In this video you'll see tips for how to install a Schluter shower system specifically
you'll see how to install the shower tray as well as a custom curb and waterproof
everything. So the first step is to lay out your prefab shower tray and measure in three-quarters
of an inch. This is really important and the reason why is the first three-quarters of an
inch of the perimeter of the shower tray is completely flat. So I recommend cutting off
the first three-quarters of an inch keeping those strips for later on I'll show you how to use them.
And then what I did after that was cut down the shower tray by an additional three inches on three
sides so that I could customize the shower tray around my existing drain. And here's a hot tip,
you can use a scale to measure out a half bag of thin-set. For example,
I measured out 25 pounds of Schluter ALL-SET. I halved the water content per the instructions,
poured the water into a bucket, turned on my dust extractor, poured the thin-set into that, and
mixed everything up. I mixed this up for roughly five minutes. I'll let it sit there for 10 minutes
and then I mix it again for another three minutes. But while that was sitting there, I mixed up some
deck mud. This is premixed deck mud, it's actually from Mapei's 4-to-1 mud bed mix. I also used a
different mixing paddle for that. You could mix it with a margin trowel but it's a little bit harder.
I then grabbed a one-quarter inch by three-eighths inch square-notched trowel. I burned the thin-set
into the substrate with the flat side of that. You also want to hold the trowel at a 45- degree angle
when you apply the notched side into the thin-set, really important. Then I compress the tray into
the thin-set as well as the three-quarter-inch strips. And then I walked on those to ensure
that they were embedded into the thin-set. Added more thin-set between the tray and the walls up
against the shower tray as well as on the walls, that's important for a Schluter shower system.
I applied more thin-set to the edge of my curb and made sure the curb was level. Also important
to apply thin-set to the edges of the curb where they meet. And I made sure that complete unit was
even and level on top. Then I added my deck mud over top of the modified thin-set on the floor.
I compressed that into the thin-set using a wood float and then I screeded that ensuring that I had
one-quarter-inch of slope per linear foot. Then iIused my steel trowel to go ahead and finish that
off. I let that sit for a day then I dampened it and embedded some thin-set on both the deck mud
as well as the walls so that I could then add my KERDI KERECK corners. These are prefab corners,
you want those to be solidly embedded into the thin-set. And once you're done doing that,
sponge those off because you don't want any excess thin-set hanging out that will interfere with your
tile work. I also added a pre-fab outside corner over the curb and up against the wall. Now here's
a tip that I have for you, I always get asked how do you waterproof between drywall and KERDI-BOARD.
Well you want to dampen the drywall, apply thin-set over top of both using the KERDI trowel
and embed your banding into that. This banding process with the thin-set will waterproof that
transition and help you ensure that you don't have any damage later on. Now what I'm showing here
is that the perimeter of my shower is nice and flat and level because of those three-quarter-inch
strips. The other thing is you only need your KERDI-BAND to overlap the KERDI-KERECK corners
by two inches. You don't need to have excessive overlap and that will help you with the corners
of a Schluter shower system and prevent you from having tile problems. Once you embed the
banding you want to wipe off all the excess thin-set. Apply thin-set into the groove of
where the shower drain is, KERDI trowel that as well. And then compress the KERDI into that
and remove any excess thin-set that will interfere with the drain system. Then I cut
down KERDI. I added more thin-set over top of the deck mud and my wall. I embedded that strip
of KERDI into the thin-set, made sure that that was nice and flat up against all my substrates
because that could interfere with my tile work. I sponged that off. I also double-checked that
everything remained flat along the perimeter. I did the exact same process for the curb.
Applied thin-set to the tray, the sides of the curb using the KERDI trowel and then I embedded
that KERDI membrane into my custom shower curb. This is awesome because it really ensures that
everything will be 100% waterproof. The biggest tip I have for you is just to make sure you
get all the excess thin-set out from between the KERDI and the custom curb and your DITRA. I then
sponged everything off let that sit for 24 hours used a two-inch Oatey drain plug in the drain.
And then I flood tested it by hooking up my hose to my shower arm, really important to flood test.
But if you like the tips in this video give it a thumbs up and hopefully you subscribe to
the youtube channel because we're going to have a ton more tutorials that'll help you
out with your shower installation. So thanks for watching, take care and I'll see in the next video