How to Elevate a Shower

Remove Tile

• 1

  Remove the tile from the base of the shower by breaking it up with a hammer and clearing it away. The crow bar and putty knife can assist with prying tiles and grout from the floor. For concrete shower floors, skip to Step 3 of this section.

• 2

  Sweep all of the remaining debris from the shower and discard it. Check for areas where tile or grout remains stuck to the floor and remove any that you find.

• 3

  Mix about 1/2 cup of vinegar with a gallon of water. Douse the shower floor with the mixture and scrub rigorously to prepare the floor for application. Be sure to remove all residual adhesive, then rinse the floor. Wait until the floor is completely dry before moving on.

Floor Preparation

• 4

  Calculate the necessary elevation from the drain to each of the walls or edges of the shower. Measure from the drain to each of the walls and check that you have a 1/4-inch increase in elevation per foot of distance from the drain. For example, a 2-foot distance from the drain to the wall should contain a 1/2-inch increase in elevation.

• 5

  Mark each wall to indicate the correct elevation height.

• 6

  Connect each of the wall markings to act as a guide for application of the concrete.

Apply Concrete

• 7

  Put a mask over your face to prevent inhalation of concrete dust. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on mixing the concrete.

• 8

  Start applying the concrete mixture using the trowel near the drain. Spread a thin coat and move out toward the edge of the shower stall. Apply thicker layers of concrete mix as you move away from the drain. Ensure that you apply enough concrete to touch the guidelines on the wall.

• 9

  Smooth the concrete with the trowel after applying a sufficient amount of mix. Be sure to maintain a clearance of at least 1/4 inch of drain height above the concrete during this process if you plan to tile the shower floor.

• 10

  Check the floor for smoothness and evenness and apply additional concrete, smoothing areas as needed.

• 11

  Wait the full drying time for the concrete according to the manufacturer's instructions before tiling the floor.