Cutting Floor Joists For Curbless Shower

Installation video on rapid recess and and the most difficult part of building curbless showers.

Cutting floor joists for curbless shower.

The larger the shower the easier it is to gradually slope the shower floor to the drain and contain water. Cut into the top chord of a truss for a curbless shower and you re asking for trouble. Curbless showers are very much on the path of modernistic architecture and design. I m retrofitting a curbless shower with a linear drain in an existing home with an i joist floor.

Available in 13 sizes up to 71 inches long truedek classic is a shower base that makes building curbless showers easy and fast without having to cut into joists the manufacturer says. To install a curbless shower a carpenter typically would remove the subfloor and cut up to 3 in. The pre sloped structural bases comes with a complete waterproofing system to prepare the pan for tile. This will weaken the floor joists a bit so scab on one treated pine 2 x8 brace just under each joist cut for reinforcement.

The only way to lower an i joist or floor truss system for a curbless shower is to replace the original joists in the shower area. Retrofitting the slope for a tile shower is a common problem for builders. A curbless shower is essentially the same thing just without the curb hence the name. Carefully cut out the top three inches of floor joists within the shower perimeter.

We want to do a barrier free shower as part of a bathroom remodel at our project house so we need to lower the floor framing in that room to provide the depth necessary for the tile installer to establish a sloped mud job leading to the drain. Michael byrne veteran tile installer and consultant and moderator of jlc s ceramic tile online forum responds. Traditional walk in showers have a curb or a barrier that divides them from the rest of the bathroom and prevent water from getting all over the floor. A depth of 42 is a significant improvement and 48 is even better.

36 should be considered the minimum depth for any curbless shower. Curbless showers in an existing home. Remove the floor decking under the existing tub or shower.