I have a quadrant shower installed in an upstairs bathroom, the shower tray is plastic and in my opinion is not properly installed (not by me I might add). long story - but I'm looking to resolve the problem right now.

The shower tray flexes under my weight and I'm convinced that my foot will go through it sooner or later. The tray has not been bedded into anything, as I believe it should have been.

I don't want to dismantle the shower, if possible as everything is sealed in with silicone.

I'm thinking if squirting some expanding foam under the base, using a long, tube/nozzle. There is a small space round the base where I could do this. After reading in other web sites, I've seen this suggested, though not seen any comments on the result.

Is expanding foam a bad idea ? I know that foam expansion is quite powerful and could possibly push the tray upwards, or even create a bulge.

Should I just bite the bullet and dismantle the whole thing, or even wait for the tray to ultimately break, at which time, I'll be forced to change the tray, maybe for something more solid.

Any tips appreciated.

On 30/09/2013 11:26, cf-leeds wrote:

I have a quadrant shower installed in an upstairs bathroom, the
shower tray is plastic and in my opinion is not properly installed
(not by me I might add). long story - but I'm looking to resolve the
problem right now.

The shower tray flexes under my weight and I'm convinced that my foot
will go through it sooner or later. The tray has not been bedded into
anything, as I believe it should have been.

Plastic/glass fibre trays are not usually bedded on, but are supported
on a metal framework with feet. They also normally bend a bit under load.

{snip]

Should I just bite the bullet and dismantle the whole thing, or even
wait for the tray to ultimately break, at which time, I'll be forced
to change the tray, maybe for something more solid.

First I think you need to get a look under it and work out what type of
tray it really is.


--
Cheers,

John.

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On Monday, September 30, 2013 11:26:17 AM UTC+1, cf-leeds wrote:

I have a quadrant shower installed in an upstairs bathroom, the shower tray is plastic and in my opinion is not properly installed (not by me I might add). long story - but I'm looking to resolve the problem right now.
The shower tray flexes under my weight and I'm convinced that my foot will go through it sooner or later. The tray has not been bedded into anything, as I believe it should have been.
I don't want to dismantle the shower, if possible as everything is sealed in with silicone.
I'm thinking if squirting some expanding foam under the base, using a long, tube/nozzle. There is a small space round the base where I could do this.. After reading in other web sites, I've seen this suggested, though not seen any comments on the result.
Is expanding foam a bad idea ? I know that foam expansion is quite powerful and could possibly push the tray upwards, or even create a bulge.
Should I just bite the bullet and dismantle the whole thing, or even wait for the tray to ultimately break, at which time, I'll be forced to change the tray, maybe for something more solid.
Any tips appreciated.

Plastic trays do flex, but you're not giving us any clue as to how much.

If the flexing is a problem, injecting expanding foam blind is almost sure to destroy it with huge expansive force.

It might be worth getting access from underneath via the ceiling, if its on a timber framed floor, and putting a run of expanding foam round the outer of the tray, so there's planety of space for downward & sideways expansion, then come back later and do the same again further in, so you build up good support without destructive forces. Or you could just fit some wood under it that the top can sit on. Or you could add fibreglass with lots of reinforcing ribs etc.


NT

On Monday, September 30, 2013 4:07:30 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, September 30, 2013 11:26:17 AM UTC+1, cf-leeds wrote:



I have a quadrant shower installed in an upstairs bathroom, the shower tray is plastic and in my opinion is not properly installed (not by me I might add). long story - but I'm looking to resolve the problem right now.

The shower tray flexes under my weight and I'm convinced that my foot will go through it sooner or later. The tray has not been bedded into anything, as I believe it should have been.

I don't want to dismantle the shower, if possible as everything is sealed in with silicone.

I'm thinking if squirting some expanding foam under the base, using a long, tube/nozzle. There is a small space round the base where I could do this. After reading in other web sites, I've seen this suggested, though not seen any comments on the result.

Is expanding foam a bad idea ? I know that foam expansion is quite powerful and could possibly push the tray upwards, or even create a bulge.

Should I just bite the bullet and dismantle the whole thing, or even wait for the tray to ultimately break, at which time, I'll be forced to change the tray, maybe for something more solid.

Any tips appreciated.



Plastic trays do flex, but you're not giving us any clue as to how much.



If the flexing is a problem, injecting expanding foam blind is almost sure to destroy it with huge expansive force.



It might be worth getting access from underneath via the ceiling, if its on a timber framed floor, and putting a run of expanding foam round the outer of the tray, so there's planety of space for downward & sideways expansion, then come back later and do the same again further in, so you build up good support without destructive forces. Or you could just fit some wood under it that the top can sit on. Or you could add fibreglass with lots of reinforcing ribs etc.





NT

So I'd say it flexing about 5mm. It also makes a bit of a creek sometimes, while i'm moving around.

The only think I could realistically get under it would be foam, but that seems quite risky. Maybe there's something else I could inject under there, to add support ?

Thanks for the responses

Chris

On 30/09/2013 16:31, cf-leeds wrote:
On Monday, September 30, 2013 4:07:30 PM UTC+1, wrote:
On Monday, September 30, 2013 11:26:17 AM UTC+1, cf-leeds wrote:



I have a quadrant shower installed in an upstairs bathroom, the shower tray is plastic and in my opinion is not properly installed (not by me I might add). long story - but I'm looking to resolve the problem right now.

The shower tray flexes under my weight and I'm convinced that my foot will go through it sooner or later. The tray has not been bedded into anything, as I believe it should have been.

I don't want to dismantle the shower, if possible as everything is sealed in with silicone.

I'm thinking if squirting some expanding foam under the base, using a long, tube/nozzle. There is a small space round the base where I could do this. After reading in other web sites, I've seen this suggested, though not seen any comments on the result.

Is expanding foam a bad idea ? I know that foam expansion is quite powerful and could possibly push the tray upwards, or even create a bulge.

Should I just bite the bullet and dismantle the whole thing, or even wait for the tray to ultimately break, at which time, I'll be forced to change the tray, maybe for something more solid.

Any tips appreciated.



Plastic trays do flex, but you're not giving us any clue as to how much.



If the flexing is a problem, injecting expanding foam blind is almost sure to destroy it with huge expansive force.



It might be worth getting access from underneath via the ceiling, if its on a timber framed floor, and putting a run of expanding foam round the outer of the tray, so there's planety of space for downward & sideways expansion, then come back later and do the same again further in, so you build up good support without destructive forces. Or you could just fit some wood under it that the top can sit on. Or you could add fibreglass with lots of reinforcing ribs etc.





NT

So I'd say it flexing about 5mm. It also makes a bit of a creek sometimes, while i'm moving around.

The only think I could realistically get under it would be foam, but that seems quite risky. Maybe there's something else I could inject under there, to add support ?

Thanks for the responses

Chris

I can see that injecting a large amount of foam could be risky,
especially if you seal up the hole before it has finished expanding, but
I would have thought that a series of sensibly judged "dollops",
allowing each to cure before adding another, would be OK. One of the
bigger risks, if there is any damp getting down there, is creating
perfect conditions for dry rot. You don't want "bulges" which might
affect the drainage, but you could put a few bags of sand in there first
to bias it concave.

cf-leeds wrote:

wrote:

If the flexing is a problem, injecting expanding foam blind is
almost sure to destroy it with huge expansive force.

The only think I could realistically get under it would be foam, but
that seems quite risky. Maybe there's something else I could inject
under there, to add support ?

You can get low expansion foams, e.g.

http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/products/sealants/foam/13870/everbuild_exact_gap_foam

On Monday, September 30, 2013 7:54:51 PM UTC+1, Andy Burns wrote:
cf-leeds wrote:



wrote:



If the flexing is a problem, injecting expanding foam blind is

almost sure to destroy it with huge expansive force.



The only think I could realistically get under it would be foam, but

that seems quite risky. Maybe there's something else I could inject

under there, to add support ?



You can get low expansion foams, e.g.



http://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/products/sealants/foam/13870/everbuild_exact_gap_foam

Thanks, I'll look into that one.

Chris

On Mon, 30 Sep 2013 03:26:17 -0700, cf-leeds wrote:

I have a quadrant shower installed in an upstairs bathroom, the shower
tray is plastic and in my opinion is not properly installed (not by me I
might add). long story - but I'm looking to resolve the problem right
now.

The shower tray flexes under my weight and I'm convinced that my foot
will go through it sooner or later. The tray has not been bedded into
anything, as I believe it should have been.

I don't want to dismantle the shower, if possible as everything is
sealed in with silicone.

I'm thinking if squirting some expanding foam under the base, using a
long, tube/nozzle. There is a small space round the base where I could
do this. After reading in other web sites, I've seen this suggested,
though not seen any comments on the result.

Is expanding foam a bad idea ? I know that foam expansion is quite
powerful and could possibly push the tray upwards, or even create a
bulge.

Should I just bite the bullet and dismantle the whole thing, or even
wait for the tray to ultimately break, at which time, I'll be forced to
change the tray, maybe for something more solid.

Any tips appreciated.

How long has the shower tray been there (roughly)?

We had an old fibreglass tray which had a base of foam with a bit of wood
in for 'strength'.

Over time the tray had weakened and water had seeped into the base so the
whole thing was slowly disintegrating underneath.

So I don't know if you have a bad install of a recent tray, or an old tray
which may be failing.

Cheers

Dave R

This is a relatively recent install and was clearly not done properly.

Chris