Shower surround

Freedee · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 143

I would like to make a shower surround with rounded corners. I would like to finish it with real lime tadlek finish. Now I have the walls covered with durarock. The floor has a concrete foundation with the plumbing already installed in it. It needs a mud pan and something on the walls for the tadlek to go on.

I have a concrete installer that can help me with the mud, but I want to find out the right way of doing this. Of course, I can't find anyone who has done this before. After I figure this out, I have a felling, everyone will want this.

Just to let you know my skill level, I've done polished plaster walls. I took the Kolcatico course (1 week) at Sepp in NYC. I've done Skimstone floors, didn't take the course. I've never worked with real lime products but, I'm not scared. I just need info. I'll figure the rest out. Unlike just applying a product to walls, if I do this wrong, I'll have to break up concrete, eek!

Elena · Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:22 pm Post subject:

by a mud pan are you referring to the plastic that goes from the floor up to 2ft on the wall?...I think you apply a layer of rough stucco on top of that, then a layer of smooth stucco, then your taddelak...

Tommyrock??

Elena

Freedee · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 143

This is what I mean by a "mud pan".
http://www.johnbridge.com/shower_curbs.htm

Freedee · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 143

There's also a recipe for "fat mud", that's meant to go on walls.

My problem is that what they describe, it designed to go under tile. If I use real lime, that's supposed to "breathe", should I use the waterproofing layer?

I would so love to hear from someone who has done this. If I do this and it fails IE: gets mold underneath, starts cracking, or who knows what, it's going to be a major demolition project!

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:44 am Post subject:

Well I can't help you with the tadelakt part except in the form of an educated guess. Which is - yes, once you add the waterproof membrane, that's as far back as the "breathability" is going to go, but I don't see what choice you have - you can't let moisture get all the way back to the greenshield or the concrete aqua board or whatever you are using there. I bet Nina from Dimensions can tell you, or Minerva Finishes, or maybe our own Linda, - Bellamuro.

I can tell you what I did in a concrete shower surround though, maybe some of it will be useful...

1. From the studs up - insulation, vapour barrier, special red tape, I forget what it's called on vapour barrier seams.

2. I prepped the concrete aqua boards as per concrete overlay procedure, trowelled on three layers of concrete, acid stained, installed, sealed a billion times, painted on the art work, sealed again with solvent based top sealer twice.

One and a half years later - still perfect. Most of you have seen this already.

I agree, once you figure it out, everyone will want to know! PLEASE, post pics and a HOW TO once you get in finished. We would LOVE THAT!

Seabock · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:48 am Post subject:

Oh Johnny Utah...where are you????

Elena · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:43 pm Post subject:

Freedee that link is very good! and yes, we're talking about the same thing. That pan is made out of a plastic liner specifically made for that (out of PVC), and what I understand (by the Florida Building Code) is that it goes up to 24 inches, not 4 inches, up the 4 sides of the wall to make a good mechanical seal on those areas that take the most water, you can nail it or staple it to the wall only at the top edge (not on the lower portion), then -as the pic in the link shows, you place the lath (not stapled like on exterior walls, just placed), then it is better to apply 2 thin layers of stucco letting the bottom one dry for 72 hours at least, before applying the smooth stucco, this stucco is just a mortar mix, like mentioned in the link, but it's better for your taddelak to have a smooth and even surface, therefore I would do a rough, then a smooth layer. The sealer you want to apply, I would think it would go between the taddelak and the stucco, I would think the moisture should be stopped from going into the stucco. I know taddelak wont take any mold and mildew, but isn't it sealed with soap??, what I've read on taddelak websites it says to burned with soap when used inside showers, which makes it totally impermeable, therefore no moisture goes in or out... I don't know much more about this.... Johnny????? where are you friend????

Elena

covergirlfaux · Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 4240 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Johnny Utah knows ALL about this. You should PM him with your specific questions. And be sure to post photos of what you do...I'm dying to see it!

Elena · Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject:

I PM'ed

him

Freedee · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 143

Thanks, Elena.

I can't figure out how to post photos. I have to go to Florida in the morning and I'll be back on Friday. I'll try to check the forum from there, but I'm not sure if I can. So I apologize in advance, if you post a question, and I don't respond. I will respond, first thing on Friday.

Thanks for your help.

Dream · Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 1377 Location: baltimore

jose from chicagocrete does many showers w his concrete overlay. hes a genious and very giving w his secrets. google chicagocrete.

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 11:11 pm Post subject:

I just took your advice and checked out chicagocrete's site and he has the exact same picture on his site as Keren posted here. Did you guys do this project together?

Very nice looking stuff!

Here's Keren's pic:

http://www.fauxforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=1419&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=50

and here's Chicagocrete..
http://www.chicagocrete.com/countertops.htm

duuuhhh, I'm a little slow. I just reread the counter top thread and that's exactly what you said Keren. Chicago Crete.

....

never mind!

Dream · Joined: 27 Aug 2007 Posts: 1377 Location: baltimore

keren teaches chicagocrete. Very Happy

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:54 am Post subject:

yah...i'm a boob...nothing new here folks

Keren · Posted: Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:28 am Post subject:

Kathy
Two boobs are better than one! live large and be a boob!
I rarely read every thing in a sentence!

sass · Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 2613

Keren you crack me up ....you boob

Alli · Joined: 12 May 2006 Posts: 1340 Location: CT

LOL Keren!
Kathy, you're adorable!

Eli Lucero · Joined: 21 Apr 2007 Posts: 1327 Location: Salado Texas

I was on the other threads and I thought I heard some chatter about there being some BOOBS over here, possibly a few?????? Just checking Wink

Keren · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:20 am Post subject:

Eli, interesting on your inate abilitiy to "pick-up" over the waves the discussion of the "boob".....I think I'll make a pair of concrete ones just for you!

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:46 am Post subject:

i still crack up when I think about what Holly said about talking to her husband.

She has to say something like
I'm putting the keys over here NEXT TO THE BIG BOOBS so he'll hear her.

That's so funny Holly.

Freedee · Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 143

Here's an update:

Chicagocrete has insulation in it. I have radiant heat tubes in the wall behind the durarock and in the floor. I have insulation behind the heat tubes. I don't want them on top of the heat tubes. So that won't work.

I tried to communicate with Perfectino/dreams creator. It's been difficult. I wrote about it on the tadleck thread on the plaster subject area.

I think I'm ready to get someone who has done this before to come and do it, and I'll stick to painting. Does anyone know someone who has experience with this who will come to central NJ?

The Plasterers Arms · Joined: 22 Dec 2007 Posts: 336 Location: Vancouver BC

Im really interested in the application you decided on here,Im in the middle of putting a tadelakt shower system together myself...and i believe your are correct that once done ...will be a big hit.

At the moment im working with stucco italiano's tadelakt product,and have come to the conclusion that there's not that much difference between say a travertine tile and tadelakt ...barring the main fact that tadelakt will be a seamless application.

Im actually leaving the house right now to go and look at my third guinee pig steam shower install.

Kathy has seen my Tadelakt on sand cement sample...and i have abused the hell out of it for the last 3+ weeks now with 0 problems.

I figure myself it is very doable ...time will tell

off to sell:P

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 11:45 pm Post subject:

Yep, I've seen that baby and even though it's been sitting out in the Vancouver weather for what Steve? 6 weeks? It's still gorgeeoso!

Post a pic of it here Steve, and also that gorgeous lime you did in the wine cellar.

Aaron · Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 49 Location: Seattle

Link to another discussion on shower installs and some more technical info on our Stucco Italiano Tadelakt material on our blog:

http://venetianplaster.typepad.com/stuccoitaliano/

KathyFakesIt · Posted: Mon Jan 21, 2008 12:22 pm Post subject:

Thanks Aaron and Steve. Please keep us updated with the Tadelakt installs.

Hey, if you guys wanted to announce any upcoming product info sessions, this would be a great place to do it!