DO NOT Fit a Shower Tray Until You've Watched This
Roger tells us why shower trays crack and how bedding your shower tray on tile adhesive is not a good idea.
Avoid a cracked shower tray and see what Roger has to say about this common issue.
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#ShowerTray #Bathrooms #ShowerRoom
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I bumped into a customer the other day who I did a complete bathroom install for , she told me how good it was and how happy they were with it . That was over ten years ago I fitted that one and shockingly I made a profit doing it ..do it once do it right earn the bragging rights
I wouldn’t really call that a rant, I’d call it passionate instruction😁 as as ever fantastic video!!
Need more trades men like you Rodger I appreciate your time and effort you put in these vids. Keep up the good work!
Love your vids, Professional at work. Spot on with all your subjects, you explain the pros and cons and with the benefit of years of experience whether or not you consider it a sound proposition or not. Never put me wrong yet! Keep up the really excellent work from a long time DIY enthusiast.
Just about to fit shower tray and you’ve answered so many questions. Absolutely brilliant, thanks for great advice!
Many great points here from an experienced bathroom fitter! Over 50% of bathrooms I renovate are riddled with leaks, water damage, flaws and poor preparation and unsuitable materials. Take note people.
Yes it's amazing how many builders/plumbers will fit a shower enclosure against two plaster board walls and then tile the walls. They think standard tile grout is water proof but it's not it's only damp proof. As a consequence the board gets wet and the tiles become loose and often fall off leaving big holes in the plasterboard. You have obviously come across this stuff yourself. I'm long retired now but one of my other pet hates was when a plumbers/builders would mount an electric shower unit (especially when it was over a bath) in the dead centre of the wall with the shower head tucked into the corner of the wall. So you had to stand as near to the corner as you could to try and get under the head but the only thing to get a good soaking was the actual shower unit. It's better now with the plastic panels if you like that sort of thing.
@@truthseeker7794 So if you used that floor to ceiling plastic laminate stuff you'd be ok to apply to plasterboard?
@@tubewatcher97 You could use it on top of plasterboard but personally I would be wary. Make sure you use the larger sized panels so as to minimise on the amount of joints you have. So if you just have two walls to cover then you could do it with just two panels and one joint in the corner. You can actually bend it round corners if you cut the back of the panel. You could always batten the wall if you want to keep it off the plasterboard.
@@truthseeker7794 What about against a solid wall?
@@danielhart3820 Yes great against a solid wall. Just remember that gypsum plaster or plasterboard is water soluble but if the panels are completely sealed it should be fine. Concrete or sand and cement render tend to be more waterproof but I levelled my walls with gypsum plaster (several coats to get it level) and it's been fine for 10 years.
Brilliant. Not a rant, just a professional, passionate about what he does and wanting to do the very best job for the customer. Some really great tips. Nice one.
Last tray I fitted, I fretted for a few days on whether to use sand cement or go with “modern way” of tile adhesive or worse, ct1 et al. Stuck with tray recommendations (for guarantee) and went with sand cement and sbr. Not a plumber, so good to hear it’s still best way.
Really good solid advice that has been taken on board as I will be refurbishing my bathroom and adding a shower cubicle in the future and when I do a job I want it right. Great video Rodger 👍
As an enthusiastic DIY'er, I'm so glad I've followed your guidance on my ensuite refit. Several times I've thought "this is overkill". But even though the refit has been very slow, following your belt and braces approach has definitely paid dividends, and as I near completion, I'm confident it's as good an installation as I would have got anywhere. Thanks for all this generous information Roger - much appreciated.
All very eminently valid points. I had my bathroom floor completely relayed with marine 18mm ply as the base. Backer board is definately the way to go for the area around the shower. As you say - a couple of hundred pounds is not a deal breaker. Rather a longer term solution to the problems of water / damp getting into the substrates.
I saw one of these resin trays fitted in Italy. Over there it's all concrete floors, even upstairs so it was a dry screed first over the pipework, gone off, then they fixed the tray with a type of heavy duty silicone straight to the screed. It's a major job redoing a bathroom when everything has to be kangoed out.
This guy is spot on. Massive portion of common sense and I have even learned something before I fit my son's 44kg resin flush base as I WAS going to use tile adhesive but not now! You just KNOW when someone really knows what they are talking about, a mix of technical knowledge, experience and common sense.
Sound advice from an experienced plumber/bathroom fitter. Learnt a few useful thinks from Roger's video. Totally agree with the sand/cement bed for shower tray and the backer boards on the walls. I'm fitting a Crosswater 1200 x 800 stone resin shower tray at the moment and so glad I watched the video before I started working on my long overdue bathroom renovation.
Again as always sound advice from a true professional. Thankfully I had watch your shower vids when I, was installing our new bathroom. Followed your hints and tips, and now have a wonderful new walk in shower. Many thanks Roger
Thanks so much for this, I'm in the middle of refitting our ensuite and have watched most/all of your stuff on shower trays/enclosures. So much more confident going into the job now and looking forward to getting it done.
Top notch advice again mate. Thanks for supporting British suppliers too!
Nicobond rapid flex, mapei tanking kit, Mccalpine shower waste never had any problems great vid Rodger 👍🏻
This is great information. I'm installing a shower myself in an en suite and this has given me the confidence to do it, and to do it right first time.
Roger, great video Sir! Recently purchased a shower tray like this at auction. Never realised it was concrete! Good clear instructions that I will follow, thank you for sharing.
Thanks at last a common sence approach to fitting trays. I'm an electrician but the number of times I've been on jobs and seen the Bodge it and Scarper crew doing things is unbelievable. Most never even pick up instructions let alone read them, they think they know better than the manufactures.
Renovating my flat i’ve just bought which was only built in 2005 (flats built on the quick and cheap). Plasterboard in both bathrooms, chipboard floors with lino in both, tap outlets and screw holes in tiles for shower screen not sealed. completely rotten under bath, loads of mold under lino which spread beyond the bathroom. had to rip up all the floors in the flat. Thanks to your videos i’ve used proper backing-board, sealed it all up etc, videos have helped me so much thanks.
Cheers. Opened my eyes to the process of putting in a shower tray. Doing my mother's in the next month or so. Keep the videos coming.
Great advice. Thanks for taking the time to explain properly 👍🏻
Brilliant video, Roger...invaluable tips, delivered in such an engaging manner. Thank you. 👍
You are a game changer for my Dutch barge renovation thanks mate I'll get around it watching some more of your videos
I've always been put off these shower trays. I'm a DIYer and I've always put in the shower tray forms made from tile backing boards and tiled on top. They look so much better and they're easy to do. If you need to lower the floor, use 22mm ply, cut out the tray area, fix ply between the joists using noggins, leaving just enough space and no more for the drain to go in. I'm also very pleased at your comments regarding backing boards as I've always thought they were a good idea. If there's any chance it getting wet, use a backing board. Seal and then tape the joins and any screws / washers you've used. The images at the 21 min mark are exactly how I've done it, including the HansGrohe ibox which is a great piece of engineering. I wasted my time in the past with cheaper taps and fittings and none have lasted anywhere near as long. So it's good to see a professional of your standing reassuring me that I'm doing it the right way. Will be doing another 3 on my new build house later this year. Looking forward to it.
Sbr. Mapei Flexible tile adhesive. Mapei tanking kit. Mcalpine waste. Dow 785 silicone. Winning. 👌🏼
no nonesense grab adhesive below the tray and no nonesense silicone as your first seal, Dow as your second seal is just as good. It's all about the prep work, cut out all the old shit and replace it properly, the materials are inconsequential except when it comes to silicone and mildew
As always great videos, love the passion and enthusiasm in your teachings. I am learning so much from this. Thank you skilled builder!
I’ve been a Bricky for years and I’ve only noticed this week a plumber with a tub of gobbo to bed the shower tray down with. Once again, your knowledge and how you put it out is proper good.
Many many years since i've heard gobbo, live down south so is it a northern term?
@@clooperman3745 must be northern mate, I’m from the midlands and that’s what we shout at the labourer when the spots are getting low! “Gobbo” 😂
Here here Roger! TANKING and PLY & NOGGINS... I've done too many bathrooms that I know have the Vertical Lambada going on and never had a problem!
Thank you Roger. I appreciate the in depth and detailed instruction.
We often fit for a local supplier who like to sell a few 'add-ons' - a leg pack kit. We never use them. Five legs supporting a 900 quadrant? It's 99.9% hollow underneath. If we can't secure flat to the floor, we build a timber base for 100% secure contact.
This was unbelievable useful. I've got a few questions to ask my bathroom fitter tomorrow x
Excellent video. Did not detect a "rant" more free "experience" to many installers and DIY'ers. Thank you.
Fantastic video, well delivered and sketches on the white board to explain everything 👍🏼👍🏼
My resin shower tray had massive air bubbles at the mating surface where the trap was supposed to seal against. I used a massive length of plumbers mait to fill the gaps before fitting the trap. Also I fretted over getting the sand and cement base support even across the whole tray. Only to discover later that if you bought the shower tray raiser kit it stood on four feet one in each corner so total even support was not actually necessary just support to each corner!
Absolutely invaluable information. I can now start the project the right way. Thankyou 👍
We had ours installed 13 years ago when KZhead wasn't around and the guy stuck 2 blocks of wood on a tiled floor which is on a chipboard and no concrete or anything so it's just balanced on these blocks and sometimes I feel a bit of movement but so far it hasn't collapsed I'm glad people like yourself are putting these tutorials on KZhead because there is so many cowboys out there
what he says about joists and noise transmission is true - mine and my neighbours joists run into each other and we can hear everything. Good thing we like each other!
excellent video! Every British builder, handy man who thinks he can build a bathroom etc needs to watch this. I have had no end off problems with showers that had been build onto wooden floors wrongly. I am very very weary of doing that now. I also think that normal life around a shower tray (ie footsteps etc) causes vibrations on the floorboards, etc that so often are not dampened properly around showertrays and over time affect the seals around the shower tray. Or and even more importantly, people standing in shower trays. have you ever checked how the tray flexes when a heavy person use a shower tray. sigh ..
So glad I found this Roger .... I will be refitting my shower tray and replacing the walls shortly after having two builders over the last few years do everything you say should not be done. Thank you my friend. Charlie
so many of them get this wrong. It is sad to think that a DIYer can do a better job than a professional but it is often the case.
This was an excellent video! Thank u so much for the detailed explanations and easy to understand drawing
Love this. I'm a pro bathroom fitter and still plenty to learn from Roger.
Brilliant vid Roger..........i come across ALL these problems time after time...........Cheers mate.
This is an unbelievably high quality instructional video. You are the man.
Another absolutely brilliant review and advice.
Great video as always Roger very enlightening 👌🏼🧱👍🏼
Top quality vidio bro we've had nothing but agro with our shower leaking through the bow stairs ceiling and now we know why. Thanks so much for your help
Thank you Roger for the uploads. Very educational.
Thank you Roger for your wealth of information. Experience is priceless and thank you for sharing with us all how a job should be done.
Excellent video Roger. Had i seen this 12 years ago, I would have installed our en-suite much differently. I will certainly be following your tips when it comes to redoing it.
It’s lasted 12 years and counting, I’d consider it a job well done personally. Having said that, I’m watching these videos to learn how to redo mine, if the kids and I don’t fall through it first. So, enquiring minds want to know, what did you do that was different to this guy and still worked? And would it be considered a mistake? Because I’d prefer my mistakes to come to end with a still functional bathroom, it’d be nice to know in advance which ones aren’t too detrimental. 😆
Amazing when trades say they never have problems with their work. That is because the customer calls someone else in to fix your rubbish work! Anyway, I am going to do my own shower room using Rogers videos as a how to, as it had leaked and rotted out the plasterboard and the MDF box work around the pipes. Previous owner did the cheapest job possible and it shows.
I'm annoyed with tradesmen. One plumber i was asking simple questions as I just was curious what he was doing at my property,his answer was iv been doing this for 25 years. Guess what, same night I had to call the twat for a leak. Unconnected pipe he left.
No Roger you don't use silicone to seal the edges you use a special water proof shower seal with riser for the tiles to come down over, you can also buy shower trays with up stands for to tile down over
@@sadiqdani9705 l know what you mean, when a customer asks me a question it might be inconvenient at the time to answer but l always take the time to answer or explain something for them, to me that's good customer relations.
@@tristancraven3685 A lot of people who should know better! l get builders using plasterboard in shower rooms and l explain the problem, some see the light, others don't.
Super advice explained with passion ! Thanks a million 😃
This is very good and very helpful. Thankyou Roger.
Thanks so much I'm a competent DIYer ready to do a shower tray and tiled walls. You've guided me no end with this video. I'm actually going to install on a vinyl tiled concrete floor any additional advice greatly appreciated. Many Thanks
Very informative instruction. How to do it right! All good and essential info. I’m installing on a slab and still really glad I found this.
Great video, just the way I do it except I put silicone under tray as it's flexible and doesn't affect tray, never had a problem. Also I always use a classy seal around the tray and epoxy swimming pool grout in the shower area.
hello Roger been following your vids for years so glad a watched your vid about fitting a shower tray I bought a large tub of tile adhesive to or so I thought stick the tray to the ply I did`nt realize to put a polythene sheet between tray and adhesive.
Great video. I am a Brit who does this work in Canada & the same applies here, funny that, it seems water is the same everywhere... Don't underestimate the value of the smallest technical details in building a tiled shower or tub back splash. The most destructive thing in a home after fire is water, you must control were it goes & keep it contained where it belongs.DON'T go cheap on the sub surface materials...
100% on the tile backer board ! Thanks to your channel I have a list of materials and components that I want my bathroom renovation to have, the difficult part will be finding someone to do the job right ( I’ve done bits of plumbing and tiling, they have turned out pretty decent but nothing is ever going to be perfect when it’s someone’s first attempt at it )
Sheffield Home Hero. My business could help you out. I'm uploading photos of recent bathroom project tomorrow.
@@mark-jonathanwilkinson2994 Thanks Mark, I’ll check out your Facebook / website.
Great video! Out of all the channels I follow, this is the one I couldn’t unsubscribe from as it’s too useful. 😁👏
Hi Roger great effort on this video, keep up the explanations and insight
Morning Pal ..... you're spot on great tip with the poly ( Thanks for that ) I fit loads of these ..Always backer board and tank ..ya gotta do it folks ..... the amount of leks I've seen from lack of tanking even is unbelievable .... Once again Pal thanks for all the tips .. Loving all these Vids 38 years on site and still learning
Thank you for this information, love listening to you on many DIY job and getting it right, ur a top man cheers
Very helpful advice and honestly presented.
RIGHT ON !!! GREAT JOB DESCRIBING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great video, very informative! Thanks for the uncoupling tip with the tile adhesive. Looks like it’s better to use sand and cement and it’s cheaper!
Great video Roger. Well done.
Absolutely spot on I couldn't agree more. I always use the hardi board. 👍
great video, thanks for the sound advice
very nice description. We live in a new build and the shower tray makes an aweful lot of cracking noise to the joists under. There's also some metal cracking noise which I have no idea where that is coming from. The builders wanted to fill the space under the shower tray with expanding foam. It seems like very poor quality building in my opinion, but I have no experience.
Excellent advice. Thank you!
As a DIYer I made up my own method which has been fine for 20years. I levelled the tray with four blocks of wood screwed to the floor meaning I had as much time as I needed using trial and error to get it perfectly level. Then I laid many dobs of sand and cement to allow it to squish out until the tray sat on the wood blocks. This may not be the right way but it worked fine for me.
Great stuff. An hour watching you and I'm confident.... Enough to watch a few more hours before I start!
Thanks Roger, for your great presentation, well done!. I would add a couple of hints that may be of use. Before setting the tray, coat all the bearing timber surfaces (all the edges, top and underside, including any existing floor cuts.) with a coat of thin bitumen or ‘black Jack’ or similar water proofing that won’t affect the tray adhesion, ‘just to prevent safety’! It’s an easy quick thing to do and ensures any potential leak won’t destroy the subfloor. “Silicon” make absolutely sure you use ‘marine’ grade silicon! Agree, the grate rubber seal is best fitted without additional silicon. It can ‘thin and wear, that potentially leaves a slight gap and a pig to remove for any reason. I’d never tile again. Shower panelling with a pvc quarter bead in vertical corner(s). PVC finished sheets can be adhered direct to 11mm Sterling board, if it’s stud wall. But the more expensive sub panels If it’s a brick wall but if your tight for cash, a double coat of quality mixed cement would be as good. Get it flat and true. It Takes a time to dry! If using a timber panel substrate this is protected with my favourite, ‘aqua panel’. Again, paint say 300mm of the base of the timber sub panel with thin bitumen. ‘Black Jack, again to ‘prevent safety’ Capillaration through any weak joint, especial at the base will destroy any wooden backing panel. But if coated with black jack a foot up or so will stop that from happening. I’d caution any enthusiast, this job isn’t for the careless, or the sloppy. Your sins will find you out and may need to be redone, such is the damage water can do.
Black Jack will stink the bathroom up for years.
Very good advice! Will definitely add the membrane between the backer and the pad. Thanks?
Spot on Roger! - Exactly right - The ONLY proper way to fir a stone resin tray 🤜
Fantastic information, thanks so much
This is very helpful, I wish other trade professionals would work like you.
Great vid. Had to battle with my builder to do sand and cement and to tank. About to start a 2nd job and will ensure from the get go the stages are agreed. Also McAlpine trap - thanks for that.
Really informative video roger
Always speaks sense, love these videos 👍
Great video. Thankfully I live in The Netherlands where wooden floors are only found in older homes. I hope installing my tray will be relatively easy on my concrete floor :)
Great advice thanks Roger.
Brilliantly explained! Don’t be too hard on yourself regarding your art work. It highlighted the pro’s & cons spot on. I am about to fit a new shower tray and tiles. I know which method I will be using thanks to you.
Good drawing I thought, even 3D perspective was good. Interesting even to a newly-interested lay person like myself, researching how to install a stone resin tray in place of the bath. Rather than telling the motley crew how to do it, I plan to ask them to describe their MO. So far neither a consensus or coherent plan like Roger's has been forthcoming. May have to set up a viewing of this video! Guy with the best recall gets the job! If not I might have to tuck in my skirts and take it on myself!
Our house is 18 yrs old and the tiles are now coming loose in the en-suite and water is dripping into the lounge..I’m going to have to rip it all out and follow Rogers advice. Great video.
dot and dab tile adhesive worked for me on 18mm good quality ply, fully screwed down, been in for months and no problems. I followed plumber parts video.
Excellent video and explanation, well presented
Glad you liked it!
Loved your openness and honesty plus you are really considering the risk across water damage...can you fit mine.
You can use a Ditra membrane on plasterboard. Just make sure it overlaps the tray or use the schluter caulk to create an impervious barrier in that area. They are the top name in waterproofing
Fantastic! Very helpful, thanks👍🏽
We have bought a shower pan with integral upstand and i can't understand why people would go for anything less. Tile backer board and tanking membrane is a must too.
Up stands on the deep tray about to order - too many hours spent scrubbing and replacing sealant!
One of the very few long videos I have watched to the end. Informative, fluent and well presented. Well done
I'm afraid John if you go by these instructions you will have problems down the line.A few detrimental mistakes are made in this tutorial, I'm a plumbing and Heating contractor and a qualified engineer and builder,plus a licensed construction supervisor. I have over 40 years education and experience.This is not the profession way to carry out this installation. I will not comply to building regulations or best practice
@@noelburke6224 Read me again. I am praising the quality of the presentation, not the nitty gritty of the detail.
@@noelburke6224 what do you disagree with? I’m very interested and it’s a genuine question.
Good to know love the videos 💯👍🏻
Brilliant video, Roger.
Great video Roger 👍
This is very much worth a listen!!
love it Roger! Good stuff!
a quality rant, very informative!