Very often people consider having a glass block shower but ultimately give up the idea as they fail to assess the right shower base or they get discouraged by the attitude of a general contractor who is not competent to execute the job. There are quite a few factors affecting your choice of the correct pan and contractor for this project. Some of the factors are:
*The desired level of finishing of the floor
*Easy accessibility
*Is this going to be in a new construction or remodeling?
*Do you offer flexibility of size and shape at the base?
*Cost of the base
Follow the seven steps here to precisely select a proper glass block shower base and dealers and contractors for getting the job done right in the first go.
Step 1 – Keeping in mind that that you can get a standard base or a custom made base, appraise your design, shape and size. Here’s the difference between the two types of bases.
Standard shower base implies that its size, shape and design is already fixed and it’s not possible to make any kind of alteration in any of the parameters. As they are produced on a mass scale, their cost is low. Generally, they are made form acrylic or fiberglass. As their design and size can’t be altered, it becomes difficult to fix them in a given area of an existing bathroom, a very few designs will accommodate a tile or marble floor.
A custom shower base, on the other hand, is built at actual location to suit the existing circumstances. Examples will include a mortared mud set pan or a waterproof wedi closed cell polystyrene base. Those in tile trade generally build these. At times, it may be prefabricated. Certain companies offer prefabricated solid surface cultured marble or a wedi closed cell polystyrene base. The advantage is that these can be built at site, thus eliminating the chances of its getting stuck in the door, as might happen with a standard base. Fabrication at site ensures finishing with tile or marble, and in the case of wedi system waterproofing is cent percent. The problem is that you have to ensure correct installation, else be prepared to face problems of mold and mildew. It might need redoing the pan and shower. These are certainly more expensive than the standard or custom made sets.
Step 2 –You have to decide the kind of finish you would like to give to your shower floor. The pans made from acrylic and fiberglass can have floors made form the same materials, which come in white, biscuit or almond colors. You may be lucky to get a few other matching shades that are very uncommon. So, if you like to have a floor with marble or custom made tiles, you choice is limited to a mud set, ready for tile wedi style pan. Or, perhaps you could have a cultured marble base.
Step 3 – For finalizing you requirements of a shower base and walls, you should foresee your future requirements. Safety and accessibility should form an essential part of the design of this project. You may need a roll-in shower there. Generally, standard pans are provided with a threshold for stepping up. This may pose a serious problem for getting in a wheel chair. Here again, you should opt for the mud set or wedi style bases that can be designed to include ramps for improved accessibility, if your requirements were for a roll in or fully accessible shower.
Step 4 – In case you decide in favor of a standard base, make sure that you have the dimensions of the bathroom door at the time of purchase to ensure that the base will pass thru the door. In most of the new house that shouldn’t pose a problem as the pan can be brought in before completing the framing.
Step 5 – Locating a supplier for glass block shower wall and base isn’t as easy as you may take it to be. You would do well to think about the following sources:
Acrylic bases – You can procure these from glass block specialty suppliers. They will also offer you the matching prefabricated wall sections. Else, you can buy these from a big home store depot.
Mud set pans –Generally the tile setters will make one for you at the job site in a couple of days. You should interact with the tile setter or block contractor to finalize the size and design of the shower before making of mortared mud set base to ensure that the base is properly designed for block walls.
Wedi fundo waterproof shower pan and curb – A tile contractor can make it for you at site or this may be prefabricated as one section and delivered to you by a specialist of Wedi glass block shower base.
Step 6 –It’s important that you get a combined quote for the shower base and glass block walls at the same time and don’t get carried away by the lowest initial purchase price. Further, you have to ensure that the work for the pan and the wall proceeds simultaneously as the blocks can’t be cut. Ensure that the base is wide enough to accommodate the blocks. Though bases made from fiberglass are the cheapest, generally those are not designed to match the thickness of glass block.
Step 7 – Keep in mind the reliability of quality and structure in mind. A cheap or ill-installed fiberglass pan or mud set pan may give way, resulting to water damage. This may necessitate the removal of shower walls and base, and affect tiled walls and surrounding floor. Make sure to buy a base of dependable quality that should last long.
Thus prepared with these 7 steps, go ahead to order your shower base for a glass block wall.
