Shower pan replacement gets done after you notice water damage around the bathroom. Sure there are several patch up methods to slow the leaks, but getting deep into the shower is really the only way to a permanent fix. Here's where to start.
1. Tear Out
Getting the old shower base out lets you see what has happened and why the leak progressed. Clearly failure of the shower pan liner happened if water got out of the shower.
Getting out the damaged parts is crucial for building back.
2. Judging What To Leave And What To Replace
It takes some experience to know where to stop when tearing out the damaged parts. Letting everything dry helps to make that call. Sometimes walls may need to come out and sometimes floors do too. Those decisions are easier after everything has a chance to dry.
3. No Shaky Starts Allowed
No matter what type of shower goes back, the sub-floor and the foundation for the shower must be put back to be stable and not shaky. That often means more bracing and possible replacing deteriorated members too.
4. What Shower Base?
More than one kind of shower base will work for a replacement. Tile ready shower pans eliminate much of the skilled mortar work. But often tile ready pans cost so much that you could pay an installer to build you a traditional mortar shower for the cost of the pan alone. Maybe you choose to forget the tile and replace with an acrylic shower.
Building a tile shower pan goes together just like a new one once you have the damage control behind you.
5. Layers To Waterproof
Building a waterproof tile shower goes together layer by layer. Key components are the liner membrane as well as a special tile shower drain. These components do the hidden work of catching all the water that makes it through the floor itself. Get these right and you get a shower with the water in the right places for many years.
Shower pan replacement goes together just like a new installation after you get the old parts out and the damage contained. It takes judgement to decide when to quit on repairs. Once the damaged areas are dried, it becomes easier to know what must come out and what can stay.
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