What is a good slope for a shower floor?
Shower Floor Slope. One exception to a minimum elevation change of 1/2 inch per 12 horizontal inches is when someone with limited mobility will be using the shower. If this is the case, the shower floor should have a slope no greater than 2 percent, or 1/4 inch vertical drop per 12 horizontal inches.
Why is the slope of a shower base important?
Recommended Slope of a Shower Base. Good drainage in a shower is key to preventing problems with standing water while the shower is in use and reducing moisture levels in the shower when the water source is turned off. Constant moisture on the shower floor, which becomes a problem where slope is inadequate, can lead to issues with mold and mildew.
What is a pre slope in a shower stall?
In a stall shower, the plumbing code requires the floor to be sloped one quarter (1/4) of an inch per foot in order to carry the water effectively to the drain. This slope, according to the TCNA Handbook is called “sloped fill” or commonly known as the pre-slope. This sloped material is installed under the pan liner (waterproofing membrane).
Is slope tiling required in shower recess?
Shower Floors – Slope Tiling in Shower Recesses The minimum standard required for wet areas in residential buildings is contained in the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and AS3740 – Waterproofing of wet areas in residential buildings. This includes tiling and gradients of bathroom floors including shower recesses.
What is a sloped shower floor?
Sloping a shower floor is a very complex home improvement project. A built-in shower floor is actually two layers of sloped cement with a plastic liner between them. Building one is among the most complicated home-renovation jobs you can undertake.
How to determine proper slope for cement?
To determine the proper slope, measure from the drain to each wall, and figure a quarter-inch of slope per foot of length. Example: If the wall is 3 feet from the drain, the cement should rise by 3/4 inches as it goes from the drain to the wall, starting at the half-inch depth around the drain, for a total height of 1-1/4 inches at the wall.
How do I cut a drain hole in a shower stall?
Step 1. Use your hole saw to cut a drain hole into the center of the plywood subfloor of your framed-in shower stall. Cut a piece of cement board to cover the whole floor , scoring the lines for the cuts with a razor knife and then snapping it at the lines. Use the hole saw to cut the drain hole in the cement board.
How do I put a shower pan liner on a drain?
Lay your shower pan liner over the area, cutting it with your razor so that it comes up on the sides by about a foot. Cut out the hole for the drain in the middle. Use your liner glue to glue down the border around the drain.
How much slope is needed for a shower?
In a stall shower, the plumbing code requires the floor to be sloped one quarter (1/4) of an inch per foot in order to carry the water effectively to the drain.
Where does the slope of a shower floor come from?
Before we begin, please understand that in a conventional mortar bed shower floor, the slope of the floor comes from the sloped fill or pre-slope which is under the shower pan membrane. The mortar bed on top of the membrane is exactly the same thickness along the walls as it is at the drain.
How wide is a shower curb?
All surfaces in a shower must be sloped toward the drain, so each of the curbs needs to be sloped. Realize that the curb, normally being about 5” wide, only needs to be sloped 1/8” from outside to inside. This easily meets the required ¼” in 12” slope to drain. Edward Onessimo asks,
How high does grout go on a stone?
Depending on the thickness of the pebbles, normally, the grout would extend up about 1/3 of the height of the stone. With mosaic tiles (pebbles would be similar to mosaic tiles which are mounted in a sheet) the grout does help in securing the tile, but it is not intended to be “up and over” the pebbles.
Who is responsible for installing pre slope?
Informing the builder (in writing) of the plumber’s error would do two things. The builder is now responsible to force the plumber to install the pre-slope per the requirement or pay the tile installer to do it. Beyond that, it is the responsibility of the plumbing code enforcement officer to ensure that the pre-slope is part of the shower assembly.
Is a shower a good part of a bathroom?
Showers can be a beautiful part of the bathroom especially when the tile is part of the finished product. The beauty, though, will not be long-lasting if the installation standards and best practices for tile installation are not followed.
Is a shower wet?
Not only that, showers are intensely and inherently wet. As we've mentioned in a previous article, showers are harsh environments that are not very forgiving when the installation has been poorly constructed by misguided "tile placers" (you can't call them installers due to their lack of quality work).

Plumbing Codes vs. Ada Standards
We Abide by The Ada Shower Floor Slope Code
- Many commercial builders come to us interested in showers with a lot of draft towards the drain. More slope, after all, means better drainage, reduced puddling, lower risk of water leaks to floors below, and an easier time keeping the floor outside of the shower free of water without additional sloping and drains on the main bathroom floor. However, ADA bathroom accessibility codes set …
Additional Shower Floor Slope Considerations
- Bathroom Floor Slope: Because a ½” threshold won’t retain a lot of water, an accessible shower designshould slope the outer floor of the bathroom away from shower and towards a separate floor drain...
- An Additional Drain: Regardless of the type of accessible shower you’re installing, it’s generally wise to add an additional drain in the room floor outside the shower, especially in an area of t…
- Bathroom Floor Slope: Because a ½” threshold won’t retain a lot of water, an accessible shower designshould slope the outer floor of the bathroom away from shower and towards a separate floor drain...
- An Additional Drain: Regardless of the type of accessible shower you’re installing, it’s generally wise to add an additional drain in the room floor outside the shower, especially in an area of the...
- Flush Install: A low ½” threshold above the level of the floor will meet ADA floor slope code requirements, but it will provide easier access if it is possible to allow a flush transition from the...