Brand new to this board .... You guys are awesome!!!! On my first shower pan (ever) - have built first layer of preslope shower pan as per Harry's "Shower floor" prescription...(1/4"/foot slope worked out pretty good - minor hump due to my newbieness - second layer will easily cover) Membrane is down and siliconed under PVC as instructed, 2 piece drain snugged up. Now second layer of presloped deck mud is coming, (I used half mortar mix & half topping mix from HD in my bottom layer- they didn't have sand mix? in my local store - hardened up well!! - OK for layer 2??) My question is - when setting height of shower flange above first layer (~1"? at shower drain - and able to screw flange up(or down?)more if necessary..) what is the best procedure for the contact between the flange & the mosaic tile/grout which will cover the floor? Does the flange screw down over top of finished tile/grout (maybe with silicone?), or do I pack the grout under the flange, snug it down some more, if able, & let the weep holes do their thing? Also, cutting the 3"ish round hole in the mesh backed mosaic tile (with a diamond blade wet table saw) looks problematic.... Cut tile pieces from the bottom & grout the imperfections, if any, perhaps??

Hi Tyrone
I can tell by the way you ask your questions you've got a good grip on understanding this project.
Make sure you use sand mix for the top layer, and try not to talk to any of the Home Depot staff while looking for it.


When I build my top layer of mortar bed in relation to the drain ... I always make sure that I screw the drain all the way out before I begin, and then turn it in as far as I think it should go to give the threads a good grip .... and then I keep turning a little bit more (about 1-1/2 turns). The extra turns will allow me to build my mortar bed using the top of the drain plate as a guide without having to take extra care with how low or how high I build my mortar bed. I scape everything flat and sloped as needed, and then turn my drain back out the 1-1/2 turns to accomodate the thickness of the mosaic tile.
When you spread thinset you will most likely force some in toward the drain and that's fine. Also, when you grout, some will also be forced toward the drain assembly .. so by the time you're done, it's solid in place.
The top of the drain plate should be flush with your tile ... maybe down only enough not to feel the edge of the drain cover.
I'll tell you what I tell my helpers. "If you take your time there won't be any imperfections".

Thanks huge, Harry - In case anyone is wondrin' the same as me - went to HD - no 'SAND MIX' to be found. Then to Rona/Revy (alternate retailer on the west coast here) lookin for sand mix - On the bag of (SANCRETE) 'SAND MIX' - it said - formerly known as "TOPPING MIX"(as I suspected)- diffrent suppliers, diffrent terminology, same thing (I hope) - grabbed a couple bags fer my top layer, goin' down tonite, after vertical wall cement board placement. Didn't notch out studs/2 x 10 backers for membrane thickness. Hope to make it up in the thinset adhesion coat fer the minor out of squareness. May have to custom cut bottom tiles, making for poor asthetics. Fingers crossed!!

Tyrone ... you'll probably need at least 3 bags of sand-mix for your shower.

I just finished laying most of the tile on my first shower. I followed the directions and tips on this site, and I am rather proud of the result. The shower pan, and getting it correct (if I did) was the biggest pain, I just couldn't get out all the low spots, so I bet I have some puddling in one spot.

I'll second the notion of not talking to anyone at HD, I even had trouble just asking where something was.

I can post pictures (haven't grouted yet) if someone tells me how.

Ron

You can send in your photos by clicking on the Ceramic Tile Photo Gallery from the side bar on the Ontario Tile Setters home page. Just follow the instructions posted there.

Or you can host them to an Image hosting site http://www.imageshack.us/ and then insert the photos by using the Instant UBB Code Image found on the post reply page. Copy and paste the link from the image hosting site between the two image words on the reply. Preview your post to make sure the phots are the right size.

Let me see if this works. If so, this shows my work from last weekend, I will be finishing the tile on the far right of the picture Thursday night so I can grout on Saturday.

Ron