Flooring Tile - tiling a steam/shower unit

With the help of this forum, especially, with the help of such wonderful persons as Tilebri and HeresJohnny, I am finally in the stage of ready to tile the wall.

This was a standard sized 36"36 shower. I am turning it into a steam/shower combo unit. I have done: laid down a beautiful Swanstone shower pan (36x36 size), laid 6 mil plastic moisture barrier on the studs, then cover with 1/2" hardibacker on the walls and ceiling (Yeah, I did slope on the ceiling). Now I am ready to tile with 8"x10" ceramic tiles on the wall (and may be 4"x4" tiles on the ceiling) with modified thinset. I've never done any tiling. And also, I know tiling is such a process that once thinset is dry it is hard to redo it. So I better check out all the things that I could think of beforing doing anything stupid.

1) the 1/2" hardibackers only reached to 1/4" above the shower pan's flange and I intentionally left the moisture barrier came out from that gap and that can be trimmed later.

Do I need trim the moisture barrier to the edge of the flange on the top of the shower pan and caulk the gap between flange and backer board? And then tile over this joint and caulk the tiles to the shower pan's deck.

Or just like the old shower (I noticed while I demolished the shower walls) leave the barrier a little overlap the flange of shower pan and don't caulk the gaps between the flange top and the backer board? Use the tiles to cover that gaps and caulk the gaps between the tile edge and the deck of the shower pan.

I prefer the 1st method which means more watertight, especially for this steam shower application. But I am just afraid it is not easy to caulk the 1/4" gap ( there is nothing behind the gaps between two stud 16" apart). Any suggestion?

2) about these hardi screws on the backer board. I read the web in the other day, it said the screws should be sunk into the dry wall (just normal dry wall, not backer board) so it could be filled with some thinset or joint compound. But in my case, the screw's heads are all above the surface of the backerboard (only a few are sunk down a bit). Is it because my 12v screwer driver was powerful enough so I need sunk them again? Is it ok that I still can spread the modified thinset over these screw heads and the back board?

3) I have been told last week on other thread that use the thinset and mesh tape to fill the gaps on corner (90 degree turn) of the backer board while I am tiling. But when I was reading the other thread of this forum, some people said it is better to caulk the gap when they are not in the same plane. Which way should I go with?

I will have the same quesion. When I am tiling the corner, do I use the grout or caulk in the gaps of the corner?

hobbyjohn

It's getting hard to follow your project. Everytime you start a new thread we have to go back to your other threads to see what you did so far.

In one of your other threads Tilebri told you "To top it all off, I'd take everything 1 step further and coat the entire shower with laticrete 9235. Steam showers over backer are supposed to be surface waterproofed and laticrete requires the poly behind the backer, other trowel on membranes say no poly behind, so that rules out the others."

Did you do this yet?

You should try to sink those screws a little better as they will be an issue when you tile.

I am turning it into a steam/shower combo unit. I have done: laid down a beautiful Swanstone shower pan (36x36 size), laid 6 mil plastic moisture barrier on the studs, then cover with 1/2" hardibacker on the walls and ceiling (Yeah, I did slope on the ceiling). Now I am ready to tile with 8"x10" ceramic tiles on.....


I can't imagine Tilebri and HeresJohnny recommending this, they both know better.:)

Back-out all the proud screws (one at a time) and take another run at 'em. If the screwheads are allowed to stand too proud they will cause lippage in the tile.

It is probably also a better idea to find a forum you are happy with and stay there. If you continue to get advice from all over the place you will continue to end up with the results you have now.:)

http://www.floorstransformed.com

Thanks for all the advice. I just want to let you all know - you guys are wonderful. I do appreciate all your advice. I have no plan to move to other forum - I have been and I am getting alot help from this forum.

I just fixed the screw head problem. Using Laticrete is a wonderful idea. By looking at www.laticrete.com, I was overwhelmed.

Here is what I understand and the steps that I am going to do.

1) fill the gaps between the backer boards with modified thinset and mesh tape

2) coat the backer board with Laticrete 9235 (heard Lowe's is the distributor. But I haven't checked it out yet)

3) then use modified thinset for ceramic tiles. From QAs of www.laticrete.com, it seams that I need add some laticrete related additive into the normal modified thinset as tile bonding. Is this true that I need to add those "laticrete related additive"? Then what type of additive I should use? or this is just a commercial pitch.

Hobby

Make sure you read the instructions for the Laticrete 9235. You need to apply a first coat then apply the fabric mesh then apply a second coat over that. You may want to do a third coat as well.

I got Laticrete 9235 and just applied with three coats. Thanks Jonhnny for recommending it - it is really easy to use.

Now I am ready to lay the tiles. I am not going to lay all the tiles in one day. Is it OK I just lay one secton tiles (no grout) and do another section after a few days? Anything should I pay particular attention if doing this way?

The mix direction says 50 lb. modified thinset with 6 quartes cool water for mixing. I may need to weight 8.5 lb to mix 1 quart water for 1st day project. Any suggestion to breakdown the amount of thinset? I am afraid my scaler is not that precise to allow me to weight 8.5 lb.

No problem not setting all the tile in one day.

You can mix small batches of thinset in a bucket with a margin trowel. Put the water in the pail and mix in the powder to the right consistency. When you spread the thnset with the notched trowel the ridges should stand up and not slump. If they do theres to much water. If the lines break apart when you comb out the thinset its to dry and you need more water. Experiment a little and you will get the hang of it. After mixing dont forget to let slake for 10 minutes and then remix. Read the instructions on the bag and follow them.

While I start tiling, I figured if I trowel the thinset over the wall as books or other "how to do" say, I may get trouble in breaking the Laticrete 9235 membrane. So instead, I have to trowel the thinset on the back of the tiles. Good news is that most tiles I use are 8x10 tile - big enough for me to do so. Is there any tricks in trowel on back of tiles?

Also, I use unsand grout and tile spaces are 1/16". while I tiling the corner, how much space should I give? What should I use in the spaces on the corner, grout or caulk (I am sorry if I have asked this question before. But I still haven't figured out what I should do in the corner spaces)?

Hobby

You can apply the thinset to the wall - you won't hurt the membrane none. Its ok the way your doin it, its just a little slower

1/16" where wall meets wall and ceiling will look best. I have often grouted the corners in steam showers but the right answer here is - Caulk them.

Yes, after reading the books, they all say the correct way is to caulk on the corner. But, for caulk, the color match is a big problem. I use sea-weed green as the grout. I don't see any home improvement stores carry green caulk.

Johnny, any suggestion to get green caulk?

Hobby

What brand of grout are you using? Most have matching caulk for their grout colors. I mostly use TEC grout. Check out this link - maybe their is a close color match. If not check out some of the other grout manufacturers. I know custom makes a limited number of colored caulks.

http://www.tecspecialty.com/product_detail.asp?prodId=52

Also do a google search on C-cure colored caulk. I don't have a color chart handy but I know they have lots of colors.

I know some folks here aint gonna like this but if it were my steam shower and that color grout to match I'd grout it.

If the walls are properly taped in the corners and coated with thinset you might get away with it as Johnny suggested. Tec has a green colored caulk, or used to, called sage, not too dark as I remember.

Thanks all for helping me to this point finally - I've done tiling.

I just wanna say how appreciate I have for the advice from this forum.

Now next step, another big question - steam/shower door.

By research, I narrow down to two types of doors, those very normal 1/4" glass with aluminum frame door, or those 3/8" glass so called frameless door.

I prefer frameless doors since they are pretty. But I have concern how steam tight these frameless door are. Since in the end I don't want outside get too much foggy (though I do have a big vent), and steam generator underpowered (5KW for a 35"x35"x85" space).

There is a webside that I could order frameless door:
http://www.eshowerdoor.com/WL1_Steam_layout.php.

I would like to get a style STYLE 2AST that with fixed panel and movable transom.

Any comment and advice?