I bought a Kaldewei tray (without fitting frame) and their tech support said that you could fit it directly to the floor by silicon sealing the wall edges and filling the underside void with expanding foam.
The tray is large (1500x900) and not quite as rigid as I was hoping. I can't see how this could be fit reliably without putting it on a bed of sand/cement. There will be too much flex and the waste will move slightly every time the shower is used. I'm told that expanding foam isn't going to add any strength and more than likely just go all over the place and create one great big mess.
Has anyone fitted a steel shower tray like this before? If so, what would you recommend?
Thanks
Steel shower tray
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steve71
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Re: Steel shower tray
I spoke to Kaldewei again yesterday and they don't recommend sand/cement. Didn't say why but I've now got the installation instructions and they detail exactly how much and where to position the expanding foam.
Maybe foam is preferred over sand/cement because of more movement expected with a steel tray over a resin one? Would appreciate comments from anyone who has fitted one of these. Although not convinced I'm siding with the instructions for now, unless someone can tell me otherwise!
Maybe foam is preferred over sand/cement because of more movement expected with a steel tray over a resin one? Would appreciate comments from anyone who has fitted one of these. Although not convinced I'm siding with the instructions for now, unless someone can tell me otherwise!
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wine~o
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Re: Steel shower tray
I'd have said sand and cement... BUUUUTTTT if the MI's say different then follow the MI's. Otherwise you'll invalidate any warranty.Verwood Handyman
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steve71
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Re: Steel shower tray
Thanks Verwood.
I fitted it earlier this evening b4 reading your reply. I changed my mind last minute and went with the MI's in the end, having got myself all prep'd up with the sand and cement route!
What swung it for me was that someone posted online some issues about sand/cement crumbling after many years and not sounding so great underfoot. Once I read that I figured that was probably the reason why it's not recommended for steel trays. I reckon the underside steel surface rubbing against a sand/cement mix might sound a bit crunchy after a while.
Anyway, expanding foam and silicon as per the MI's is what I've done. To get it level I used some glazing packer strips position at various intervals to take out a 5mm slope (over 1.5m) in the sub floor. I wasn't convinced about this but then I came across this post from someone that has done it before...
https://community.screwfix.com/threads/ ... ay.119273/
I am regretting buying a steel tray now as there seems to absolutely no advice at there about how to fit them. Hopefully it will work out.
Anyway, the problem now is getting the waste fitting flush to the underside of the rubber seal. It seems to be gapping on one side but compressing nicely on the other. The side with less compression in the rubber is the waste pipe side... I really wish I tried tightening it all up on a trial run before gluing the tray down!! Oh hum, time for a beer.
I fitted it earlier this evening b4 reading your reply. I changed my mind last minute and went with the MI's in the end, having got myself all prep'd up with the sand and cement route!
What swung it for me was that someone posted online some issues about sand/cement crumbling after many years and not sounding so great underfoot. Once I read that I figured that was probably the reason why it's not recommended for steel trays. I reckon the underside steel surface rubbing against a sand/cement mix might sound a bit crunchy after a while.
Anyway, expanding foam and silicon as per the MI's is what I've done. To get it level I used some glazing packer strips position at various intervals to take out a 5mm slope (over 1.5m) in the sub floor. I wasn't convinced about this but then I came across this post from someone that has done it before...
https://community.screwfix.com/threads/ ... ay.119273/
I am regretting buying a steel tray now as there seems to absolutely no advice at there about how to fit them. Hopefully it will work out.
Anyway, the problem now is getting the waste fitting flush to the underside of the rubber seal. It seems to be gapping on one side but compressing nicely on the other. The side with less compression in the rubber is the waste pipe side... I really wish I tried tightening it all up on a trial run before gluing the tray down!! Oh hum, time for a beer.