Toilets, Sinks, Showers, Tubs and Disposals - fiberglass shower floor

Can't believe I am having such a tough time getting an answer to this. Neighbor has a double wide mobile home made by Jacobson maybe 1980. Fiberglass floor in shower is probably a Mustee or Fiat or Swan, pretty standard. When you step into it in one spot (most likely where everyone stands) there is is cracking noise that sounds like styrofoam. Only information I have ever gotten is that some floors depending on application where in fact set into styrofoam and I am not sure why. The concern is that the floor is flexing and I suspect fiberglass floors do flex but he is concerned that it will develop a crack and that is why this styrofoam was used. Has anyone heard of this and secondly, is there a method (like drilling a hold in the apron) and spraying something like foam or maybe something you are aware of to take up this space I am sure caused by settling? Maybe ist is nothing to be concerned about but I figured you guys are my last hope for some info.

Has it been like that forever? Does the floor actually give or just squeak?

I just put a shower pan in my basement that has styrofoam-looking support under it. I put it on concrete and it squeaked like heck when stepped on. Fortunately, I was only dry-fitting it for size. After taking it back out AND READING THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, they say to put a layer of black garden-style-weed-stop fabric under it. Stopped the squeaking just like that.

So, it may not be a structural problem at all, just missing underlayment.

Than again, if it IS a structural problem, probably the only way to really fix it is to pull everything out, shore up the floor and install a new shower. Or, if as you say it is a mobile home, maybe you can get under there to shore it up without pulling out the existing shower.

Good luck,
Tom

I still have not figured out what the purpose of a styrofoam base under a floor is, I do not think the fiberglass floor is flexinig, I think either the styrofoam may have settled because it only occurs in the place where most would stand in the shower. I wish I could make contact with someone that had worked on mobile homes over the years and would be very familiar with such an issue, but I cannot seem to find anyone that really cares! Thanks for the info. Have a great 2008

I just put a shower pan in my basement that has styrofoam-looking support under it. I put it on concrete and it squeaked like heck when stepped on. Fortunately, I was only dry-fitting it for size. After taking it back out AND READING THE INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, they say to put a layer of black garden-style-weed-stop fabric under it. Stopped the squeaking just like that.

So, it may not be a structural problem at all, just missing underlayment.

Your suggestion worked like a charm!

My installation instructions had no mention of putting fabric down whatsoever. I am installing an Eleganza Shower Base & Wall set made by American Shower & Bath. It has a styrofoam base support. Squeaked like a son of a gun when I stepped up on it while dry fitting. I started to wonder if I shouldn't be removing the styrofoam. No mention of doing that in the installation instructions, so I was afraid to do that. I emailed customer service and received no reply at all.

Your solution was the only thing I've found that even addresses the problem. A couple of years ago I put in a perimeter drain around my house and had a half roll of white filter fabric left over. I simply cut a couple pieces to size and viola! No more squeak.

Thanks again for posting this! Beer 4U2

Marty

david, this is an old shoer pan and it has evidentally seen its better days. yes it is flexing if just a little bit but none the less short of ripping it out all you can do is live with it until it cracks. it should have been set on a boed of something like structolite or non shrinking grout. the newer bases depending on the brand and quality may or may not need this done