How to Make Your Own Shower Base on Top of a Concrete Floor

Measure the space on the concrete floor’s surface that you want the shower to occupy. Make measurements in both directions and mark the space on the floor where you want the shower base with masking tape. The section of the floor where you build the shower base must have a drain installed. Ensure you cover the drain before you begin to prevent spilling materials down it.

Place 3-inch tall wood planks around the marked space on the floor to build temporary walls. Nail the planks together where they meet to secure them. If the space of the floor where you want to make the shower base already has one or two walls in place, put wood only on the sides that have no walls.

Mix mortar with water until the mortar forms a single clump, but still feels fairly dry. If the mortar runs off of a trowel when gathered on it, add more mortar until the mixture holds securely to the trowel when gathered.

Spread the mortar on the floor inside the walls where you want to build the shower base. Use enough mortar so that the mortar in the area closest to the drain sits roughly an inch off of the floor and slopes upward toward the outer edges to a height of roughly 2-inches. Create a 2- to 3-inch thick wall on the sides of the shower base the height of the wood barrier surrounding the area.

Leave the mortar base to dry for 48 to 72 hours. Cover the area inside of the shower base with a shower pan liner. Cut a hole in the liner for the drain and use adhesive to secure the liner to the shower floor.

Install any type of appropriate shower flooring, such as ceramic or porcelain tiles, slate or polished stones over the shower pan liner. Use an appropriate adhesive, such as thinset mortar, to secure the flooring to the shower base.