NeverLeaks Tile Redi Installation Guide

This is a guide . . . you must be sure you choose wisely for your own situation.


Finally, a real world install guide that explains the installation of a TileRedi Shower Pan that is based on the experience of all our contractor clients. Having installed these pans for years, this is what we have boiled down to be the really critical info that you need to understand for a successful Tile Redi shower pan project.

Ordering the pan: Be sure to check the specs/ pdfs for your pan size and drain location. A common mistake is to assume that the center of a 34”x48” center drain pan is 17x 24 off the walls...remember there is an offset in the dimensions for the curb. Double check the specs on the homepage and compare the drain centerline to the floor joists to be sure none are in your way. Cutting joists and reframing can be delicate work and should be done by a professional.

Unpacking Your Pan: It sounds simple but if you knew how many people call us and insist that things are missing. Here’s the scoop….the flashings are packed in the same box, the square drain trim generally is cleverly hidden in the cardboard packing around the perimeter of the pan and the mortar is under the pan. Please check your box thoroughly before you call because the packages are weighed to the ounce both by the shipping dept. and by the package service or freight company and it is very unusual for an accessory to be left off and not caught by the process. It does happen occasionally but it is an exception.

Roughing in your waste line: It is best to have the trap assembly close to its final location before you set the pan. It is quite common to change the trap assembly when you change the pan so having an exact match to the drain center isn't absolutely necessary since the trap is designed to adapt a few inches this way or that to match the drain center. The easiest way to glue in the drain is to work from below. Sometimes it is just easier to open a hole in the ceiling below and deal with the simple work of patching the ceiling. I caution folks who are not good engineers to get help if they are planning on dropping a pan onto the plastic pipe and into the mortar bed at once. If you want to do this, you need to do a few test fits and do a dry run with your helper before you glue that joint. Calm and precise work here can save a lot of heartache later.

Setting the pan in mortar: If you are setting the pan on a concrete slab then it is best to set the pan in a fairly wet cement mortar. If you are setting the pan in mortar and trying to get your joint glued up at the same time, you may want to try setting the pan wet and then measuring down through the drain hole to get the measurement to cut the stub length. You could then remove the pan and then glue the pipe stub in, being careful not to leave the stub long as this will make your pan rise up in the center and not be supported by mortar. A good rule of thumb for any installation is to wet set the pan and then maybe remove it with a helper to be certain all the ribs under the pan are wet and supported. There is no need to fill all the voids between the ribs.

Setting the pan on a ply floor: Since you are setting your pan on a ply floor and then setting tile on the pan, Tile Council of America guidelines for subfloor prep should apply since the floor mortar, pan and tile becomes an assembly. TCA say you should have at least 1 1/8” of sound exterior plywood or plywood plus tile backer to meet the minimum standards for deflection. Note: T&G board floors deflect and their thickness is not counted in the total thickness of subfloor prep. If your floor is dead level then you have saved a good bit of work and aggravation because the pan only needs to be married to the floor with a thin uniform 1/2” notched trowel bed of modified thinset. Using latex modified thinset means the mortar bed can deflect a little with the subfloor and not be brittle like cement mortar or standard thinset.
If your subfloor is a little out of level you can shim up the corners to get it right where you want it and then mark the studs. If you are trying to build the floor up to level from a low corner you want to be especially sure your ribs underneath are wet by lifting the pan and double checking. You may have to add a little mortar if you have dry spots.
There are plywood substitutes like OSB or Advantech out there that are strong and waterproof but some of them have a wax or sealed surface that can retard setting of modified thinset mortar so it may be necessary to use a dryset mortar. Always fall back on subfloor guidelines for setting tile….if your subfloor assembly is approved for tile then you will have no problem setting a Tile Ready pan on it.
Unfortunately with so many different construction types and floor systems across the country we don't approve or actually suggest any method.


IMPORTANT: No matter whether you install over concrete or plywood, DONT step in the pan after you set it and don't weight them down. On very large pans they can flex down a little and then flex back up and leave a hollow under it. Walk away and let it harden overnight and tile it tomorrow if possible, just to be safe. You could tile same day if necessary but coming back when the mortar underneath is set is best. Generally if you tap on the pan you cant tell very easily if it is bedded well. You usually have to wait until the mortar has dried to know for sure. Contractors who use these are hooked on their simplicity and once they learn how to set them they are customers for life.

Removing a Pan: If by some chance you have to pull a poorly set pan, its not that hard and may be your best choice if you have a lot of flex or soft spots in your pan. If you need to cut the pan loose and don't have access to the underside you can use an internal pipe cutter which is an inexpensive small abrasive disk at the end of a shaft that you chuck in a drill and you can put it down inside the drain and cut the pipe that is cemented into your pan...be sure to cut off low enough to fit a repair coupling on the pipe for the reinstall.

Epoxy: The 3 part epoxy mortar that comes with the pan is for setting the tile to the pan, not for setting the pan to the floor. Experience has shown that traditional thinset mortar will appear to stick to the pan but will then come off if you wipe at it when its dry, so don't try to substitute thinset mortar. It is always good, but not necessary to have a spare bag of epoxy. If you are careful and can mix in batches you will have plenty. You just don't want to have to run for more because very few places carry it. You usually have to order it from us. It is a good idea to empty your three components into throw away measuring containers if you want to split the bag into batches. Some folks set the pan one day, the bottom courses of wall tile the next day and the threshold when the custom stone pieces are delivered.

Epoxy clean up: It doesn’t clean off once it sets! Try to avoid having the mortar squeeze out of the joints in the tile if you can at all help it. If you match the trowel notch to the tile you will not have squeeze up. Its good to have lots of damp paper towel to do the clean up and don't try to economize. Have a box to throw the sticky ones into. Also don't expect to save the pails as the material is really sticky and impossible to clean up once it sets. Disposable rubber gloves are a great idea here. After the tiles are set, be sure to clean the faces thoroughly and don't track that material on your shoes. There is no solvent to remove it. There is no solvent to remove it. It’s permanent.

Tile Selections: For a novice tiler, the easiest floor is going to be small pebble or 1x1 or 2x2 sheet mosaic floors, because the sheets of tile will mold to the floors quite nicely. Tiles larger than 2 1/2” or 3” can have up and down corners or not take a bowl shape too well. While you can use larger tiles like 6” you might be short on epoxy with by using the larger tooth trowel. Generally 3/16” notch is used with the epoxy.

The epoxy mortar is a little on the thin side. Be certain to precut and dryfit as much of your tile as possible. It saves a lot of aggravation and getting up and down. Center drain pans are the easiest to tile and we have always found it easier to adjust the drain height at the outset rather than dry to screw it down later. It can be a little tight to get the drain very low for really thin tileand it may require a little sandpaper to smooth the threads or some Vaseline or plumbers grease on them. A pair of large channel locks or pump pliers can be put into the drain upside down (handle end first) to tighten a sticky drain stem.

Modifying the pan: It is not a great idea to cut the pan although we know plenty of people who have done it to make odd barrier free sizes or double threshold pans. They are giving up the warranty but the epoxy mortar or trowel waterproofing membranes on the market can repair or waterproof almost anything.

Seats & Ledges: A common practice to fit an odd space with a stock pan is to build in a seat or soap ledges at the sides or the ends. Waterproofing seats can be tricky. It is probably best to cap seats and ledges with stone to eliminate as much water exposure to grout as possible. Seats always need a liner or some careful waterproofing.



Planning, workmanship and details make all the difference.