How to Lay Shower Pans

Lay down roofing felt and steel mesh over the floor. Tack this to the floorboards with a stapler and staples. Cut a hole in the materials over the drain with a razor and metal snips, removing the material there.

Combine sand mix, available at a hardware store, with water. Mix together until you have a grainy mixture you can work into balls by hand. Pour and spread the mixture over the mesh and fill in the entire shower floor area.

Tamp the sand mix down with a trowel. Create a floor base that is 1 inch thick and tapers toward your shower drain on all sides. Check the taper with a level to be sure it has a consistent slant. The level's bead should be partially offset from the center equally everywhere you place the level on the floor. Let dry overnight.

Place the liner material over the shower floor. Trim it back so about 1 foot of liner extends up each wall. Fold over the corners and tack these to the wall. Cut a hole in the liner over the drain. Fasten the top of the drain over the liner and bolt it to the bottom of the drain flange. Tighten the bolts with a wrench. Place the drain grate on the drain and fasten it in place with the drain hardware.

Mix more sand mix material. Spread it over the shower liner and tamp it into a consistent taper to form the second layer of the shower pan. Tamp and level this layer. Let it dry overnight.