You should change the settings for patreon to accept a set amount of money per month, I support a few other chanels and they have it setup so we can donate the same amount per month. $1, $5, $10 whatever. Just a thought and suggestion. And as always.....awesome work!
Sal DiBlasi I'll be right over there....the least I can do for all you've done for my education and all you've done for others. I just have one question.....with all you do with installations, bids, book work, videos, and so on....when do you sleep???
I just want to encourage everybody to support you on Patreon. $5 or $10 per month is not much. You’re videos are very helpful. I just enjoy watching. Thank you!
Your subscriber number speaks for itself, but this is a very very useful video for the DIY inclined. A true old school pro. I've watched literally hundreds of videos lately on these subjects and this is straight forward, no BS knowledge. Thank you.
Sal you really are the pinnacle of skill. I did a million old school jobs but I always dint the 30pound paper and creased the corners etc. I never had a failure..but the fact is that it's extremely tedious. Schlüter always amazes me at the ease of the use and the flexibility of all the Schluter products to integrate in ways your imagination can be limitless. I don't mind plastering the boards with thinset and screed it perfectly flat and plumb.
It is 2018, why continue to use a system that was created decades ago, the new modern systems are much better in every way. Like me it looks like you are keeping up with new methods and materials. Keep up, or be left behind.
Sal DiBlasi yea but Sal you know people get this 5 dollars a square foot shit in thier brain and you can't dislodge it. Schluter for my barroom. 650 bucked cement liner permabase 200 bucks. And that's with using a mud pan and only the Schlüter drain. But that's mostly because I don't do electric heat. I am doing the bekoTeck because I have a plumbing background. This way I get the floor of the shower etc. and other locations in the bathroom. Have a great 2018 Sal. I just had a guy who had subway tile direct on drywall.who had the nitches done 2 times by the original guy wanted me just to set the nitches. When I told home he had to tear it out he wouldn't give me 5 minutes to explain. Yea it's 2018 but people control the work with thier purse strings. By the way millennia ago. These showers are thousands of year old. Remember in Latin plumbo isn ead. I've actually done lead shower pans. When I was little with my dad. Wow how time flies
All that being said, I haven't done a traditional shower in a few years, and I am working every day. Education is the key, and when it is all said and done a schluter shower or any other modern system is really not that much more money. I have had plenty of people that only look at the bottom line as the driving factor, those people will never be convinced to use a better system, they however will easily be convinced by a hack because they are told what they want to hear. Lines like "I have done it this way for 20 years" and "I have never had a problem" or " Trust me I know what I am doing" If you don't care about the facts and want to get it done as cheap as possible, then I am not the installer for you. If you want to do it right, use modern materials have peace of mind and pay a fair price, then People like me are ready to help you get a trouble free long lasting installation you will love.
I really like your videos. It gives me ideas. I DO like that you commentate on the videos because it helps. Maybe not on all of them but maybe on the ones like this one where you plum, I think thats how its spelled, and the reason why you had to.
Could you use construction adhesive or special adhesive on studs or furring strips to make the walls even instead of wet thin set. Can one apply the construction adhesive evenly multiple lines straight or zig zag along the furring strip or 2x4 ,than apply the board to the wall to make it even.
I would be happy to throw some money your way Mr. Sal!!...Your videos are the best! I'm a fireman by trade and a tile setter on my off days and I've learned more from your videos then from anywhere else. Thank you so much for doing them. Sincerely, Josh in KS
People often complain about the price, however you save time in labor which can sometimes offset the additional costs. Better system for the homeowner, tile same day for contractor
What about squareness or if the two side walls measure longer say at the top vs at the bottom? Squareness might not be visible once tile is on but if say the measurement from the top left wall to the top right wall was 3/4” longer than the same measurement at the bottom of the side walls wouldn’t you see if when tile went up on the long wall?
Hi Sal im doing a facelift on a outdated washroom thats 4x4 tiles . Im installing new 4x12 white wall tiles with black grout ....the ceiling on these type of washroom renos is never level ....keep in mind theres no budget to replace ceiling so new tile work has to work with whats exsisting...i use my lazer level to asyablish a level line around room .i measure up to corners midle wall to ceilings....i then take the highest point and guadge down to my starter ledge board...when i install last coarse tile any ceiling thats lower i will cut away from full tile never more that 1\2 inch i always use 1/8 th bed joint and cross joint.....i was sent on a job that was in progress this guy was tring to get a full tile all the way around top coarse buy adding more spacers to 1/8 th joint or going to a 1/16 joint to try and get full tile on last coarse he even used a jack to lift ceiling to squezz a full tile in last coarse then take jack out now that tiles load bearing please tell me how you treat this type of situation when the ceiling can not be removed thanks
The contractor who built my home in 2003 used all of the garbage 2x4s in the bathrooms. The tile setters floated everything so it didn't matter. It mattered to me because I had to replace them all.
BS I used to build homes professionally we didn't hand pick so-called "Garbage" 2 x 4s just for bathrooms or any other room. Lumber was pulled from the stack as needed it's luck of the draw on how the lumber dries while in the wall some twist, some bow, and some stay straight. Every single remodeling job is going to need some stud straightening it's the way it is.
What I have noticed in shower pans that fail is the pan absorbs the water and produces molds, algae, fungus, etc. & block the tiny weep holes if they havnt been blocked in the installation process and to be honest if water makes it that far the pan has failed already so the faster you can notice water damage the quicker you can begin the repair process before its causes more damage.
wow things have changed since my younger years looking to do tile in my contracting I was an apprentice in the late 70's and 80's we mud set everything old school now I guess. I ended up going carpenter now a finish carpenter going kitchens and baths want to do tile again. I'm drawn to Schluter Kerdi system, some of my clients don't like metal corners. So can you use there waterproofing and drain system with out the metal trim on niches and drains?
Lol, I actually had a customer say that to me last week....well the tile and grout are waterproof so what's the big deal!!!! It took me to long to change the way he thought!
Excellent video as always. Just a few comments, for those who do the traditional pans. Preslopes are definitely necessary. I know the builders skip it and most remodelers are clueless to how these types of showers work. Sal is right. DON'T SKIP THE PRESLOPE. Water will not drain to the weep holes without gravity. It's common sense. Next, the weep holes. The upper drain assembly MUST be raised 1 1/2" to 2" above the pan liner so pea gravel can be placed over the weep holes with a minimum of 3/4" of dry pack above the pea gravel. If you dry pack the weep holes, you have ruined the pan before it's done being built. Third, the threshold must be wrapped with wire lath and shaped with mortar with ZERO penetrations in the top or the inside vertical plane of of the threshold. When you penetrate the liner by wrapping the threshold with Tile backing boards, it's over. That's how it's supposed to be done if you build a traditional shower pan. Don't hire your painter or his cousin that needs some extra work to do these showers for you. These jobs are for the pros. It WILL cost you 2 to 3 times as much money later when it fails and damages your home. If agree with Sal, the new systems are superior in limiting the water penetration. I've been doing showers since 1988 and I was taught old school, but now I only do what I call single pour showers with the tile being bonded directly to the water barrier.
Indeed, thanks. I'll be doing my first custom shower with my friend on his old house and all this information is invaluable. Thanks to you too Sal for putting so much quality info that helps us tiling newbs stay on the straight and narrow.
Hi Sal, I am tiling a 10ft bathroom wall with large 12x24 tiles, 4 ft of it is shower. Of course the wall is lacking plumpness. I didn’t pick this up until later in my process. Is it ok to bring the walls a little more plumb by building areas up with a ultralite mortar, I am using the Mapei brand. I really enjoy your videos, you have been a big help. I did some new construction tiling before, which was a little easier getting things plumb. This is my first Reno project. Thanks
Mr. DiBlasi, sir: I just saw your demonstration of wet shimming and another video (not yours) of a floating wall to level prior to tiling. I know I'm not going to float my wall. However, what wall materials can you use to wet shim? You've said in other questions you can't wet shim cement boards due to weight. I've bought a Schluter shower pan kit that comes with the membrane, not any wall boards. If I apply regular dry wall or even the green moisture and mold resistant boards (for extra protection and paranoia), could you wet shim that? If so, still using modified quick dry thin set? This is my first reno project, and I've already leveled the floors that had rotting joists from previous owner had install of toilet that didn't seal. The alternatives of abutting studs, using regular shims is easy and logical enough to apply. Loved your video on filling in a bow using an extra sheet of kerdi membrane, by the way! Just ran into your channel last night and it's "the bees knees". Love Boston, #OurFairCity !
Do you vary the amount of thinset depending on the unevenness? What if the side walls you had to shim out. It wouldn't be flush with the surrounding drywall
Why did you wet shim all of the 2x4 studs, if perhaps only one stud was out of plum? I have a similar situation where one stud is out of plum (left to right and diagonally) and not flush with the other wall studs.. I would think that only the stud which is out of plum would need the wet shim? Looking forward to your answer.
@@SalDiBlasi perfect.. thanks and one more question/comment.. in your case you were using a Schluter shower pan, in my case, I am using a fiberglass pan with a lip on three sides, like a tub lip. Won’t wet shimming cause the Kerdi to potentially extend beyond the lip of the pan or is that a good thing. Hope that makes sense
Mr. DiBlasi, I was wondering if you know how water is supposed to escape in say an acrylic shower base with tiled walls? With the traditional preslope, vinyl, etc water will escape through weep holes. But I have not seen anyone address how it is supposed to escape in a shower base that is caulked with silcone. Will water just build up over the years and eventually cause problems?
Hello Sal thank you for the great information. Just a question about the thin set for wet shimming, does that thin set have to be unmodified as well? Also, do you have to start all screws on wet shimmed studs or can the kerdi board screws handle going through the dried thin set? Thanks again, hope to use this method on my shower in a couple days.
I use a modified LFT thinset that is a rapid set, that way you can put the screws in after a couple of hours. In any case the Schluter screws will work fine.
Do I need a Kerdi board with a 9 ft ceiling? Can I use regular 5/8 drywall? Thanks for your professional knowledge. Can a pre-slope on a concrete floor be 1/8"/ft or does it have to be 1/4"/ft absolutely? This is when you are using a vinyl liner like Chloraloy 240 CPE where you must have a pre-slope. Do you know of a knowledgeable tiler like you in Western MI near Holland?
If it is not a steam shower, you can use drywall above the shower head, and the industry standard is 1/4" per foot, what you do is up to you. Go here to find an installer. tile-assn.site-ym.com/default.asp?
I have found that the floor joists are not level and two joists are lower than the rest. Can I use the LFT Thinset to place on floor joists? I have a large sheet of 18mm thick plywood that is new, this will be my sub straight. I think I will use schluter on the floor to make floor area waterproof.
Sal, I have never seen wet shimming done before, this video is fantastic! I like that you talk about in other videos how important prep like this is in conjunction with the leveling system and how those systems won't fix these problems. What a pex manifold for one shower! 3 questions, what is the unit overhead? What were the wires you pulled through the board on the right? And lastly, where is the ventilation fan for this Niagara falls?
Fancy shower indeed. I guess if you're a plumber it's mostly labor, the parts and fittings are all rather cheap. We should all splooge on our own homes!
Hi Sal, did you wait for wet shim thin set to dry before you screwing down the board to studs, or you did you apply the screws right after you leveled the boards? Many thanks!
Handy tip for KerdiBoard, but I assume that after you tap everything to be plumb/level/flat you wait for the kerdiFix (thinset) to set before adding the panel screws? Maybe you explained that somewhere but I didn't hear it..
I will pretty much always waterproof to the ceiling, but in reality you only need to go up to the shower head. But then again, not that much more to go the rest of the way.
@@SalDiBlasi ok thanks. I just don’t want to waste any kerdi board it’s expensive! Is drywall ok up there or do I need cement board? It doesn’t seem plumb so I might have to replace it.
I have done a lot of showers with foam board, Wedi actually, and always hated the shimming. It takes so much time and I have contemplated doing some kind of wet shimming but haven't come up with a good gap filling material. You use LFT thinset, but I would be concerned that over time, even with minor movement of the framing, the thinset crumbles and you end up with a gap between the studs and foam boards. I don't want to have my customers complain about cracking tiles due to a construction defect. How about other gap filling material, such as Construction Sikaflex (too flexible?) or Bondo (too fast setting?). Appreciate your thoughts.
Sal, I noticed you didnt put thinset on the top or bottom plate or the blocking. Is there a reason not to do that? Also, there looked like very little stud to screw into on the first stud on the right side, and the kerdi washers are big. Do they just bend into the corner in that situation where there isnt much stud showing for the washer to lay flat? Thanks Thanks!
No need to do the top and bottom plates, studs need to be 16" on center, there was plenty of room for screw and washer in the corners, however the washer will not bend, but needs to make a dimple in the Kerdi board when it is screwed in.
Hi Sal, I will be wet shimming my studs and using 1/2" kerdi board as my substrate. I have a preslope, a liner, and a noble curb overlay installed. I was going to be building a completely traditional system until I saw that my studs were aligned so poorly and you taught me that kerdi board can be wet shimmed to help with that problem. Since I already have a liner down and a curb overlay fixed in place and leveled perfectly, I would rather not tear that out. Should I just set my final mortar bed and treat this shower as a water in/water out system or should I get the kerdi drain adapter and apply kerdi membrane to the floor? Either way all seams and corners will get kerdi band. Would the kerdi drain adapter work on a pre-sloped liner or does it need to go on a flat surface (the lower piece of the adapter)? And since the system would be sealed at the surface by using the drain adapter and pan membrane, the final mortar bed should never see water. But, you always hear about the dangers of using two barriers and creating a mortar sandwich. If you were too stubborn to remove the curb for some reason, which would be your next course of action... the water in/water out style pan, or the kerdi membrane and drain adapter while leaving the lower liner in place? I believe the kerdi drain adapter eliminates the weep hole style lower drain piece-so even in a backup the mortar bed should not see water. Sorry for the novel of a question. Thank you for all of your great videos!
I would use the adaptor and do a full kerdi system. No need to tear out the curb overlay, just put kerdi Membrane over it and seal it all with Kerdi band. You will probably have to do some work with the mud pan to adjust for the Bonding flange adaptor.
@@SalDiBlasi Thank you Sal. If you dont mind I have a follow up question... will I be leaving the current liner in place and attaching the adapter to that liner with kerdi fix? And then adding a second bed of 5/8" to mount the bonding flange to? Or are you recommending that I cut out the entire liner (except for the part embedded in mortar over the curb) and using kerdifix between the base of the clamping drain and the bottom of the kerdi adapter? All of the how to videos on using the drain adapter have started with a bare subfloor surface. Since I have a preslope in already I could use some guidance on what to do with the liner. If I tear it out, I imagine that the 2nd bed will need to be bonded to the preslope with a layer of thinset. I understand that the kerdi system is only designed to require a single sloped mortar bed. Since I'm past that point and am starting with a preslope, this seems like a place that I could make a major mistake if I dont double check with you.
@@jvangelista I would remove the liner entirely, and I would consider removing the preslope and cutting out the three piece drain and starting over with a regular Schluter drain. It is early enough in the project to start that part over. If you want to proceed with the adaptor, remove the liner, install the adaptor, bond the new bed to the existing one and move forward from there. The base of the shower is the most important part of the whole shower project. Get the walls flat and plumb, get the shower floor right and everything else will proceed much more smoothly.
@@SalDiBlasi Thank you for your time and expertise. I'll spend some time deciding which route to go with this. But in the meantime, Im going to head over to Patreon and donate to your channel. Without people like you, people like me could get themselves into a lot of trouble! Take care!
Since I am not a glass guy, I don't do the glass inclosure, however depending on the size and scope of the project, there will usually be wall mounted brackets and hinges, or hinges from glass panel to glass panel, but never a pivot in the curb. Holes are sealed with silicone to keep them water tight.
Hey sal love the videos I am remodel my bathroom was checking the walls for plumb all good except a tiny Gap in between stubs about a 1/16 I feel it's too small to worries but then again I'm not a professional any advice would be great.
@@SalDiBlasi Thanks so much for the quick reply very much appreciated. No problem on the extra work was gonna just marry some 2x4 to level it if I needed to.
The value of being able to wet shim comes at a huge cost with Schluter products. That stuff along with their proprietary add ons seems to be at least 4x the cost of a cementatious system -- that old system doesn't collect water in the gaps. Old fashioned way is best. Video should be labelled as an ad for Schluter.
Figure out the actual cost of labor and materials doing it with cement board and applying a waterproof membrane and everything else that goes along with a vinyl liner including the required preslope, and you will find out that the difference is not what you think it is. The old fashioned ways are not as good as you think they are.
Is plum directly in the middle of the level? Or do you allow some sway? Say the the bubble is just touching the edge of a line would that be acceptable? Asking for a floor job I'm doing.
@@SalDiBlasi very important distinction you made on the floor, flat versus level. Regarding his question about the bubble on the level kissing the inside of the center markings, let's assume it was for a wall. Is that slight variance okay, or should we shim it?
Sal, you are the best! Thanks! Question: Any advantage to putting shower walls up BEFORE the mud base? I would think doing the shower base first then the shower walls would be ever so slightly better.
I Hear that a lot, the way the fleece of the membrane is bonded together by the thinset makes it entirely waterproof, They have tested it extensively under extreme conditions and I also flood tested every shower. Rest assured, it is completely waterproof.
Sal I'm tiling a bathroom wall with 3x6 subway tile about 4' off the floor can I just go over the sheet rock. This is not a wet area. Any advice would be great help
Nice video Sal! Thanks for mentioning the preslope. I could not believe that when I saw it. I think as long as you install correctly either method is fine. As long as it's not small tiles on the floor (penny rounds, etc) for the schluter system and you are comfortable/confident about using it, do whichever works best for you. I prefer mud bed option, because of the multiple ways to drain water when installed correctly. You aren't trying to have it penetrate though the tile and grout, but even if it did, you'd be fine as long as there weren't any major mistakes or flaws. Got any tips for cutting the more complex schluter profiles such as the stair nose? I like using a chop saw with the appropriate blade, but I thought you'd know the best way!
As a new guy I made the mistake of installing the durarock and waterproofing before I ck'd how straight the walls are. They are out a little and I was thinking of floating in some thinset to make up for the difference. Would that work?
I have the same issue but with a GoBoard shower. I plan to use thinset and some Schluter membrane to "plumb" the wall better before tiling. The initial issue seemingly happened because a nearby wall 90 degrees to this wall has a pocket door. The focus was all on getting the pocket door plumb and square when framed, and the wall for the shower was neglected a bit. This makes this side shower wall about 1/2" out of plumb from bottom to top. I plan to gently skim out (shingle, if necessary) the wall from top to bottom to make it easier to install a shower door properly squared. Will this work??
Question: I am doing this on my rough in valve wall, I have +\- 1/4in for the rough in valve from the face of the wall. Any recommendations on how much wet shimming tends to add to wall thickness? Thanks for the great video.
Hi Sal....I have a 1965 home, removed the tile and lath to the studs, but the studs are not flush as you explained would probably be the case. Some are sunk back about 1/8" and some are ever so slightly twisted and stick out. I would love to use the schluter system and do wet shimming rather than sister up 2 x 4's or furring strips. I also would rather NOT build a pre-slope and a mortar bed, however, Schluter pan system doesnt appear to be available in 36 x 36 inch. WHY? Am I just not finding it? I only have 36 x 36 area {or less, I guess....but who wants to REDUCE the size of a shower} Not able to expand in any direction. Any suggestions on how else to proceed? Any other company like Schluter you could recommend? Can I use Kerdi board after building a mortar bed if that is my only option? You are the best educator on the internet!! I totally feel confident when I watch your videos!! You answer all the questions in my head!! Thank you soooooo much!!
There are a few options, you can extend a smaller pan with mud or you can cut down a larger pan to fit, the drain location of the pan has to work for your shower. This is why I always do mud for my showers, it will fit any size and shape and drain location. Here is a video that shows how to do the mud ua-cam.com/video/XqUlGhK9Kys/v-deo.html and one to install the Membrane to make it all waterproof, ua-cam.com/video/Z2p5ZBJHp0k/v-deo.html
Can you wet shim cement board with the same strategy you mentione for the Kerdiboard as long as you wait to finish the screw until the wet shim is dry?
@@SalDiBlasi So I have a bathtub and tile I am redoing in my basement. The alcove for the tub/tile is cement block. It is not very smooth/level. There is what I think thinset from previous tile that was removed and lots of holes in the wall. Would you recommended furring strips and cement or foam board or floating the wall out for a beginner? I'm thinking the furring strips and one of the boards will be better, but it will take some work to get the furring strips level.
Most times the studs are not all in plane and the voids need to be filled in so the sheet sits flat. Usually it won't be all the studs, but just one or two.
hi sal , may I ask you another question related to one I asked you recently . if you have a square tile on 4 walls of a room and same tile going on floor and if you not going to match up floor and wall joints what is best thing to do ? I was thinking doing floor diagonally but its a very small floor and tiles are 2 foot square
They are much more expensive than mud and are never the right size or have the correct drain location, the sub floors are never level. Mud fixes all that in one go.
What is supporting the weight of the tile and thinset on the kerdi board. Is it Kerdi resting on the floor or it is hanging off the studs? When do you choose to replace fix studs?
When you install the Kerdi-board, it may or may not rest on the floor, but when you install the mud, you put it up against the Kerdi-Board, when you install the tile and caulk, it is then supported by the floor, but glued to the board. I don't understand what the issue might be that you are concerned about. Is it not the same for any kind of board? Stud gets replaced or repaired if needed.
My installer didn't replace studs instead left shims underneath molded studs. He says that studs don't carry all the weight and what he did is acceptable. I think making sure that studs are fixed are essential to a successful installation. What is your opinion?
Hey Sal, Great video. When you have the same situation with a back wall having studs all over the place, can you wet shim cement board? If not how would you approach that with a cement board installation? Thank you
@@SalDiBlasi by red guard or any similar product in this scenario, would the water make it to the weep joles still? On top of that what are your thoughts on redi tile pans that use epoxy for the tile?
In some of your older videos I have seen you use some thin material that you stapled up to studs for the shimming.. I was just curious what it is and were to get something like that
I have watched quite a few of your videos and see you using many different methods and products from different manufacturers. Why not just stick with one method or was it you posting videos until you found the method you like best? I haven't priced Kerdi but I know Wedi board is quite expensive. I would rather charge the same and put the money in my pocket as labor.
Hi Sal - have you ever used wet shimming with Laticrete Hydro Ban Board? I just had an online chat with their tech support about it and he never heard of wet shimming! He asked me what I was talking about! When I explained it to him he said no, don't do that. I wish I had gone with the Schluter system instead!
Okay, so I did some asking around, and wet shimming is allowed by laticrete. I asked my rep and some other Laticrete people I know. They said it is perfectly acceptable, to do, but you won't get it in writing.
@@SalDiBlasi Great to hear! Thanks so much for asking around. It looks like I'll have extra Laticrete 254R Platinum Rapid thinset for my project. Okay to use that for the Hydro Ban Board shimming?
@@dcmander The board is too heavy and it is not recommended by the manufacturer. The light weight foam lens itself to this type of shimming, the weight of the cement board would smoosh the thinset to easily canceling any usefulness. And why would you use cement board when there are so many more better more modern products and systems.
@@dcmander If cost is a concern, then cement board works, but you can still get that modern system by using the bonding flange and put Schluter Kerdi membrane over it. Soe everything's the same as the bord install except you use the membrane over the cement board instead of foam board.
Sal, Wet shimming seems like a good idea to me. But I am about to install a Wedi pan and walls. I was reading their FAQ's on the wall panels. With no exceptions should wet shimming- using thinset or any other material- be used to plumb/flatten walls. I know you said Schulter does.
What about RedGard on the wallboard? The foam boards are lighter but they are very very expensive. Also you have to use their products exclusively to get a guarantee.
Hi Sal I'm doing old outdated washroom with a new white 4x12 subway tile with black grout ...I am going over exsisting 4x4 tiles .the ceilings are not level .... I usally set my lazer level around the room I take measurements in all corners middle of wall ...then take the highest point in the room and guadge down to my starter ledge board ....when I lay in my last coarse .I would trim tiles to fit to underside of low ceiling ....I'm was sent on job already in progress the guy was adding and subtracting spacers to try and get a full tile at top I found this time consuming and a lot of times I had to lift up ceiling with a 2x4 so he could get a tile to underside of ceiling ...this tile is now load bearing....could you give me your view on this matter ....keep in mind we can not alter any ceilings not in the budget
You should change the settings for patreon to accept a set amount of money per month, I support a few other chanels and they have it setup so we can donate the same amount per month. $1, $5, $10 whatever. Just a thought and suggestion. And as always.....awesome work!
I Just changed it, Thanks for the tip.
Sal DiBlasi I'll be right over there....the least I can do for all you've done for my education and all you've done for others. I just have one question.....with all you do with installations, bids, book work, videos, and so on....when do you sleep???
Sleep, sounds like something I might enjoy. 😊
460 S&W 👍
I just want to encourage everybody to support you on Patreon. $5 or $10 per month is not much. You’re videos are very helpful. I just enjoy watching. Thank you!
Thanks, it does take a lot of effort and time to make them.
Your subscriber number speaks for itself, but this is a very very useful video for the DIY inclined. A true old school pro. I've watched literally hundreds of videos lately on these subjects and this is straight forward, no BS knowledge. Thank you.
Thanks for watching my video.
Nice tips! I used an electric planer to flatten a couple of bowed studs in some old framing.
Cool technique, you made it look simple and straightforward
Sal you really are the pinnacle of skill. I did a million old school jobs but I always dint the 30pound paper and creased the corners etc. I never had a failure..but the fact is that it's extremely tedious. Schlüter always amazes me at the ease of the use and the flexibility of all the Schluter products to integrate in ways your imagination can be limitless. I don't mind plastering the boards with thinset and screed it perfectly flat and plumb.
It is 2018, why continue to use a system that was created decades ago, the new modern systems are much better in every way. Like me it looks like you are keeping up with new methods and materials. Keep up, or be left behind.
Sal DiBlasi yea but Sal you know people get this 5 dollars a square foot shit in thier brain and you can't dislodge it. Schluter for my barroom. 650 bucked cement liner permabase 200 bucks. And that's with using a mud pan and only the Schlüter drain. But that's mostly because I don't do electric heat. I am doing the bekoTeck because I have a plumbing background. This way I get the floor of the shower etc. and other locations in the bathroom. Have a great 2018 Sal. I just had a guy who had subway tile direct on drywall.who had the nitches done 2 times by the original guy wanted me just to set the nitches. When I told home he had to tear it out he wouldn't give me 5 minutes to explain. Yea it's 2018 but people control the work with thier purse strings. By the way millennia ago. These showers are thousands of year old. Remember in Latin plumbo isn ead. I've actually done lead shower pans. When I was little with my dad. Wow how time flies
All that being said, I haven't done a traditional shower in a few years, and I am working every day. Education is the key, and when it is all said and done a schluter shower or any other modern system is really not that much more money. I have had plenty of people that only look at the bottom line as the driving factor, those people will never be convinced to use a better system, they however will easily be convinced by a hack because they are told what they want to hear. Lines like "I have done it this way for 20 years" and "I have never had a problem" or " Trust me I know what I am doing" If you don't care about the facts and want to get it done as cheap as possible, then I am not the installer for you. If you want to do it right, use modern materials have peace of mind and pay a fair price, then People like me are ready to help you get a trouble free long lasting installation you will love.
I really like your videos. It gives me ideas. I DO like that you commentate on the videos because it helps. Maybe not on all of them but maybe on the ones like this one where you plum, I think thats how its spelled, and the reason why you had to.
God Bless you Sal. You have probably have an abundance of work. 👍
😊👍
Could you use construction adhesive or special adhesive on studs or furring strips to make the walls even instead of wet thin set. Can one apply the construction adhesive evenly multiple lines straight or zig zag along the furring strip or 2x4 ,than apply the board to the wall to make it even.
So sick! Thank you, Sal! Really appreciate this video.
My pleasure!
I would be happy to throw some money your way Mr. Sal!!...Your videos are the best! I'm a fireman by trade and a tile setter on my off days and I've learned more from your videos then from anywhere else. Thank you so much for doing them.
Sincerely,
Josh in KS
Thanks, I enjoy doing them, and helping where I can.
People often complain about the price, however you save time in labor which can sometimes offset the additional costs. Better system for the homeowner, tile same day for contractor
Although cost is very important, it should not be the driving factor. save money now and pay more later is often the outcome.
What about squareness or if the two side walls measure longer say at the top vs at the bottom? Squareness might not be visible once tile is on but if say the measurement from the top left wall to the top right wall was 3/4” longer than the same measurement at the bottom of the side walls wouldn’t you see if when tile went up on the long wall?
Thanks for making and sharing these videos with us Sal! Your videos are always so informative and well done.
Thanks so much for the link for this video. I am sold on the kerdi board now.
Sal DiBlasi you are a true gentleman
Great information Sal!👍🏻 Thanks and take care my friend, -Paul
Hi Sal im doing a facelift on a outdated washroom thats 4x4 tiles . Im installing new 4x12 white wall tiles with black grout ....the ceiling on these type of washroom renos is never level ....keep in mind theres no budget to replace ceiling so new tile work has to work with whats exsisting...i use my lazer level to asyablish a level line around room .i measure up to corners midle wall to ceilings....i then take the highest point and guadge down to my starter ledge board...when i install last coarse tile any ceiling thats lower i will cut away from full tile never more that 1\2 inch i always use 1/8 th bed joint and cross joint.....i was sent on a job that was in progress this guy was tring to get a full tile all the way around top coarse buy adding more spacers to 1/8 th joint or going to a 1/16 joint to try and get full tile on last coarse he even used a jack to lift ceiling to squezz a full tile in last coarse then take jack out now that tiles load bearing please tell me how you treat this type of situation when the ceiling can not be removed thanks
I find your videos very helpful.
😊
The contractor who built my home in 2003 used all of the garbage 2x4s in the bathrooms. The tile setters floated everything so it didn't matter. It mattered to me because I had to replace them all.
BS I used to build homes professionally we didn't hand pick so-called "Garbage" 2 x 4s just for bathrooms or any other room. Lumber was pulled from the stack as needed it's luck of the draw on how the lumber dries while in the wall
some twist, some bow, and some stay straight. Every single remodeling job is going to need some stud straightening it's the way it is.
Great video, Sal, a lot of rambling on the first half but still a great video
What I have noticed in shower pans that fail is the pan absorbs the water and produces molds, algae, fungus, etc. & block the tiny weep holes if they havnt been blocked in the installation process and to be honest if water makes it that far the pan has failed already so the faster you can notice water damage the quicker you can begin the repair process before its causes more damage.
Your awesome Sal! I’m a contractor In Northern California and your content keeps me interestes. thank you
Awesome! Thank you!
wow things have changed since my younger years looking to do tile in my contracting I was an apprentice in the late 70's and 80's we mud set everything old school now I guess. I ended up going carpenter now a finish carpenter going kitchens and baths want to do tile again. I'm drawn to Schluter Kerdi system, some of my clients don't like metal corners. So can you use there waterproofing and drain system with out the metal trim on niches and drains?
Yes, can use tileable drain and other kinds of trim ua-cam.com/video/0X68GKqpC8Q/v-deo.html
Lol, I actually had a customer say that to me last week....well the tile and grout are waterproof so what's the big deal!!!! It took me to long to change the way he thought!
Heard it countless times, Seen the results of not waterproofing just as many.
Can you wet shim the plastic vapor barrier wall ? I’m in a predicament rn
Sealed systems for the win!!
👍
Thank you for taking the time to respond ill get it
Excellent video as always. Just a few comments, for those who do the traditional pans. Preslopes are definitely necessary. I know the builders skip it and most remodelers are clueless to how these types of showers work. Sal is right. DON'T SKIP THE PRESLOPE. Water will not drain to the weep holes without gravity. It's common sense. Next, the weep holes. The upper drain assembly MUST be raised 1 1/2" to 2" above the pan liner so pea gravel can be placed over the weep holes with a minimum of 3/4" of dry pack above the pea gravel. If you dry pack the weep holes, you have ruined the pan before it's done being built. Third, the threshold must be wrapped with wire lath and shaped with mortar with ZERO penetrations in the top or the inside vertical plane of of the threshold. When you penetrate the liner by wrapping the threshold with Tile backing boards, it's over. That's how it's supposed to be done if you build a traditional shower pan. Don't hire your painter or his cousin that needs some extra work to do these showers for you. These jobs are for the pros. It WILL cost you 2 to 3 times as much money later when it fails and damages your home. If agree with Sal, the new systems are superior in limiting the water penetration. I've been doing showers since 1988 and I was taught old school, but now I only do what I call single pour showers with the tile being bonded directly to the water barrier.
Thanks for that.
Indeed, thanks. I'll be doing my first custom shower with my friend on his old house and all this information is invaluable. Thanks to you too Sal for putting so much quality info that helps us tiling newbs stay on the straight and narrow.
Hi Sal, I am tiling a 10ft bathroom wall with large 12x24 tiles, 4 ft of it is shower. Of course the wall is lacking plumpness. I didn’t pick this up until later in my process. Is it ok to bring the walls a little more plumb by building areas up with a ultralite mortar, I am using the Mapei brand. I really enjoy your videos, you have been a big help. I did some new construction tiling before, which was a little easier getting things plumb. This is my first Reno project.
Thanks
Excellent work!
Mr. DiBlasi, sir:
I just saw your demonstration of wet shimming and another video (not yours) of a floating wall to level prior to tiling. I know I'm not going to float my wall. However, what wall materials can you use to wet shim? You've said in other questions you can't wet shim cement boards due to weight. I've bought a Schluter shower pan kit that comes with the membrane, not any wall boards. If I apply regular dry wall or even the green moisture and mold resistant boards (for extra protection and paranoia), could you wet shim that? If so, still using modified quick dry thin set?
This is my first reno project, and I've already leveled the floors that had rotting joists from previous owner had install of toilet that didn't seal.
The alternatives of abutting studs, using regular shims is easy and logical enough to apply.
Loved your video on filling in a bow using an extra sheet of kerdi membrane, by the way!
Just ran into your channel last night and it's "the bees knees".
Love Boston, #OurFairCity !
Wet Shimming really only works with foam type backer boards.
Do you vary the amount of thinset depending on the unevenness? What if the side walls you had to shim out. It wouldn't be flush with the surrounding drywall
Prep work is very important, get the walls right before you start to tile.
Sweet office Sal!
😊👍
Why did you wet shim all of the 2x4 studs, if perhaps only one stud was out of plum? I have a similar situation where one stud is out of plum (left to right and diagonally) and not flush with the other wall studs.. I would think that only the stud which is out of plum would need the wet shim? Looking forward to your answer.
Yes, do that, in this case everything was out, all the studs were miss aligned. If only one stud needs to be adjusted, then lust do the one stud.
@@SalDiBlasi perfect.. thanks and one more question/comment.. in your case you were using a Schluter shower pan, in my case, I am using a fiberglass pan with a lip on three sides, like a tub lip. Won’t wet shimming cause the Kerdi to potentially extend beyond the lip of the pan or is that a good thing. Hope that makes sense
Mr. DiBlasi, I was wondering if you know how water is supposed to escape in say an acrylic shower base with tiled walls? With the traditional preslope, vinyl, etc water will escape through weep holes. But I have not seen anyone address how it is supposed to escape in a shower base that is caulked with silcone. Will water just build up over the years and eventually cause problems?
Hello Sal thank you for the great information. Just a question about the thin set for wet shimming, does that thin set have to be unmodified as well? Also, do you have to start all screws on wet shimmed studs or can the kerdi board screws handle going through the dried thin set? Thanks again, hope to use this method on my shower in a couple days.
I use a modified LFT thinset that is a rapid set, that way you can put the screws in after a couple of hours. In any case the Schluter screws will work fine.
Thank you!
with regard to the wet shimming, could that thinset be cracking or breaking when you screw the wall board into it? Is that a concern at all?
Thumbs up 👍🏻 on wet shimming. Much faster than butt strips
Exactly
Do I need a Kerdi board with a 9 ft ceiling? Can I use regular 5/8 drywall? Thanks for your professional knowledge. Can a pre-slope on a concrete floor be 1/8"/ft or does it have to be 1/4"/ft absolutely? This is when you are using a vinyl liner like Chloraloy 240 CPE where you must have a pre-slope. Do you know of a knowledgeable tiler like you in Western MI near Holland?
If it is not a steam shower, you can use drywall above the shower head, and the industry standard is 1/4" per foot, what you do is up to you. Go here to find an installer. tile-assn.site-ym.com/default.asp?
I have found that the floor joists are not level and two joists are lower than the rest. Can I use the LFT Thinset to place on floor joists? I have a large sheet of 18mm thick plywood that is new, this will be my sub straight. I think I will use schluter on the floor to make floor area waterproof.
Can't use thinset as a shim on a floor, it has to be structural.
Love your videos Sal
Sal, I have never seen wet shimming done before, this video is fantastic! I like that you talk about in other videos how important prep like this is in conjunction with the leveling system and how those systems won't fix these problems. What a pex manifold for one shower! 3 questions, what is the unit overhead? What were the wires you pulled through the board on the right? And lastly, where is the ventilation fan for this Niagara falls?
Over head is a fancy rainfall water head with four outlets, wires were for speakers, fan was on the ceiling outside the shower.
Fancy shower indeed. I guess if you're a plumber it's mostly labor, the parts and fittings are all rather cheap. We should all splooge on our own homes!
He told me they get a deep discount when they buy stuff for themselves.
Can you wet shim other types of foam board? Wedi, goboard etc...
You will have to ask the manufacturers, it will work, but Schluter is the only one I know that actually promotes it. I have done it countless times.
Whats the 1x4 uaed for i kniw its to hold up the tile hiw do u messure for tiles to be even on each end ,wall and cilings.
Hi Sal, did you wait for wet shim thin set to dry before you screwing down the board to studs, or you did you apply the screws right after you leveled the boards? Many thanks!
Used fast set and waited a couple of hours.
Got it. Greatly appreciated your lightning response.
Handy tip for KerdiBoard, but I assume that after you tap everything to be plumb/level/flat you wait for the kerdiFix (thinset) to set before adding the panel screws? Maybe you explained that somewhere but I didn't hear it..
I use quick set so just have to wait a couple of hours then screw it all in.
Is it necessary to have waterproof above the shower head if you want to tile to the ceiling?
I will pretty much always waterproof to the ceiling, but in reality you only need to go up to the shower head. But then again, not that much more to go the rest of the way.
@@SalDiBlasi ok thanks. I just don’t want to waste any kerdi board it’s expensive! Is drywall ok up there or do I need cement board? It doesn’t seem plumb so I might have to replace it.
You da man, Sally!
I have done a lot of showers with foam board, Wedi actually, and always hated the shimming. It takes so much time and I have contemplated doing some kind of wet shimming but haven't come up with a good gap filling material. You use LFT thinset, but I would be concerned that over time, even with minor movement of the framing, the thinset crumbles and you end up with a gap between the studs and foam boards. I don't want to have my customers complain about cracking tiles due to a construction defect. How about other gap filling material, such as Construction Sikaflex (too flexible?) or Bondo (too fast setting?). Appreciate your thoughts.
Not Sure about Wedi, but wet shimming is approved by Schluter and Laticrete.
Sal, I noticed you didnt put thinset on the top or bottom plate or the blocking. Is there a reason not to do that?
Also, there looked like very little stud to screw into on the first stud on the right side, and the kerdi washers are big. Do they just bend into the corner in that situation where there isnt much stud showing for the washer to lay flat?
Thanks
Thanks!
No need to do the top and bottom plates, studs need to be 16" on center, there was plenty of room for screw and washer in the corners, however the washer will not bend, but needs to make a dimple in the Kerdi board when it is screwed in.
Hi Sal, I will be wet shimming my studs and using 1/2" kerdi board as my substrate. I have a preslope, a liner, and a noble curb overlay installed. I was going to be building a completely traditional system until I saw that my studs were aligned so poorly and you taught me that kerdi board can be wet shimmed to help with that problem. Since I already have a liner down and a curb overlay fixed in place and leveled perfectly, I would rather not tear that out. Should I just set my final mortar bed and treat this shower as a water in/water out system or should I get the kerdi drain adapter and apply kerdi membrane to the floor? Either way all seams and corners will get kerdi band. Would the kerdi drain adapter work on a pre-sloped liner or does it need to go on a flat surface (the lower piece of the adapter)? And since the system would be sealed at the surface by using the drain adapter and pan membrane, the final mortar bed should never see water. But, you always hear about the dangers of using two barriers and creating a mortar sandwich. If you were too stubborn to remove the curb for some reason, which would be your next course of action... the water in/water out style pan, or the kerdi membrane and drain adapter while leaving the lower liner in place? I believe the kerdi drain adapter eliminates the weep hole style lower drain piece-so even in a backup the mortar bed should not see water. Sorry for the novel of a question. Thank you for all of your great videos!
I would use the adaptor and do a full kerdi system. No need to tear out the curb overlay, just put kerdi Membrane over it and seal it all with Kerdi band. You will probably have to do some work with the mud pan to adjust for the Bonding flange adaptor.
@@SalDiBlasi Thank you Sal. If you dont mind I have a follow up question... will I be leaving the current liner in place and attaching the adapter to that liner with kerdi fix? And then adding a second bed of 5/8" to mount the bonding flange to? Or are you recommending that I cut out the entire liner (except for the part embedded in mortar over the curb) and using kerdifix between the base of the clamping drain and the bottom of the kerdi adapter? All of the how to videos on using the drain adapter have started with a bare subfloor surface. Since I have a preslope in already I could use some guidance on what to do with the liner. If I tear it out, I imagine that the 2nd bed will need to be bonded to the preslope with a layer of thinset. I understand that the kerdi system is only designed to require a single sloped mortar bed. Since I'm past that point and am starting with a preslope, this seems like a place that I could make a major mistake if I dont double check with you.
@@jvangelista I would remove the liner entirely, and I would consider removing the preslope and cutting out the three piece drain and starting over with a regular Schluter drain. It is early enough in the project to start that part over. If you want to proceed with the adaptor, remove the liner, install the adaptor, bond the new bed to the existing one and move forward from there. The base of the shower is the most important part of the whole shower project. Get the walls flat and plumb, get the shower floor right and everything else will proceed much more smoothly.
@@SalDiBlasi Thank you for your time and expertise. I'll spend some time deciding which route to go with this. But in the meantime, Im going to head over to Patreon and donate to your channel. Without people like you, people like me could get themselves into a lot of trouble! Take care!
How do you handle waterproofing the Kerdi membrane with a framed/frameless glass shower door? I haven’t seen any videos documenting that installation.
Since I am not a glass guy, I don't do the glass inclosure, however depending on the size and scope of the project, there will usually be wall mounted brackets and hinges, or hinges from glass panel to glass panel, but never a pivot in the curb. Holes are sealed with silicone to keep them water tight.
Hey sal love the videos I am remodel my bathroom was checking the walls for plumb all good except a tiny Gap in between stubs about a 1/16 I feel it's too small to worries but then again I'm not a professional any advice would be great.
How much work is it to add 1/16" shim?
@@SalDiBlasi
Thanks so much for the quick reply very much appreciated. No problem on the extra work was gonna just marry some 2x4 to level it if I needed to.
The value of being able to wet shim comes at a huge cost with Schluter products. That stuff along with their proprietary add ons seems to be at least 4x the cost of a cementatious system -- that old system doesn't collect water in the gaps. Old fashioned way is best. Video should be labelled as an ad for Schluter.
Figure out the actual cost of labor and materials doing it with cement board and applying a waterproof membrane and everything else that goes along with a vinyl liner including the required preslope, and you will find out that the difference is not what you think it is. The old fashioned ways are not as good as you think they are.
Nice videos Sal. California
Thanks for the lesson. Very much appreciated.
👍
Is plum directly in the middle of the level? Or do you allow some sway? Say the the bubble is just touching the edge of a line would that be acceptable? Asking for a floor job I'm doing.
Floor does not have to be level, but it should be flat, walls should be as close to plumb as possible.
@@SalDiBlasi very important distinction you made on the floor, flat versus level.
Regarding his question about the bubble on the level kissing the inside of the center markings, let's assume it was for a wall. Is that slight variance okay, or should we shim it?
Sal, you are the best! Thanks! Question: Any advantage to putting shower walls up BEFORE the mud base? I would think doing the shower base first then the shower walls would be ever so slightly better.
Kerdi uses thin set to bond the membrane tape at the joints, thin set is not waterproof, how do they reconcile that?
I Hear that a lot, the way the fleece of the membrane is bonded together by the thinset makes it entirely waterproof, They have tested it extensively under extreme conditions and I also flood tested every shower. Rest assured, it is completely waterproof.
Sal I'm tiling a bathroom wall with 3x6 subway tile about 4' off the floor can I just go over the sheet rock. This is not a wet area. Any advice would be great help
Sheet rock is fine in a dry area.
@@SalDiBlasi thanks
Nice video Sal! Thanks for mentioning the preslope. I could not believe that when I saw it. I think as long as you install correctly either method is fine. As long as it's not small tiles on the floor (penny rounds, etc) for the schluter system and you are comfortable/confident about using it, do whichever works best for you.
I prefer mud bed option, because of the multiple ways to drain water when installed correctly. You aren't trying to have it penetrate though the tile and grout, but even if it did, you'd be fine as long as there weren't any major mistakes or flaws.
Got any tips for cutting the more complex schluter profiles such as the stair nose?
I like using a chop saw with the appropriate blade, but I thought you'd know the best way!
Chop saw works just fine and is what I use.
Hello Sal
I have a question do all my 3 walls have to be plumb or the back wall is the most important
Would really appreciate your response
All have to plumb and flat to get nice clean lines
As a new guy I made the mistake of installing the durarock and waterproofing before I ck'd how straight the walls are. They are out a little and I was thinking of floating in some thinset to make up for the difference. Would that work?
I have the same issue but with a GoBoard shower. I plan to use thinset and some Schluter membrane to "plumb" the wall better before tiling. The initial issue seemingly happened because a nearby wall 90 degrees to this wall has a pocket door. The focus was all on getting the pocket door plumb and square when framed, and the wall for the shower was neglected a bit. This makes this side shower wall about 1/2" out of plumb from bottom to top. I plan to gently skim out (shingle, if necessary) the wall from top to bottom to make it easier to install a shower door properly squared. Will this work??
Question: I am doing this on my rough in valve wall, I have +\- 1/4in for the rough in valve from the face of the wall. Any recommendations on how much wet shimming tends to add to wall thickness?
Thanks for the great video.
Depends on how bad the studs are, but usually no more than 1/4"
Mr sal so if i use kerdi waterproof menbrane on top of a water in out install would it became a seal system?
+JR Loza no, you will waterproof the walls, but the key is the bonding flange drain. Three piece drain is not designed to work that way.
Hi Sal....I have a 1965 home, removed the tile and lath to the studs, but the studs are not flush as you explained would probably be the case. Some are sunk back about 1/8" and some are ever so slightly twisted and stick out. I would love to use the schluter system and do wet shimming rather than sister up 2 x 4's or furring strips. I also would rather NOT build a pre-slope and a mortar bed, however, Schluter pan system doesnt appear to be available in 36 x 36 inch. WHY? Am I just not finding it? I only have 36 x 36 area {or less, I guess....but who wants to REDUCE the size of a shower} Not able to expand in any direction. Any suggestions on how else to proceed? Any other company like Schluter you could recommend? Can I use Kerdi board after building a mortar bed if that is my only option? You are the best educator on the internet!! I totally feel confident when I watch your videos!! You answer all the questions in my head!! Thank you soooooo much!!
There are a few options, you can extend a smaller pan with mud or you can cut down a larger pan to fit, the drain location of the pan has to work for your shower. This is why I always do mud for my showers, it will fit any size and shape and drain location. Here is a video that shows how to do the mud ua-cam.com/video/XqUlGhK9Kys/v-deo.html and one to install the Membrane to make it all waterproof, ua-cam.com/video/Z2p5ZBJHp0k/v-deo.html
Sal DiBlasi ....thank you so much for the quick response! Excellent video recommendations. I now know how to proceed. You're the best!
😊
What brand are those rough in boxes for the body sprays?
You should use square drains...its a much cleaner finish...i think your as good as they come
Can you wet shim cement board with the same strategy you mentione for the Kerdiboard as long as you wait to finish the screw until the wet shim is dry?
No.
@@SalDiBlasi So I have a bathtub and tile I am redoing in my basement. The alcove for the tub/tile is cement block. It is not very smooth/level. There is what I think thinset from previous tile that was removed and lots of holes in the wall. Would you recommended furring strips and cement or foam board or floating the wall out for a beginner? I'm thinking the furring strips and one of the boards will be better, but it will take some work to get the furring strips level.
The easiest way to do that is to use a foam board like Kerdi Board. ua-cam.com/video/L4q_buqEkn8/v-deo.html
If you build the wall up for the wet shimming how do you deal with a drywall transition
Most times the studs are not all in plane and the voids need to be filled in so the sheet sits flat. Usually it won't be all the studs, but just one or two.
Thanks Sal..David, Colorado
😃
I'm remodeling my kitchen the walls are not square. I am not able to figure out how to make square.
Very nice 👍!!!
hi sal , may I ask you another question related to one I asked you recently .
if you have a square tile on 4 walls of a room and same tile going on floor and if you not going to match up floor and wall joints what is best thing to do ? I was thinking doing floor diagonally but its a very small floor and tiles are 2 foot square
Diagonal is a great idea, the larger the better.
+Sal DiBlasi thanks Sal
Is it normal practice in the US for electricians to clip cables to underside of ceiling joists? In the UK they would be kicked off site lol
Another great informative video Sal. So much easier than furring and shimming.
Just curious why you don’t use Schluter floor pans?
They are much more expensive than mud and are never the right size or have the correct drain location, the sub floors are never level. Mud fixes all that in one go.
What holds the weight of the tile against the floor, studs or kerdi board?
🙄🤔 rephrase that, I don't understand the question.
What is supporting the weight of the tile and thinset on the kerdi board. Is it Kerdi resting on the floor or it is hanging off the studs? When do you choose to replace fix studs?
When you install the Kerdi-board, it may or may not rest on the floor, but when you install the mud, you put it up against the Kerdi-Board, when you install the tile and caulk, it is then supported by the floor, but glued to the board. I don't understand what the issue might be that you are concerned about. Is it not the same for any kind of board? Stud gets replaced or repaired if needed.
My installer didn't replace studs instead left shims underneath molded studs. He says that studs don't carry all the weight and what he did is acceptable. I think making sure that studs are fixed are essential to a successful installation. What is your opinion?
+fulaxify You are correct, I would have replaced or at least fix the rotten part or sister up a new stud.
never seen leveling a wall with thinset, i thought about it, thank you for sharing, at what point you put the screws in?
For foam board only and when the thinset has firmed up.
Doesn’t driving a screw thru the kerdi board unseal the sealed system?
Yes, but then you seal it up when you take the screw out.
Hey Sal, Great video. When you have the same situation with a back wall having studs all over the place, can you wet shim cement board? If not how would you approach that with a cement board installation? Thank you
+Sean no you can't wet shim cement board, you need to fit, shim, sister, plain or whatever else will get them in line
Thank you Sal!
are those exterior wall with all that insulation or he he trying to do some sound dampening?
Only the back wall was exterior.
When using a traditional liner would you recommend waterproofing the dry pack too I've heard it would create a "moisture sandwich "
Depends on how you do it. If you completely seal the surface to be tiled, wals floor then it will not be a problem since the liner becomes redundant.
@@SalDiBlasi by red guard or any similar product in this scenario, would the water make it to the weep joles still? On top of that what are your thoughts on redi tile pans that use epoxy for the tile?
@@snakenk I wouldn't use one
@@SalDiBlasi thank you Sal for the extremely quick response.
Good job
Sal, what is your opinion of the WEDI system?
Great system, I have used it but prefer schluter.
I believe Wedi is more $$ than schluter, and its surface it’s not waterproof on either side, plus its more permeable ?
thank you for you time
In some of your older videos I have seen you use some thin material that you stapled up to studs for the shimming.. I was just curious what it is and were to get something like that
You will have to point me to the video, I have used a lot of different stuff to do that.
Can you wet shim metal studs? If so same way?
I don't think so.
Sal DiBlasi thanks for the reply. So best way to plum on metal, aluminum studs?
How about using a product like TEC Hydraflex over taped and mudded cement board and traditional mud pan?
You can do that, but it is not the same.
Sal DiBlasi I agree that it is not the same but cost is usually a factor and I think its a better install the going with no topical waterproofing.
Agreed, I just don't do traditional vinyl liners any more, when you boil it down, a sealed system is about the same money.
I have watched quite a few of your videos and see you using many different methods and products from different manufacturers. Why not just stick with one method or was it you posting videos until you found the method you like best? I haven't priced Kerdi but I know Wedi board is quite expensive. I would rather charge the same and put the money in my pocket as labor.
Or get it done quicker and do another job and make money on two instead of one, and work less.
Sal's da' Man...
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Hi Sal - have you ever used wet shimming with Laticrete Hydro Ban Board? I just had an online chat with their tech support about it and he never heard of wet shimming! He asked me what I was talking about! When I explained it to him he said no, don't do that. I wish I had gone with the Schluter system instead!
Schluter actually promotes wet shimming, I would take what your guy said with a grain of salt.
Okay, so I did some asking around, and wet shimming is allowed by laticrete. I asked my rep and some other Laticrete people I know. They said it is perfectly acceptable, to do, but you won't get it in writing.
@@SalDiBlasi Great to hear! Thanks so much for asking around. It looks like I'll have extra Laticrete 254R Platinum Rapid thinset for my project. Okay to use that for the Hydro Ban Board shimming?
Can u wet shim cement board?
No
its probably too heavy
Sal is there a wet shim application for hardie backer
+Adam Smith No
@@SalDiBlasi why do you say you cannot wet shim hardibacker? Why not? What would happen?
@@dcmander The board is too heavy and it is not recommended by the manufacturer. The light weight foam lens itself to this type of shimming, the weight of the cement board would smoosh the thinset to easily canceling any usefulness. And why would you use cement board when there are so many more better more modern products and systems.
@@SalDiBlasi Cost. For a DIYer, those Schluter boards are outrageously expensive.
@@dcmander If cost is a concern, then cement board works, but you can still get that modern system by using the bonding flange and put Schluter Kerdi membrane over it. Soe everything's the same as the bord install except you use the membrane over the cement board instead of foam board.
Sal, Wet shimming seems like a good idea to me. But I am about to install a Wedi pan and walls. I was reading their FAQ's on the wall panels. With no exceptions should wet shimming- using thinset or any other material- be used to plumb/flatten walls. I know you said Schulter does.
Schluter allowed and promotes it. Wedi has to have tight clean joints, with there adhesives so not as easy to do.
What about RedGard on the wallboard? The foam boards are lighter but they are very very expensive. Also you have to use their products exclusively to get a guarantee.
I have never used Redgard, but I have used Aquadefens and Hydroban. The foam boards are a better modern alternative.
Thanks Sal. Love your videos, very informative.
Class
Thank you Sal.
You addressed this and schluter allows this method.
However how much thinset is on those studs? 1/2? 3/4?
Hi Sal I'm doing a washroom with white subway tiles 4x 12 😅😅 1:25
Hi Sal I'm doing old outdated washroom with a new white 4x12 subway tile with black grout ...I am going over exsisting 4x4 tiles .the ceilings are not level .... I usally set my lazer level around the room I take measurements in all corners middle of wall ...then take the highest point in the room and guadge down to my starter ledge board ....when I lay in my last coarse .I would trim tiles to fit to underside of low ceiling ....I'm was sent on job already in progress the guy was adding and subtracting spacers to try and get a full tile at top I found this time consuming and a lot of times I had to lift up ceiling with a 2x4 so he could get a tile to underside of ceiling ...this tile is now load bearing....could you give me your view on this matter ....keep in mind we can not alter any ceilings not in the budget
pre slop is like religion with tile guys
didn't like kerdi board then you said "no silicates" "no mess" "lightweight" sounds good to me
Schluter, Laticrete, Wedi, USG, and many many more to choose from.
the problem with kerri is you create lumbs when you overlap the membrane or put the tape over the screw holes - it's a gimmick
they tell you to press the thinset out in those areas more so than the field area