quadrant resin shower - on floor or tiles. cement or tile adhesive

[stusuffolk]

Hi guys - last minute question from a newby so hope you don't mind:

my plumber/fitter is fitting a low profile resin shower base tomorrow and also tiling the whole room as part of a refurb.

it's tiles and tray onto a standard green grade chipboard floor (good condition)

First question: most places seem to be suggesting cement/sand mix required under base. Is this really required or would the topps tiles flexible tile adhesive they are using for the rest of the floor and tiles not be fine ? I found a few places saying this, but most saying cement required ?

Second question: they are suggesting tile floor first then fit base on top. It's very low profile 30mm, so I'm not bothered from that point of view, but everything I can find on the internet says base should be fitted to chipboard direct then tiled around.

I can see that this saves them cutting curves in tiles (its a quadrant) and might be a cleaner finish, but they'll be silicon around base anyway surely.

this is the base if it helps - with it being SO low profile it does seem that cement would be a bit of a waste of time ?

Drench Anthracite Slate Effect Quadrant Shower Tray - 800mm & 900mm - https://www.drench.co.uk/drench-anthracite-slate-effect-quadrant-shower-tray-800mm-900mm

 

[Waluigi]

Bad practice to bed it straight onto chipboard.

You should really pop some Cement board or decent ply down.

Whether you use sand/cement or tile adhesive is a question that has been asked by plumbers for many years. The answer is both. Not together of course. Both will work. As a general rule the vast majority of manufacturers suggest a sand/cement base. They all suggest a weak mix of S&C. Some manufacturers suggest adding an admix.

A rapid setting flexible tile adhesive will also work very well.

Whatever you do, prime the floor and prime the underside of the tray. I always bed the tray down before tiling.

That said, you need to be a bit careful, there are some foam cored trays which don’t like either S&C or tile adhesive. The tray can curl up and not properly bed down and become unlevel. These trays are crap. I never specify them or install them. If you do have a lightweight foam tray, I’d get the floor almost perfect level and bed it down on neutral curing Silicon.

 

[jobdone]

These trays can be forced out of shape ruining already very shallow fall. This leads to pooling round the drain. This will lead to a build up of lime scale and it is very unsightly especially on the anthracite tray.

 

[On one]

For me the tray is a first fix item and should be in first,then tile up to it.
Sounds like your plumber is trying to cut corners.

 

[Boggs]

I normally 6mm Hardie Backer the whole floor, glued and screwed, then bed tray on top with a rapid S2 adhesive.
Definaltely before the floor gets tiled.

 

[stusuffolk]

thanks all.

to be fair to plumber - it was just a suggestion. They are large tiles (60x30) - so I think his main thinking was it will be a quicker job, but also cleaner finish if he's not trying to neatly cut tiles around the curved quadrant shower base.

the base is solid resin, to is pretty tough.

following jobdone's comment though - wouldn't fitting tiles first then help ensure a solid flat base (while also avoiding needing to cut).

I suppose I'm looking for good reason why it is done this way in the UK. For example, it seems to be opposite on the continent (searching the net) where mostly tiles go down first - so I'm assuming its done in the UK this way for a reason - but doesn't seem obvious to me ? I mean IF a solid non flexing base is a good thing - surely tiles down first helps ? AND it avoid all the cutting ? what am I missing ?

I suppose if it's not done correctly there's a risk of a tile cracking ? but that's about all I can think of in the negative column of tiling floor first (and leaving waste hole obviously) - but I know FA - hence looking for advice from the experts really.

My main reason at this stage to still be perusing this I'll be honest, is if he f&cks up the cuts and I end up with a dog dinner of a floor to shower join..

I realise it's what I'm paying him for, but if making his job easier, means I get a higher percentage chance of a better finish at a lower risk, I'm struggling to see the downside ?

 

[Bathfix Bob]

These trays can be forced out of shape ruining already very shallow fall. This leads to pooling round the drain. This will lead to a build up of lime scale and it is very unsightly especially on the anthracite tray.

I've started water testing trays now before I fit them, there are some nasty trays out there and some don't allow all water down and pool up until you lift the tray 10mm out of level.

 

[Waluigi]

first thing I do with 80% of the stone resin trays I fit is throw away the plastic waste that comes with them and fit a McAlpine ST90CPB. Those plastic waste are embarrassing.

 

[Waluigi]

I've started water testing trays now before I fit them, there are some nasty trays out there and some don't allow all water down and pool up until you lift the tray 10mm out of level.

Plus shed loads aren’t flat to begin with due to poor transportation/storage.

 

[Bathfix Bob]

Plus shed loads aren’t flat to begin with due to poor transportation/storage.

Yep, I try and talk people out of a slimeline tray and actually recommend the 90mm high sided jobbies. They drain perfectly and will hold a fair bit of water if the drain is clogged with hair and not spill straight over. You will remember the old 70's and 80's ones actually had an overflow! those days gone..Shh back to tiling..

 

[stusuffolk]

it comes with a fast flow with chrome metal grate top. I dunno if crap or not - it's too late to change now - hopefully it's ok. what singles out the crap ones ?

flatness wise its flat - no wobble sitting on my tiled kitchen floor. But I'll definately make sure a water drain test is done with a test fitting when level to check.