Can you give me instructions on building a barrier-free shower?
Answers
Showers are tricky for designing a barrier-free home. If your elderly is wheelchair-bounded, think of the entrance and the space in the shower. Otherwise, you will need a comfortable seat under the shower. Install drains appropriately so no water would remain after using the shower to avoid odour and mildew. Also, you have to think of the floor to not be slippery for the safety of your loved ones.
To tell you from experience, the most typical DIY method for installing a barrier-free shower is to establish a pre-fabricated unit complete with a shower pan and drain components. Since such units are usually sold as systems with other materials (e.g., proprietary sealant), they are developed for foolproof installation and DIY comfort. Just don’t forget to read the accompanying documentation because it will advise decisions about how to customize your project based on the following general instructions:
• Remove subfloor.
• Alter or align plumbing as necessary.
• If required, cut insets into joists for a new, recessed subfloor.
• Put the recessed subfloor.
• Seal the drain into the base unit, next dry-fit the base into the recessed subfloor.
• Lay thin-set to the subfloor and back butter the underside of the pre-fab unit.
• Remember, the type of unit you use will decide whether you should lay waterproof sheeting before locating the pre-fab shower pan. Set the unit into the place you want and weigh it down to set (stacks of tiles work well for this).
• Tile over the shower pan when set, paying meticulous attention to the seal where the sloping shower tile joins the rest of the bathroom floor.
A barrier-free shower is completely level with the floor, and since the floor is sloped towards the drain, all the water will drain efficiently.
There are two ways to do this. The old method is to ramp up into the shower or recess the floor by notching or cutting the joists 2″ to 3”. Structural engineers frowned upon this since it can cause excessive floor deflection, costly structural damage, and tile cracking to your home.
There is an easier option too. The VIM Level Entry Shower System was developed to create a proper barrier-free shower without having to cut floor supports. The VIM Products have designed a thinner, more robust, pre-sloped shower pan that’s easy to install and doesn’t change the structural stability of your house.
The pan is made from a rigid ABS plastic that resists deflection and compression. Once the recessed area framing is done, the VIM pan is installed, the VIM pan will sit only 1/8″ above the top of the ¾” subfloor. The transition slope is then filled with quick-drying, non-shrinking patch material.
Having a safe and barrier-free shower is an essential thing for elderlies to consider. Many paralyzed seniors or those suffering from mobility disorders should know how to make such showers for their houses. Here we mention some required materials for the shower’s base and points to help you build a barrier-free shower. There are four options for the shower’s base:
• The first one is the manufactured stone shower pan. It consists of a ramp that goes up and down. These textured bottom pans are safe and available in different colors. The installation is as same as ordinary shower pans.
• The second one is the acrylic or fiberglass base, which is consisted of a ramp just like the previous one. The only difference is that fiberglass and acrylic are the primary materials, and these pans are connected to the mortar bed. If you ever wish to use such a base, make sure to use the “no-sag” one. It has a layer of MDF beneath its surface, so it’s way more solid.
• The third option is to use wet room systems. This method is prevalent among Europeans and Asians. Because of the materials used in the base, the water can directly go down to the drain.
• Last but not least is to use dropped floor system. The framing of the floor goes underneath the subfloor. Therefore, 2 x 8 joists below the shower floor and 2 x 12 joists under the bathroom floor. This system is so helpful because water and concrete go down to the drain in this way.
To tell you from experience, the most typical DIY method for installing a barrier-free shower is to establish a pre-fabricated unit complete with a shower pan and drain components. Since such units are usually sold as systems with other materials (e.g., proprietary sealant), they are developed for foolproof installation and DIY comfort. Just don’t forget to read the accompanying documentation because it will advise decisions about how to customize your project based on the following general instructions:
• Remove subfloor.
• Alter or align plumbing as necessary.
• If required, cut insets into joists for a new, recessed subfloor.
• Put the recessed subfloor.
• Seal the drain into the base unit, next dry-fit the base into the recessed subfloor.
• Lay thin-set to the subfloor and back butter the underside of the pre-fab unit.
• Remember, the type of unit you use will decide whether you should lay waterproof sheeting before locating the pre-fab shower pan. Set the unit into the place you want and weigh it down to set (stacks of tiles work well for this).
• Tile over the shower pan when set, paying meticulous attention to the seal where the sloping shower tile joins the rest of the bathroom floor.
