Hi
I need to replace my bathroom shower tray; having removed the old one
(using a sledgehammer once I'd realised how heavy the damned thing
was!) I'm a bit aghast at the thought of lugging a new stone resin
tray up there and fitting it. The old tray, installed into an alcove
by a previous incumbent, was 760mm square and the flawed cubicle
design incorporated flat tiled areas at the ends which leaked badly;
hence the new one will avoid flat areas by using a longer tray
(900x760 mm) which will fit snugly within the cubicle. But it will be
even heavier than the original.

I always thought the design was odd, but having appreciated how heavy
these trays are I'm thinking maybe they deliberately went for a
lighter, square model.

Has anyone got any tips please?! Is there a realistic alternative to
stone resin? I've seen some trays which are only about 3" deep - are
these do-able? Available in stone resin? I know I could pad out the
alcove side so a square tray would fit snugly, but obviously given the
extra space I'd much rather use it than lose it.

The alcove location means that the tray will be enclosed on three
sides, so quite apart from hauling the beast upstairs, physically
bedding it in accurately will be really tough I think....

Thanks!
David

In article ,
Lobster wrote:
Is there a realistic alternative to stone resin?

Mine's fibreglass - weighed near enough nothing.

--
*Plagiarism saves time *

Dave Plowman London SW 12
RIP Acorn

"Lobster" wrote in message
om...
Hi
I need to replace my bathroom shower tray; having removed the old one
(using a sledgehammer once I'd realised how heavy the damned thing
was!) I'm a bit aghast at the thought of lugging a new stone resin
tray up there and fitting it. The old tray, installed into an alcove
by a previous incumbent, was 760mm square and the flawed cubicle
design incorporated flat tiled areas at the ends which leaked badly;
hence the new one will avoid flat areas by using a longer tray
(900x760 mm) which will fit snugly within the cubicle. But it will be
even heavier than the original.


I managed to "walk" my stone resin tray upstairs one step at a time. I did
it on my own very carefully and slowly because it was very heavy indeed. The
hardest part was getting it out of the boot of my car. I thought for a few
seconds that I might have to queue up at the surgery for some medical
support but all was well ! Advise getting in in a strong assistant ( rugby
forward) to help with the heavy part of the exercise.

My best bit of advice is to get a tray with a moulded in upstand on all four
sides. You will have to do a some research and shop around a bit. They are a
bit more expensive than the normal plain trays but are so much better and
leakproof that it is well worthwhile. The idea it to chase it into the
surrounding walls so that the tiling or other vertical surface overlaps the
upstand and stops a few mm. above the tray. This method is so effective
that, providing you have got the correct clearances, it is not necessary to
seal the tray to the vertical surfaces although you can follow the belt and
braces principle.

Best of luck . Keep you back straight and lift using you legs or as your ski
instructor said " bend zee knees"

As for plastic shower trays-----Bah Humbug --- storing up trouble unless
they are VERY solidly bedded.

Richard.



I always thought the design was odd, but having appreciated how heavy
these trays are I'm thinking maybe they deliberately went for a
lighter, square model.

Has anyone got any tips please?! Is there a realistic alternative to
stone resin? I've seen some trays which are only about 3" deep - are
these do-able? Available in stone resin? I know I could pad out the
alcove side so a square tray would fit snugly, but obviously given the
extra space I'd much rather use it than lose it.

The alcove location means that the tray will be enclosed on three
sides, so quite apart from hauling the beast upstairs, physically
bedding it in accurately will be really tough I think....

Thanks!
David

"Lobster" wrote in message
news:5a5ee072.0312290430.5727b004@posting

The alcove location means that the tray will be enclosed on three
sides, so quite apart from hauling the beast upstairs, physically
bedding it in accurately will be really tough I think....

Thanks!


Sorry, I forgot to mention that the tray I eventually found had four
adjustable legs which made the positioning and levelling a doddle. I only
had to remove and retile the bottom course of tiles to complete the job. The
positioning could be done with such accuracy that the original shower
surround fixing holes could be used again.

Richard.

Dave Plowman wrote in message ...
In article ,
Lobster wrote:
Is there a realistic alternative to stone resin?

Mine's fibreglass - weighed near enough nothing.

I'm sure! - glad to hear it. I was aware there are shower-trays made
from materials other than stone resin; however most folks on this ng
seem to reckon that stone resin is the only way forward, so by
"realistic alternative" I was really asking if lightweight trays were
any good, whether they all flex/bend/crack/leak etc... I'm sure yours
must be working fine or you wouldn't have responded - do you have any
tips on which models to go for, how to achieve a trouble-free
installation etc?

Thanks
David

(Lobster) wrote in message . com...

I need to replace my bathroom shower tray; having removed the old one
(using a sledgehammer once I'd realised how heavy the damned thing
was!) I'm a bit aghast at the thought of lugging a new stone resin
tray up there and fitting it. The old tray, installed into an alcove
by a previous incumbent, was 760mm square and the flawed cubicle
design incorporated flat tiled areas at the ends which leaked badly;
hence the new one will avoid flat areas by using a longer tray
(900x760 mm) which will fit snugly within the cubicle. But it will be
even heavier than the original.

I always thought the design was odd, but having appreciated how heavy
these trays are I'm thinking maybe they deliberately went for a
lighter, square model.

Has anyone got any tips please?! Is there a realistic alternative to
stone resin?

Having decided that a new stone resin tray was really the only option,
I decided to take the plunge and buy one anyway. That's when I
discovered that my old shower tray, which I thought was what stone
resin was, wasn't. Doh! It must have been ceramic or something;
whatever, it must have weighed twice as much as the new stone resin
one. I may not be built like Mr Universe but I should be able to
shift this one methinks!

David