Tips on Sloping Custom Shower Pans

Concrete Layer

• Make your mortar bed out of a concrete mix to create the proper shower pan slope. Sloping will require detailed work, so ensure you have enough light and room to accurately judge the slant. Install the mortar on top of a substrate liner. At the edges of your shower, it will be thick, but toward the drain, the mortar layer will only be a fraction of an inch. This will provide your primary slope angle.

Additives

• You can use a normal concrete and water mixture for the slope layer if you want. But because the work is highly specific and the mortar will be very thin when it reaches the drain, consider using an additive to improve flexibility. There are latex additives that can replace some of the water you use but increase the strength of the mortar while making it easier to spread thinly.

Measurement

• The measurement tools needed for the project are simple. A level and a tape measure should be sufficient if you have planned the project well. You will also need a trowel to smooth the mortar with enough delicacy to control surface thickness and prevent any concrete from clogging the drain.

Slope Amount

• Keep the slope layer relatively thin. This mortar layer is primarily for ensuring slope, and after the liner is added, you will pour a thicker, additional layer of concrete on top. This means you can make the layer as thin as 1/4 inch near the drain, with the outside perimeter being about 1 1/4 inch tall. Start by creating a flat surface, and begin scraping mortar off to create the slope.