Ted, if you go back to the main index of this forum you'll see "Ceramic Tile" which is the first section under "General Tile Discussion". If you click on "Ceramic Tile" you'll see a subfourm at the top of the page where you can post photos of what you'd like us to see.
I just set it up tonight, so you'll be the first one to use it.

Harry, thanks...I'll give it a try...Ted

Harry: You'll probably ban me from this website because of my lack of knowledge on tile and computers. But I've been trying to load pictures of my "problem project" on to the site and either I don't know what I'm doing (most likely) or can't follow simple instructions...either of which, I guess, I need a step-by-step for this too. Ted

Pistolpete: Thanks for the info. I tried to post some pictures but I can't figure out how to get them on this site. Anyway, the current drain pipe comes out of the floor makes a 90 with the bottom of the pipe about floor level. Then another 90 where the drain sits, the top of the drain is about 1 1 1/2" above the floor. From your post I guess I'll have to recess the pipe so that the drain is floor level with the concrete slab? If this matters, the drain assymbly is not over the slab, but in what appears to be an open area of the slab...looks like they poured the slab around this opening with some kind of black stuff poured around the lower portion of the drain pipe. Have I confused you? I know I am...thanks...Ted

I'm not sure if you have a typo there. Is the drain currently 11.5 inches above the slab or 1.5 inches above the slab. If it's the 1.5 inches, then you have nothing to sorry about. Just build up to it with mortar. Step one for you should be to read through everything Harry has written about showers on the main page.

pistolpete: Typo, 1.5 inches. I live in the country so I have no building codes, but I do want my drain to be set correctly...especially since I'm doing everything. Okay, I'll look over Harry's info...what keeps throwing me off is most everything I've read talks about a wood floor and I'm on a slab...I guess the procedures are the same? I'm thinking about going with the complete Schluter system, as opposed to mortar bed. Six-of-one, half-a-dozen-of-the-other?

You'll still need a mortar bed with the Kerdi membrane, but only 1 instead of 2.
A mortar bed over a concrete slab is basically the same as over wood. The only difference is that the mortar-bed over concrete must be bonded with a slurry, which is just a thinly applied layer of thinset mortar over the slab.
Kerdi drains are great, but you'll need to break down into the slab a couple of inches to set the Kerdi drain unless you don't mind a 4" or 5" mortar bed for your shower pan.

Ted, do you have a teenager in your home. They have a certain usefullness with this kind of thing.

I like the Shluter system for two reasons: No water gets into the mortar in the first place and the Kerdi ends up a lot thinner in the corners where it's folded. Also eliminates need for blocking in the wall, because you can just run greenboard down to the floor. the only real difference with shower pan on a slab is like Mike said. Use thinset to bond the mortar bed to the slab and no slip sheet or mesh is necessary.

Go to schluter.com and look at the pictures of the Schluter drain there. They give all dimensions. You will see the height of it and all that. when you order a schluter drain it comes with installation videos that show all the steps for drain and kerdi, but not in great detail.

A normal shower curb is about 5 inches high and a normal pan mortar bed is about two inches thick at the perimeter and 1 to 1.5 inches at the drain.. However, there is no reason not to build things a bit higher to get more clearance for the drain assembly.

Mike & Pete: Thanks for the info. Mike, I'll see if my daughter can figure out the picture thing. I hammer-chiseled the "lump" from around the drain opening, now the floor is very close to level. Also dug out from around the drain trap so that I can cut the existing PVC trap and reposition it farther from the wall. Looks like I'll have at least 4 inches from the top of the slab to the drain. Tommorrow I'll go get supplies from Lowes and get started, figured I use 3 2x4" for the curb...trying to keep it low for my Dad to step over. Ted

If you're going to have four inches from the slab to the top of the drain, your slope is going to require closer to five inches by the time it gets to the curb, depending on the size of the shower and the location of the drain.

If you're trying to keep the curb as low as possible, you might want to figure out how to get the drain closer to the floor. This might possibly require dropping the trap a little. The drain should ideally be about 1 1/2" from the slab. A little more doesn't hurt, but could be too high for the curb in your case.

Kman: Should have made it more clear, the top of the PVC trap is about 6-8" below the slab giving me 4" of room below the slab to set the drain. Wish I could figure out how to post those pics. I followed Harry's instructions but I can't seem to get the pics transferred over. Thanks...Ted