Hi

We have bought a low profile solid shower tray. The bottom is completely flat. Our other one had ridges and I installed successfully using mastic to stick it to the flat ply floor.

I used the same technique on this one but think that because the bottom is flat the mastic wouldn't spread evenly and net result was some give in the tray. I have now lifted it up again and wonder what the best option is to fit it?

One option might be to put many thin beads of mastic with spacing to help the spread but wonder if I will get the same issue. The manufacturer has an alternative of putting sand and cement on top of the ply and fit the tray on top (unclear whether this is a dry or wet mix and what thickness)

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

Lee.

On 22/05/2019 13:29, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi

We have bought a low profile solid shower tray. The bottom is completely flat. Our other one had ridges and I installed successfully using mastic to stick it to the flat ply floor.

I used the same technique on this one but think that because the bottom is flat the mastic wouldn't spread evenly and net result was some give in the tray. I have now lifted it up again and wonder what the best option is to fit it?

One option might be to put many thin beads of mastic with spacing to help the spread but wonder if I will get the same issue. The manufacturer has an alternative of putting sand and cement on top of the ply and fit the tray on top (unclear whether this is a dry or wet mix and what thickness)

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

Lee.


It's a wet mix, and a weak mortar. It works quite well.

On 22/05/2019 13:29, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi

We have bought a low profile solid shower tray. The bottom is
completely flat. Our other one had ridges and I installed
successfully using mastic to stick it to the flat ply floor.

I used the same technique on this one but think that because the
bottom is flat the mastic wouldn't spread evenly and net result was
some give in the tray. I have now lifted it up again and wonder what
the best option is to fit it?

One option might be to put many thin beads of mastic with spacing to
help the spread but wonder if I will get the same issue. The
manufacturer has an alternative of putting sand and cement on top of
the ply and fit the tray on top (unclear whether this is a dry or wet
mix and what thickness)

Any advice appreciated.

The stone resin ones normally suggest bedding onto a wetish mortar mix.

I normally mix up the mortar with some SBR as an add mixture. Trowel it
onto the base, and get it approximately level at about 1/2" thick. Lay a
couple of bits of plastic pipe across the mix, and drop the tray onto
that. Slide into final position and then pull the pipes out to drop the
tray in place (its easy to do heavy trays with access from only the
front this way).

Put a level on it and tap level with a rubber hammer, then leave to set
having made sure the drain hole is clear and unobstructed and ready for
connection.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 22/05/2019 14:34, GB wrote:
On 22/05/2019 13:29, Lee Nowell wrote:
Hi

We have bought a low profile solid shower tray. The bottom is
completely flat. Our other one had ridges and I installed successfully
using mastic to stick it to the flat ply floor.

I used the same technique on this one but think that because the
bottom is flat the mastic wouldn't spread evenly and net result was
some give in the tray. I have now lifted it up again and wonder what
the best option is to fit it?

One option might be to put many thin beads of mastic with spacing to
help the spread but wonder if I will get the same issue. The
manufacturer has an alternative of putting sand and cement on top of
the ply and fit the tray on top (unclear whether this is a dry or wet
mix and what thickness)

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks

Lee.


It's a wet mix, and a weak mortar. It works quite well.

I'll second that.

SteveW

Thanks very much both.

On Wed, 22 May 2019 05:29:33 -0700 (PDT), Lee Nowell
wrote:

Hi

We have bought a low profile solid shower tray. The bottom is completely flat. Our other one had ridges and I installed successfully using mastic to stick it to the flat ply floor.

I used the same technique on this one but think that because the bottom is flat the mastic wouldn't spread evenly and net result was some give in the tray. I have now lifted it up again and wonder what the best option is to fit it?

One option might be to put many thin beads of mastic with spacing to help the spread but wonder if I will get the same issue. The manufacturer has an alternative of putting sand and cement on top of the ply and fit the tray on top (unclear whether this is a dry or wet mix and what thickness)

Any advice appreciated.


My shower was installed on a bed of tile adhesive, which the fitter
used because it was to hand. It's been in around 15 years now, with no
sign of any movement or deterioration.

On 23/05/2019 17:53, Peter Johnson wrote:
On Wed, 22 May 2019 05:29:33 -0700 (PDT), Lee Nowell
wrote:

Hi

We have bought a low profile solid shower tray. The bottom is
completely flat. Our other one had ridges and I installed
successfully using mastic to stick it to the flat ply floor.

I used the same technique on this one but think that because the
bottom is flat the mastic wouldn't spread evenly and net result was
some give in the tray. I have now lifted it up again and wonder
what the best option is to fit it?

One option might be to put many thin beads of mastic with spacing
to help the spread but wonder if I will get the same issue. The
manufacturer has an alternative of putting sand and cement on top
of the ply and fit the tray on top (unclear whether this is a dry
or wet mix and what thickness)

Any advice appreciated.


My shower was installed on a bed of tile adhesive, which the fitter
used because it was to hand. It's been in around 15 years now, with
no sign of any movement or deterioration.

So long as it confirms to the shape of the bottom of the tray and gives
good support, its probably not that critical what you use.

ISTR a friend of mine did it with bonding plaster since it was what was
to hand... Not so keen on using something quite so absorbent myself, but
in fairness it worked well enough.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

So I ended up using sand and cement. Any ideal how long it takes to set enough to stand on to tile?

On 27/05/2019 13:09, Lee Nowell wrote:

So I ended up using sand and cement. Any ideal how long it takes to set enough to stand on to tile?

Its a fairly well spread load, so a day or so should be plenty.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/