Shower tray installation help

benson1980

Hi all,

Would appreciate a bit of further advice regarding how to install our shower tray. First photo is the corner of the room I'm installing it in. Once I ripped the old shower out it was clear the floorboards have been chopped up quite a bit.



Here's my shower tray that I am installing which is stone resin with a legs kit. It has one leg on each corner and one in the middle, so the four outer ones will sit comfortably on the existing floorboards around the perimeter. The one middle one won't so will have to sort something there.



What I was going to do was put 18mm ply on top of where the shower tray is going to be and on top of what is left of the existing floorboards, and install it on top of that. However, I'm now thinking I probably don't want to raise it any more than I have to from floor level and it would be best just to put it on the floorboards that I have. The boards do feel pretty solid. With the final floor finish I'll be laying karndean on 6mm ply so I can install this and continue for a bit under the tray up to where the legs are. This is think would give a neater finish and then tray plinth on top.

My question is, do people think this would be ok and the way to go as long as I put a replacement length of decent timber across the joists in the middle for the middle leg to sit on, and then just put the tray directly on this? 

Doozergirl

The Karndean would probably appreciate 18mm ply anyway.  A professional fitter wouldn't lay it on less, so I'd go with whole room in 18mm ply.  In theory could could remove all the boards first if you don't want to raise the floor height, but having done it ourselves quite a lot, 18mm on top doesn't have a dramatic impact when it runs to a carpeted room.  

benson1980

Doozergirl said:

The Karndean would probably appreciate 18mm ply anyway.  A professional fitter wouldn't lay it on less, so I'd go with whole room in 18mm ply.  In theory could could remove all the boards first if you don't want to raise the floor height, but having done it ourselves quite a lot, 18mm on top doesn't have a dramatic impact when it runs to a carpeted room.  

Thanks but happy only 6mm overboarding is required and the manufacturer instructions specify this as well I believe….plus the way I’ve done my flooring in the hallway outside I really don’t want to raise it any more.

I did think of taking out that section of subfloor and replacing but I can’t get to the joist as this is in the adjoining room.

mi-key

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

benson1980

mi-key said:

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

Hi yes it needs the legs to accommodate the waste.

mi-key

benson1980 said:

mi-key said:

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

Hi yes it needs the legs to accommodate the waste.

Ah ok, I think your plan will work fine as long as the floorboards are solid where the legs are going. You can always see if you can get some extra support in directly under those places. Something like a piece of 4x4 screwed into the joist under the floorboard would give a lot of support

diystarter7

benson1980 said:

mi-key said:

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

Hi yes it needs the legs to accommodate the waste.

Hi

Around 25 years ago we had our first shower that could be accessed from the top to clean and therefore sat between the joists - there are far more choices now and quite common - perhaps you want to read up/look up and consider etc

Either way, good luck

Btw, if you do stick the tray on legs, is the waste trap on the nearest corner? I ask as this was a tip a builder gave me some years ago, ie easier access if you encoutner a leak etc

Thnaks

benson1980

mi-key said:

benson1980 said:

mi-key said:

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

Hi yes it needs the legs to accommodate the waste.

Ah ok, I think your plan will work fine as long as the floorboards are solid where the legs are going. You can always see if you can get some extra support in directly under those places. Something like a piece of 4x4 screwed into the joist under the floorboard would give a lot of support

Appreciate that…I’ve spent this morning reinstating the middle board section for the centre leg and added some extra support underneath as suggested. Can’t do any harm and now feels rock solid.

benson1980

diystarter7 said:

benson1980 said:

mi-key said:

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

Hi yes it needs the legs to accommodate the waste.

Hi

Around 25 years ago we had our first shower that could be accessed from the top to clean and therefore sat between the joists - there are far more choices now and quite common - perhaps you want to read up/look up and consider etc

Either way, good luck

Btw, if you do stick the tray on legs, is the waste trap on the nearest corner? I ask as this was a tip a builder gave me some years ago, ie easier access if you encoutner a leak etc

Thnaks

It’s the fall on the waste and no easy way of rerouting it unfortunately, that is preventing me putting it on the floor. Definitely a good suggestion re shower waste and yes was going to place it on the opposite accessible side.

diystarter7

benson1980 said:

diystarter7 said:

benson1980 said:

mi-key said:

Does it need the legs on there? If you put down 6mm ply, then put the tray onto this it would distribute the weight a lot better without the legs around the existing floorboards? ( would still add some support for the middle of the tray under the ply though, maybe some 4x4 battens set in flush across the joists)

Or you could 6mm ply the whole floor, but put an 18mm piece under the shower without the legs if you want it a bit higher

Hi yes it needs the legs to accommodate the waste.

Hi

Around 25 years ago we had our first shower that could be accessed from the top to clean and therefore sat between the joists - there are far more choices now and quite common - perhaps you want to read up/look up and consider etc

Either way, good luck

Btw, if you do stick the tray on legs, is the waste trap on the nearest corner? I ask as this was a tip a builder gave me some years ago, ie easier access if you encoutner a leak etc

Thnaks

It’s the fall on the waste and no easy way of rerouting it unfortunately, that is preventing me putting it on the floor. Definitely a good suggestion re shower waste and yes was going to place it on the opposite accessible side.

Hi

Thanks, I though that when I saw the outlet pipe but it can be done. Another alternative is to investigate where the drains are outside and then marry it to that directly from the shower but I see your point

Another advatahe with having the tray on the floor is less trip hazzard, looks better and less likely for the tray to crack

Either way

Good luck

benson1980

Hi again,

I've finally got around to setting up the shower tray now that I have installed my backer board and done my pipework behind, and had another query.

The legs are all screwed in and I still need to do some fine adjustment to get it level/install the waste- but has anyone got any suggestions regarding preventing lateral movement of the tray? It is very heavy but it will quite happily slide across the floor on it's legs, which don't seem to have any fixings to prevent movement.

I am installing 6mm marine ply around the tray for the flooring, so could butt that up to the three outer legs. My other thought was that I could silicone/glue the tray edge to the backer board, or do both?