Building a Custom Ceramic Tile Shower

Shower pan is the most important component of a ceramic tile shower stall. The shower pan directs water to the drain, thus preventing leakage from the shower. That makes it imperative to have proper and perfect installation of shower pan for it to remain waterproof and durable.

The shower pan is nothing but a mortar bed that comprises of a flexible shower pan liner squeezed between two layers of mortar. The walls of shower stall are prepared using 2×4 studding and covered with some kind of backer board underlayment on to which are fixed ceramic tiles.

The installation of a shower pan isn’t difficult. First you spread a layer of mortar. The mortar should be sloped properly to facilitate water to flow towards the drain. On top of this sloped bed of mortar the flexible plastic shower pan membrane member is installed.

Make sure to cut the shower pan membrane liner to size and hand mold it into the shower base. While cutting the pan, make it in such a way that the extra material around the pan suffices it to be secured with nails and studs. Another important tip is to complete the installation of shower pan before installing the backer board to the walls of the shower.

After you have ensured the membrane of shower pan is locked, the second layer of mortar needs to be applied, once again be careful to maintain the slope of the mortar towards the drain. After the shower pan mortar bed has settled down, you can go ahead with the fixing of the backer board to the walls and proceed with the installation of ceramic tiles.

Start the installation of tiles from around the middle of the shower pan, gradually moving away from it. While going with the installation of ceramic tiles on the walls, a plumb line is used to run straight lines along the length of the walls. Keeping the plumb line at the ceiling and centered on a wall, draw the line. That enables you to have a vertical line going along the length of the wall.

Now you can fix your tiles away from the line towards the edges of the wall. Continue the same way for rest of the walls.

For cutting of tiles a wet saw is most suited, for it allows you to get very accurate cuts, thus minimizing wastage of ceramic tiles.

The ceramic tiles take about 24-48 hours to set up, and you can apply grout to tiles only after they have set in. And, at the end of it all, you naturally would prefer to apply a sealer to prevent moisture from seeping thru the grout lines.

One of the most despicable household activities is cleaning the bathrooms. Yet, it can’t be avoided and the bathroom has to be cleaned frequently, depending on the size of the family to maintain its cleanliness and hygiene.
The materials used for construction and décor of bathrooms are easy to clean and maintain. That’s one reason for using ceramic or porcelain tiles in the bathrooms. These materials are stain resistant and don’t encourage build up of scum and dirt.

To help its cleaning, every user in the family should rinse the tub or shower immediately after use. Develop the habit of just spraying the internal surface with water; apply a bit of soap in the tub with a moist sponge before finally rinsing it. This simple activity further reduces the chances of scum getting accumulated.

Tips for cleaning bathtubs

Different materials are used for making of bathtubs, though porcelain is traditionally associated for their making. Modern bathtubs are also made from fiberglass and acrylic, are lightweight and can resist stains and scratches. The trend these days is to use these materials and householders consider replacing the porcelain variety with such tubs.

Porcelain tubs can be cleaned using nonabrasive liquid or powder based cleansers with a damp sponge. Stubborn stains can be removed by using a synthetic scouring pad and subsequent rinsing.

Though fiberglass can resist scratches, one should be careful while scrubbing tubs made from this material. Commercial cleaning agents are available for cleaning such tubs or you may use any nonabrasive liquid cleaner with a moist sponge and finally rinse it with water.

While handling any of the chemicals used for cleaning application it is recommended to use rubber gloves as a protective measure. You may be required to use rust removers for removing rust or stains from the bathtubs. It’s imperative to use rubber gloves for stain removers have strong concentrated chemicals and acids.

And, don’t forget to get rid of hair from drain traps before cleaning bathtubs else the drain might get clogged. The rind formed on the tub can be removed using a nylon net ball or pad. Stubborn stains are conveniently removed by using peroxide of hydrogen or applying a thin layer of cream of tartar as per instructions of the manufacturer.

Another source of annoyance is the yellow discoloration of bathtubs. This may be removed by applying a solution of salt and turpentine followed by thorough rinsing. Again, do use your rubber gloves for the purpose.

Care of your shower stall

You can prevent formation of mildew on the shower stall by wiping its walls with a towel every time after you use it. It helps to keep the shower door open for a while for circulation of air that discourages formation of mildew.

You would have noticed that hard water gets deposited on the shower enclosures. You can remove these using a solution of vinegar and water. Get back the shine of glass doors of your shower using a sponge dipped in white vinegar. For loosening the scum in shower doors use a solution of one cup of water with a quart of warm water.

The easiest way to get rid of salts that get deposited in the shower heads is to remove them from the socket and keep them soaked in vinegar till the salts get dissolved and can easily be removed using an old toothbrush, while you may use an ice pick or thick wire for clearing the holes.

You’ll find these tips helpful in maintaining a clean bathroom with shinning glass and sparkling bathtub.