# sloped shower pan liner?



## Plumbnman (Jun 24, 2011)

Our infinitely wise plumbing code enforcement informed one of my men today, that they will soon start enforcing the code regarding shower pan liner to be sloped at 2%.
Anyone else have to do this and how do you do it?

We have for the past 30 years, that I can remember, put the liner on the flat slab and let the tile installer put in the mud bed and tile to the slope he desired.

Eric Huckaby, President
Legacy Plumbing Co., Inc.


----------



## Richard Hilliard (Apr 10, 2010)

we must use pitch material on all pan liners. It cracks me up the local suppliers use cardboard on foam sloped material


----------



## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

Yea we do a pre slope before laying the liner. I only use mortar though. I laugh at all the foam and cardboard preslope kits. All I foresee is cracked grout joints and loose tiles from that.


----------



## mpot (Oct 2, 2012)

I use a product called Rockite. It's a super fast setting anchoring cement. I mix it up like tomato soup and pour it in. Tape off weep holes and strainer. Continually pull away from receptor toward all walls letting the Rockite set heavy in the back and thin at the receptor. Works great. Ready for vinyl in a standard size stall in about 20 min. 
5 gallon bucket cost me $45. 36"x 48" stall uses about half a bucket.

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## Nathan901 (Feb 11, 2012)

I float a straighter floor than most concrete guys after doing all my pans that way now hahaha.


----------



## jc-htownplumber (Feb 29, 2012)

It's how I always done them. And I was told and explained why this was needed. I always use concrete or sand topping.


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

The better tile contractors that I deal with and/or refer have installed presloped pans for years. It is code here in Georgia. It is the right thing to do. The 'not so good' tile contractors pitch a fit when I mention that it is code. 

David


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

What about copper pans?

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## dhal22 (Jul 30, 2010)

I've actually seen lead pans used but that was do to an old school plumbing engineer requiring them.

David


----------



## Letterrip (Jul 28, 2013)

We have to pitch our pans. I use something like this to get uniform slope. I price in the extra trip that it requires into every shower pan replacement. 


Pre-Pitch Kit includes 6 float sticks 1/8" to 7/8" x 36":Amazon:Home Improvement


----------



## wyrickmech (Mar 16, 2013)

plumbdrum said:


> What about copper pans? Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


we always use lead pans flat on the floor.


----------



## plumbdrum (Nov 30, 2013)

wyrickmech said:


> we always use lead pans flat on the floor.


My point exactly, kind of tough to pre slope

Sent from my iPhone using PlumbingZone


----------



## SchmitzPlumbing (May 5, 2014)

its normal in wisconsin for the better tile installers to do pre-pitch. some cities require it and inspect the whole process of the tile shower. i myself will not install a shower pan liner. if the tile guys wont pre-pitch, put a hole in my liner (if i would install one), dont water proof properly, and dont warranty anything and it leaks, they say the plumber put in the liner, its his problem. they can put in the liner here legally. what if the weep holes plug up in our drains and the pan floods. who is at fault now? thats a whole new subject, i have been there. no one wins.


----------



## jeffreyplumber (Dec 7, 2009)

Ive seen flat shower pans before. On our rough in plumbing inspection the inspector often takes a stick or tape and measures from the water line to the bottom . if you dont have fall then you got a crappy job . We have it hot mopped plumber just sets the drain. I guess in other parts they dont hot mop?


----------



## chonkie (Jul 31, 2014)

When I started we would put the liner on the floor and the tile guy would slope on top of the liner. Now I do the slope myself. We rough in with a sandbox around the pipe. At top out, I set the drain body. Then I slope my concrete on the flat floor to give fall. The next day I do the liner. Put watrr test on pvc and fill shower to threshhold. Upstairs shower, I lay plastic down before doing the slope so the moisture from the concrete doesn't seep into the wood subfloor.


----------



## supakingDFW (Aug 19, 2014)

I've always installed shower pan liners on flat floor, then had the tile guy slope his mud-pan...BUT, the code has changed and a 2% slope is required for liners. I learned of this change while taking a Master Exam prep course...


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Schluter Kerdi method is the best way to go. I believe all codes have approved it also .


----------



## GrtLksPlbr (Aug 12, 2014)

Our most recent code update included a requirement for a 2% slope under the liner. So far we've only had to do one and I went and did it myself with a mag float and a bag of Quik-Crete mortar mix. It didn't take as long as I expected. I guess having a bit of a background in concrete can be a good thing.


----------



## Cajunhiker (Dec 14, 2009)

I sub out to tile company, who uses a Schluter system. All I do is set in place the drain and test.


----------



## Cal (Jun 17, 2008)

Cajunhiker said:


> I sub out to tile company, who uses a Schluter system. All I do is set in place the drain and test.


 It's great isn't it ?!! Seen too many rubber pan jobs fail. Water gets through the tile and mud and sits down in the rubber pan causing mold and funk. Sloping a rubber pan and putting things around the weep holes in hopes that they won't stop up was a nice idea, but it has to fail. 
The Kerdi system does not allow water through it, tile is laid directly on it which in turn allows the tile & grout to dry very very fast.


----------

