How to get shower tray into recess?

[tilernot]

Hi all

Have read many posts on this forum and it has been a great help. This is my first post though.

So I'm trying to install a new shower tray into a recess (walls on three sides). I don't understand how I can get the tray flush against all three because even if the walls are perfectly square and the right size to take the tray, I can't see how I could physically drop the tray in there when there is mortar at the bottom (tray manufacturer instructions).

As it stands, the walls are out of square (plumb is good) and I can only just get the tray in. That leaves a gap along one edge of circa 25mm. I was thinking to put the tray in and centre it so the are two gaps of around 12mm on each side. Then mortar along to fill those gaps, silicoln and place boards on top of that. Then tile the board.

It feels like a bodge though but I can't understand how a normal installation would get a tray to be flush against three walls in a recess without pushing the mortar everwhere if sliding it in. And since it can't be pushed firmly against all three walls (because two of the walls are opposite each other!) there will always be a mm or 3 on one side won't there?

 

[Bill]

Put the tray square with two adjacent walls that are as near to square as possible then reclad the wall that is not square.

Make sure all gaps are filled and watertight.

 

[Dumbo]

Dont push the tray in . Get it on one edge where you need it then let it pivot over away from you using packing straps to control rate of drop then when it is down pull packing straps out .

 

[Spare Tool]

Put tray in to back wall and lift front edge up, prop up tray and spread adhesive on floor underneath and tray then lower into place...as above overboard the one wall to bring flush with tray

 

[rufus the tiler]

even if you try and even the gap, making the tiling right would be impossible and the shower door wont fit.

 

[Bill]

even if you try and even the gap, making the tiling right would be impossible and the shower door wont fit.

Thall all depends on the amount of 'play' in the shower screen design.

 

[Waluigi]

Yes, check the minimum/maximum compensation on your shower screen.
As others have said, get the tray in and then meet the tray with the third board which is installed after the tray has been bedded in.

 

[jimthetiler]

This is what us old tilers do,lay a couple of battens down first then lay sticky or morter down
then slide in tray and pull out battens.

 

[tilernot]

Lots of great ideas there many thanks.

The baton method I guess is similar to the propping up but you'd lose coverage where the batons were?

 

[Waluigi]

I tend to get my tray level by using packers. Then mark where the packers are. Mortar the floor and drop my tray it and bed down. The packers prevent it from bedding down too far as it’ll never bed in past the packers.

 

[david mccullough]

if the tray is 25mm smaller then fit it tight to one side, then get moisture resistant plasterboard and dot & dab it to the opposite wall, also fit the sealer strip to the tray and tank the walls.

 

[Jonathanb]

Just fit it like this one I have just pulled out

 

[David Marshall]

I had the same query last April (2018). I wanted to put a 90x90cm ceramic base into a newly made (green plaster board) cabinet. I made sure the cabinet was exactly the size of the ceramic tray. In my case the tray needed to be 14cm off the floor.

A friend is a Paris-Dakar rally competitor with some neat kit. So I borrowed his hydraulic jack (13cm deep) fitted four of the ajustable legs into the cabinet area, set the height, then gently rolled the jack, carrying the ceramic base, into the cabinet. Checked the position and released the air gently lowering the ceramic tray onto the legs... perfect... I'm amazed at how smoothly and easily the whole operation went...

 

[charliesw4]

Put the tray in tight against the squarest corner and pack the 3rd wall with board, either dot and dab or double thickness if tacked. I’d use a waterproof tiling board like orbry but plasterboard would do. Tank before tiling.

 

[david mccullough]

you should have a rubber/flexible strip stuck to the wall sides of the tray, it's about 75mm deep with a very sticky film on the bottom half of one side, to stick to tray, to make a waterproof joint. then stick the top half to the walls, with silicon, then recommend tanking the walls

 

[Steve Griffiths]

I only use stone resin trays with adjustable legs, makes life much easier.
Fit it level it, seal to walls with CT1 etc