Shower install?

Spydrweb1977 · Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:32 pm

Just wondering if anyone has installed a custom shower in their mobile. I have been tossing around the idea of making a custom tiled shower pan, but not sure if it is possible in a mobile or practical. I have also thought about doing a curb less design with a grill drain at the threshold... Essentially a long drain in the floor where the curb would normally be.

If anyone has done a project like this I would love to see some pics. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

JD · Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:40 pm

I have never seen or heard of a tiled shower in a mobile home, but having done quite a bit of tile work, I know you would need to strengthen up the floor framing and subfloor. Even then, the chance of cracks in grout would be pretty big. With a proper plastic liner you should still be "OK" in that the water shouldn't reach the floor. Doubling up on the joists and a lot of extra blocking would help the framing, and I would use at least 1 1/8" sturdi-floor, capped with your choice of cement board for a subfloor. The joists (usually going side to side) could give you problems with a long drain going lengthways with the home. But you could probably get around that with fancy framing. As far as weight goes, you could add additional piers and 4x6 beams to give extra support.

The big problem is, the home will still settle with time, and this could create cracks. I did bid on a shower like you are talking about a long time ago. But I think price and the "No warranty against cracks" killed that idea.

JMHO

Spydrweb1977 · Wed Aug 29, 2012 6:46 pm

JD, thanks for the feedback. I was thinking flex may be an issue as well. I think I may wind up going with a 54 x 42 American bath pan, and just tile the walls. It will give a similar look with WAY less work and worry. I would love a curbless/doorless design, but that would just be too difficult and costly to pull off I think.

Greg · Wed Aug 29, 2012 7:32 pm

Personally I would stay away from tiles all together. ANY type of flexing will cause cracking. I have 2x6 wall studs and I still have wall flex in high winds. Floor movement in a Mobile is a given.

Greg

Spydrweb1977 · Wed Aug 29, 2012 10:48 pm

So, any reason I can't install a local big box store shower pan versus the mobile home specific ones? The cost and shipping is so much more on them....

Greg · Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:29 pm

None whatsoever. The only problem you may have is size. Most mobile tubs are 54" rather than the standard 60". I ended up installing a 48" in our's a few years ago and building the walls out 6". You can find some very nice shower units that will fit fine, just remember that it is next to impossible to put a one piece unit in if you are thinking along those lines. Just make sure you can get what you buy into the room before you buy it.

Greg

Spydrweb1977 · Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:22 pm

Greg,

Thanks! That's what I thought... It's amazing how much more the "mobile" units are, guess that's supply and demand for you. Plus it will be nice not having a 10 inch step up into the unit. The space is only 54 inches, but one wall is just a false divider wall thaT separates the sink area from the shower. Ripping that out and framing a new one 6 inches over will be easy and cheap enough to do. I just need to make sure that the new drain location won't be over a floor joist before ripping everything out. I found a great deal on a 60 x 34 base and three piece wall set at lowes at I will probably pick up if the drain location checks out.

Greg · Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:41 pm

Moving the drain is not too hard, you will most likely damage it removing the tub anyway. Lay out a cardboard template on the floor first before you buy it to get an idea of how a 60x34 will fit the room, you may find it's too big. Remember that you still have to move around in there.

Greg

Spydrweb1977 · Thu Aug 30, 2012 8:48 pm

The bathroom is actually pretty roomy so the 60 by 34 will be nice. I'm not really concerned with moving the drain, only that the drain location of the new unit could potentially sit right on top of a floor joist making it impossible to install without some serious reframing of the floor joists which is not an option. With any luck, I'll be ok as the unit I have now is center drained so it will be very close to where it already is... Hopefully

Spydrweb1977 · Fri Aug 31, 2012 6:52 pm

One more question... I can do away with the check vent the is under my current shower/tub setup correct?? If not I won't be able to install the big box store base as the vent comes up about 12 inches from the floor....

JD · Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:27 pm

There are 54" tubs available at most home stores, although it may have to be special order. But American Standard makes a couple and so does Sterling, so they shouldn't be too hard to come by. What they don't sell is 27" wide tubs. The 54" tubs come in 54x30 to 54x34 depending on which manufacturer you choose.

I would chuck the check valve and go with an air vent through the ceiling. You could tie into an existing vent if one is nearby and not loaded up with fixtures or install a new pipe through the roof in the faucet wall.

If it comes to needing to modify joists to fit the drain, you can add strength to your install by doing a mud-set. This is just mixing up some mortar and plopping it down on the floor where the floor of the tub is. Usually, one 60# bag is enough. You need to make a dam of sorts to protect the drain hole in the floor and then add enough mortar to have it spread under the tub floor. It will squeeze out in the area of the walls of the tub. When it dries (next day), the bottom of that tub would be as solid as concrete and the mortar would help distribute weight to the whole floor area. I recommend a mud set on any ABS or fiberglass tub or shower install. I have seen manufacturers state using gypsum mud, but I personally would not go with that product. I am thinking that it has to shrink some and would not be as strong.

JMHO

Spydrweb1977 · Sat Sep 01, 2012 12:23 pm

JD,

Thanks for the info, I do plan to set the base in mortar just to be safe and help insure a lasting install. I don't want to have to redo this in a year because of a crack in the base!

Can I run the new vent out through the exterior wall? Or would it have to go through the roof? I could run it over to the wall that will contain the fixture and up through the roof, but I would have to drill holes through a few floor joists to route it that way, whereas if I go out to the exterior wall I will not need to.