Shower tray made of tiles: advantages, manufacturing features

Cabins are practical, universal designs that are suitable for spacious and small spaces. You can purchase it ready-made or make it yourself by making a shower tray with your own hands. The practical design will save useful space, ensuring proper comfort during water procedures. The shower can be equipped with a steam bath and hydromassage.

Types and features of pallets

The main purpose of the design at the bottom of the shower stall is to protect against water getting onto the bathroom floor. Among the standard options are the following types of pallets:

• acrylic - inexpensive and lightweight, but scratchy and quickly turn yellow;
• steel structures are durable, affordable, but noisy and slippery, and sometimes even covered with rust;
• ceramic or made from natural stone - durable and beautiful, but heavy, expensive and practically impossible to repair.

Metal shower tray Source gidroguru.com
Ready-made kits are chosen for their high level of tightness, short installation time, and minimum “wet” work. But a homemade shower cabin without a tray is becoming increasingly popular. The reasons for choosing a tiled floor over an acrylic, ceramic or metal structure are the many advantages of the latter option.

Insulation

To insulate the shower tray, a layer of polystyrene foam insulation, 50 mm (5 cm) thick, is placed on its bottom.

Generally speaking, a brick shower tray is made to save money, and laying insulation significantly complicates the work. And it's not about laying insulation. To lay tiles on the insulation, it must be covered with a screed. To make a screed over the insulation, you need to lay rolled waterproofing, and the screed itself may need to be reinforced with mesh if you use a simple “wet” DSP mixture. It makes more sense to insulate the shower floor by making a concrete tray rather than a brick one.

Therefore, they often do not do insulation, but simply raise the bottom of the brick pan with two layers of laid brick, with channels for sewerage.

Advantages of tiles

Shower stalls with tiled floors provide homeowners with the following options:

• creating pallets of any size and shape - large and compact, square, rectangular and corner;
• reducing costs and saving time on installation;
• choosing tiles in accordance with other details of the bathroom interior - including tiles on the walls;
• increasing the service life of the structure, the strength of which is higher than that of acrylic and ceramic sanitary ware;
• changing the height of the shower fence in accordance with the preferences of homeowners - or eliminating the sides;

Tile tray without threshold Source stroypomochnik.ru

• manufacturing not only a tray, but also a shower cabin from tiles, characterized by the same durability and aesthetics;
• easy maintenance - ceramics are easy to clean using ordinary household chemicals.

One of the disadvantages is that it is very labor intensive. When taking into account the time required to complete the work, it is worth taking into account several tens of hours for the drying of first the screed, and then the glue on which the tile is installed. And when installing a shower tray, you should take a responsible approach to the choice of materials, the quality of which determines the service life and ease of use of the shower stall.

Pouring concrete mixture

When the sides are completely dry, start pouring. The ready-made concrete mixture is poured into the masonry. In this case, you need to ensure that there is a slight slope in the direction of the neck, so that water will flow into it from anywhere in the pan.

When the mixture has dried, the surface is primed and treated with waterproofing, preferably in two layers. After drying is completed, the final filling is performed using cement mortar and tile adhesive. The mixture is placed on the outside and inside of the sides.

When creating a homemade shower tray, one should not forget about the need to create a funnel-shaped neck, avoiding sharp transition lines. After the mixture has dried, it is rubbed with sandpaper, first coarse-grained and then fine-grained. Then use a brush to remove dust.

Dimensions and shape

Tile pallets can have almost any shape - in the form of a circle, oval, square, rectangle, sector or complex figure. The length and width of the structure are usually selected according to the size of the bathroom and start from 70 cm. When choosing, you can focus on a ready-made booth - or vice versa, buy or order plumbing fixtures that are suitable for a tiled tray.

One of the popular options for a small bathroom is a corner shape and large tiles. The tiles are selected in the same color scheme as those used for finishing the walls and floors. The color of the pallet makes the interior of the room more harmonious, and the design allows you to save space.

Corner design with tile trim Source ligastroygroup.ru

The depth of the pan can be small - only sufficient to drain liquid with a slope of 0.03-0.05. If there is a side around it, the design performs almost the same functions as a shallow bathtub. The pallet is laid out with small tiles (mosaics), and the walls with large tiles, preferably made in a similar color scheme. The same material can be used to decorate shower partitions.

Material

To build a brick pallet you will need the following material:

• Single brick M-125 solid (!) red moisture resistant. For walls 15-20 pieces. For the bottom (if used) 60 pieces, for both layers.
• Assembly and masonry mixture M-200;
• Waterproofing (latex, rubber or bitumen-rubber);
• Insulation in polystyrene foam boards (if needed);
• Mesh for reinforcement, optional (cell 10 by 10 cm);
• Sewerage set for drainage (pipes, shower drain, possibly a siphon instead of a drain).

Pallet design

Before you make a shower without a tray with a drain in the floor, you should decide on the appearance of its base. The easiest way is to plaster and prime the surface, painting it with moisture-resistant paint. But the best option would still be a tile shower tray. The choice of tiles is so large that you can choose it to suit any interior - or, if the walls are also decorated with ceramics, you can decorate the floor of the booth in a similar style.

Different types of shower tray designs Source gidpoplitke.ru

The tiles can be matte or glossy, plain or patterned. Design with a combination of different colors is allowed. Mosaic could be an interesting option - especially if it is already present in the decoration of other interior elements. Small details allow you to lay out a complex-shaped pallet - round, oval or in the form of a sector.

Construction of a wastewater disposal system

The drain includes a drain and a sewer outlet pipe. In order for wastewater drainage to function efficiently, it is necessary to ensure an inclination angle of approximately 3 degrees. For this purpose, special wooden stands are used for the outlet pipe. They are made in different heights and thereby provide the required angle of inclination.

Liquid from a homemade shower tray should move by gravity, without accumulating in one place and ultimately forming a blockage. It is advisable to install a removable siphon for the drain so that it can be cleaned. The grate for the drain hole is chosen to be metal - then it will support the weight of a person.

Other Features

When choosing a shower without a tray with a tiled base, you should pay attention to the degree of wear resistance of the materials. It determines how long such a tile will last and what it will look like some time after use. Therefore, even in a shower in a country house, for which a small budget is usually allocated, it is not recommended to skimp on finishing. The cost of tiles will be recouped due to the increased service life. Water absorption of tiles for the cabin should be minimal - class BI or BII (up to 3% or 3-6% of weight gain due to water absorption, respectively).

The “warm floor” system allows you to increase the comfort of using the shower. When choosing this option, pay special attention to safety. For heating, you should choose not a water floor, but a cable floor with good insulation and a protective screen. The moisture resistance class of the heating element must be at least IP44. The system controls are placed outside the room to avoid the influence of water and humid air.

“Warm” floors under the base of a tile shower stall Source moydomik.net

See also: Construction companies that specialize in heating, water supply, sewerage and gasification

Step-by-step instruction

The most simplified option for construction work is to have a ready-made concrete base on which the tiles are laid. However, this situation does not always occur, and the owner has to start work from scratch.

Stages of work

If you have a concrete covering, which is usually found in modern apartment buildings, or a ready-made concrete screed, the work is simplified. In this case, you can immediately erect the sides of the pallet and waterproof the previously cleaned surface. But, if the base is uneven or wooden, you should screed before making a shower stall.

Preparatory work

A rough screed is often made using a regular mortar made from M400 cement and mixed with sand in a 2:1 ratio. You can immediately buy a ready-made building mixture such as M200 or M150, which will take several times less time to dry.

The process looks like this:

• A diversion is made for drainage into the sewerage system. It is recommended to complete the work in advance to avoid crumbling the concrete due to installation errors.
• The formwork is placed in the form of a pallet. When marking, take into account the height of the side, the width of the brick, the thickness of the tile and the adhesive. You can do without formwork if the screed is poured for the entire bathroom (for example, when installing a “warm floor” or major renovation).
• When the base height is up to 70 mm, the structure is reinforced using a metal mesh installed at a height of 30 mm above the floor level. If the height is more than 100 mm, it is not necessary to strengthen the structure.

Reinforcement of the shower tray screed Source userapi.com

• The solution is mixed using a drill with a special attachment. To reduce the weight of the structure, it is worth diluting the screed with expanded clay.
• Marks are placed on the walls of the formwork according to the height of the screed.
• The solution is poured and leveled using a rule or trowel.

The main part of the work on preparing the floor for installation of the pallet takes no more than one working day. It will take a few more days for the screed to dry. You can proceed to the next stage of work only after the solution has completely hardened.

Waterproofing and drain installation

To waterproof a shower cabin without a tray, two types of materials are usually used - polyethylene film and roofing felt. Bitumen or special fill is used less often. All options provide fairly effective protection, so you can choose any one.

. Waterproofing of rough screed Source izoler.ru

The process of installing a ladder requires the following steps:

1. Drain installation . The drain funnel should be located high enough to ensure a pipe slope of 0.03 to 0.05.
2. Insulation of the base for the pallet . The recommended option is rigid polystyrene foam, laid on top of the rough screed along the perimeter of the side.
3. Assembly and installation of the ladder . When using insulation, the drainage device can be immersed in polystyrene foam.
4. Adjusting the edges of the ladder funnel according to the level and securing it to the alabaster to avoid accidental movement in the future.

Leveling the ladder Source ytimg.com
The ladder should be assembled carefully, without making mistakes. After completing the installation of a floor shower drain without a tray, the problem can only be solved by disassembling the entire structure. A damaged drain device usually has to be replaced with a new one.

Creating sides

Tiled shower thresholds, which protect bathroom floors from flooding and limit heat and waterproofing, are made immediately after installing the screed and drain. Before installation, it is worth determining the height above the top of the pallet. For one brick it will be approximately 5 cm - taking into account the immersion of 8 cm, the thickness of the glue, mortar and tiles. The threshold can be increased by adding a new layer of the desired height. These can be whole bricks or parts cut with a grinder.

Brick thresholds for shower tray Source stroy-okey.ru

Shower drains

The drains ensure the collection and removal of wastewater and prevent the penetration of odors from the sewer into the premises. They differ from a siphon in the ability to disassemble and clean without dismantling the device. Some designs are equipped with a check valve that prevents waste from returning when the collector pipe becomes clogged.

The design of a plumbing device is more complex than that of a siphon. Consists of several parts:

• housings;
• neck;
• water seal;
• insulating collar;
• clamping flange;
• grilles that protect against large debris.

Water flows through the drain at a speed of 40-90 l/min, clearing large particles or hair. The removable glass can be easily pulled out and dirt removed.

Types of ladders

The water seal is made in two versions - “dry” without water or “wet” with liquid. Some ladders are equipped with two barriers at once. For connection to the sewer network, the device is equipped with a drain pipe.

To equip a shower tray with your own hands, the drain is selected according to the following characteristics:

• Device height. When connected to a pipe, this parameter is used to calculate the required slope of the drain to the sewer.
• Number of pins. If the shower is the last in a row of plumbing fixtures, it is connected to the line with one outlet pipe. With an intermediate arrangement - two.
• Presence of a check valve. It is desirable that the ladder be protected from flooding by sewer water in emergency situations. Especially if the tray is located below floor level, or the shower room is in the basement.
• Decorative. The visible part of the ladder is the grate. Its function is to protect the device from clogging. However, it can decorate the shower tray. There are many options. Manufacturers even produce completely invisible designs that create the effect of water that has disappeared “to nowhere.”

To equip showers, standard drains are used that collect water at one point, or trays extended along the tray. Such devices are characterized by high throughput.

Video description

Watch the video on how to make a shower tray in a bathroom from tiles:
To increase the accuracy of constructing the side, it is worth making preliminary markings by drawing vertical and horizontal lines on the floor and walls. Bricks must be moisture resistant - for example, M-125. For installation, a mixture of water, cement and sand with a ratio of 1 to 1 to 3 is used; a special mesh is needed to reinforce the structure.

When constructing a reinforced concrete threshold in a shower room without a tray, it is advisable to follow these recommendations:

• it is worthwhile to provide for the installation of the side at the stage of pouring the rough screed - the formwork for the mortar is immediately made high so that it can also be used for the threshold;
• a round-shaped reinforced concrete threshold increases the safety of using the booth, makes it more compact and more aesthetically pleasing;

Semicircular reinforced concrete side Source sovety-vannoy.ru

• Along the perimeter of the sides it is worth laying 4-5 pieces of reinforcement with a cross-section of 10 square meters. mm, which will act as stiffening ribs - it is recommended to immediately cut them below the side;
• after the screed has hardened, new rods with a cross-section of 8 square meters are attached to the already installed reinforcement with knitting wire. mm, curved around the circumference;
• The formwork material for a reinforced concrete threshold can be fiberboard, which bends well, and when reinforced with spacers (corners made of bars), it is no less durable than boards.

After installing the formwork and pouring the cement-sand mixture, you will have to wait for it to completely harden for at least 2 days. After this, you can proceed to the installation of the top layer - the screed on which the tiles will be glued.

Filling the screed

When installing a shower from tiles, it is worth considering that the funnel of the drainage device should be higher than the tray by the thickness of the layer of glue and tiles. The result of leaving such a reserve is that the top of the drain coincides with the floor of the shower stall. The top of the drain grate may be slightly lower than the tiles after finishing the pallet, but it will still rise above the screed.

Finishing screed Source izhevsk.ru

Markings on the sides will help to fill the solution correctly, ensuring the required slope. The beacons along which the finishing screed will be aligned should tilt towards the drain. No formwork is required - its role is played by the already installed sides of the pallet. The average drying time, depending on the chosen material, is from 2 to 3-4 days.

Re-waterproofing

The hardened finishing screed should be re-waterproofed and leveled. To do this you need to do the following:

1. Treat the surface of the screed with a waterproofing compound - a polymer-cement composition, bitumen-rubber or bitumen-polymer mastic.
2. Lubricate the inside of the thresholds with the same waterproofing material.
3. Wait for the coating insulation to dry.
4. Apply self-leveling mixture to the dry surface.
5. Round off the drainage area by increasing the flow rate of water.

Re-waterproofing a tile shower stall with a floor drain will increase the time it takes to complete the job. But due to its design, the risk of leaks is reduced - an important advantage for bathrooms that are not on the ground floor. Properly performed waterproofing allows you to avoid the accumulation of moisture, which causes fungus and mold to appear in the bathroom.

Waterproofing issue

When constructing any shower tray, care must be taken to ensure reliable waterproofing, so that water cannot enter the lower or adjacent room. Moisture seeping through the pan causes the appearance of fungus, an unpleasant odor and destroys the structure.

Insulating materials for shower tray:

Methods for waterproofing a shower tray.

• roll film coverings;
• roofing felt;
• viscous compounds.
• liquid water emulsions (they are almost odorless);
• liquid glass - fills the pores and cracks of concrete and increases its strength;
• waterproofing additives - more suitable when pouring a concrete pallet, they grow in the solution and turn the entire layer into a hydrophobic one;
• one-component mixtures, for example Ceresit CR 65.

It is recommended to make 2 layers of insulation, for example:

1. Rolled bitumen-polymer. Glued to a concrete base.
2. Cement-polymer. On top of concrete that has settled for 3 weeks.

Before carrying out work, the ladder grating is sealed with masking tape. Rolled materials are laid on a flat surface, excluding differences of more than 2 mm and sharp chips. Insulation with canvas is carried out on bitumen mastic with an overlap of 15-20 cm. When bubbles form, the material is cut and pressed forcefully to the surface. Viscous insulating compounds are applied with a brush, single-component products are applied with a spatula.

Sealant Stern. Antia sealant. Somafix sealant.

The selected product is treated in 2 layers on the pallet and the walls near which it is located, at a height of at least 30 cm. Particular attention is paid to:

• the area near the drain hole;
• joints;
• corners;
• sides.

The best shower sealants contain at least 45% hydrophobic filler, silicone-based rubber, catalysts and fungicides. Somafix, Stern, Antia sealants are effective. Aquarium silicone can be used at joints and for sealing. It is recommended to combine some products, for example, Expanding Plombizol and Penetrating Plombizol, Elastopaz mastic and floor primer.

Elastopaz mastic is recommended to be combined with a floor primer.

When the second layer of waterproofing is completely dry, finishing work begins.

Video description

In this video you will see how to make a drainage channel for a pallet:
The adhesive can be applied to the inner surface of the tile or to the pallet. The first method allows you to reduce the number of possible errors, the second increases productivity. There should be enough glue so that there is no empty space left under the tile.

Many designers choose mosaic for finishing cheap pallets, which improves the decorative properties of the booth and is quite simple to install due to its increased flexibility. The standard size of elements is 5x5 cm, sheets are 30x30 cm. Installation is almost no different from finishing with ordinary tiles, however, glue is applied only to the surface of the material, and not to the pallet. After installing the mosaic, smooth it out, leveling it in one plane, and after 24-48 hours, grout the joints.

Shower tray finished with mosaic tiles Source remontspravka.com

Final stage

The shower enclosure is installed after all work is completed and the finish has completely hardened. This process can be accelerated by ensuring the room temperature is 25-30 degrees, effective ventilation and acceptable humidity (about 60%). Bathroom doors must remain open throughout the drying period.

If these conditions are met, the fence can be installed just 2 days after installing the pallet. The cabin frame can be assembled from metal profiles and moisture-resistant plywood, and finished with tiles or mosaics. The last step is the installation of swing doors, instead of which it is possible to install a plastic screen or curtain.

Shower, completely decorated with tiles Source stroyka-ug.ru

Laying tiles

Whatever the shape of the shower, there will be a lot of trimming. How to make a high-quality cut of tiles or porcelain stoneware is described here.

One of the frequently asked questions: How to join the tiles to the drain

. I will not pretend to be true, but I will say what I think: the tiles should be 2-3 millimeters higher than the grating. The same applies to mosaics.

In fact, this question needs to be asked while pouring the pallet in order to lay the tiles without layers, on a fine comb.

You can control porcelain tiles with a level only across the slope. The plane of the slope can be controlled by a rule.

I would also like to recommend choosing the least slippery porcelain stoneware or mosaic tiles possible, although this is quite difficult...

Any cement-based grout for tiles is suitable, preferably hydrophobic. There is an opinion that epoxy grout is necessary in the shower. Of course, such grout is good, durable and can provide additional waterproofing. However, grouts on cement binders also perform well.

That's all. Later I plan to add higher quality photos, which are not yet available.