I’ve finally gone and done something worthwhile! Well, that’s a matter of opinion, I guess, namely mine. I have written complete manuals on properly building and waterproofing your shower utilizing the different waterproofing methods.

Each manual describes a specific method so you don’t get bogged down with a bunch of information you don’t need for your chosen project. Not sure which method you want? Not sure which methods are available? Didn’t know there were different methods? Start with the free manual here: Shower Waterproofing Manual. That will help you decide which one you want to use based on time, skill and cost.

Once you figure that out you can get the manual that is specific to your particular project. Although these are all mostly completed it’s a whole process to get them ready for you guys. It’s difficult to describe but it includes half a watermelon, platypus eyelashes and a full moon – weird, right? Let’s just say I’ve been writing the damn things for close to two years – it’s not a short process.

Anyway, I do have two of them all finished up, uploaded and ready for you to devour!

I have the complete shower manual utilizing the traditional waterproofing method for walls and floors. This will walk you through the entire process for complete shower floor and wall building and waterproofing. If you are going to have a tiled shower floor and walls and need to construct the entire thing – this is the one you need. You can get it here: Complete traditional shower waterproofing method (Price goes up next week!)

And I have the manual using the traditional method for just your shower walls. If you already have a tub or pre-formed base (like acrylic or Swanstone) this is the one you need. You can get it here: Traditional waterproofing for your shower walls

You can always just click the yellow highlighted ‘Library’ tab at the top to see what’s currently available. If you have any questions just feel free to ask them in any of the comment sections on the site. I always answer them – I’m just super cool like that. I will add the new manuals to the library section as I finish them up.

There are two types of water drainage called weep holes. There are weep holes in the shower drain in the floor beneath the tile, and there are (should be!) weep holes at the bottom of the tile installation on shower walls above a tub or acrylic shower base. They both do the same thing (allow water behind the tile to drain), needed for different installations. I will address both here.

Weep holes in shower drains beneath shower floor tile

In a traditional shower floor (with a pre-slope, rubber liner, top slope then tile) weep holes are required in the shower drain. The top mud deck, or top slope (the deck mud onto which the tile is installed) will remain saturated with water (if the shower is used regularly). This is called a water-in, water-out system. Water will get behind your wall tile, and beneath your floor tile. When properly constructed your shower has the waterproof liner installed over a pre-slope, then deck mud is installed over that with tile bonded directly to it.
The water that gets behind your tile will run down your waterproofing and into the floor liner. That water will soak into the deck mud on the top slope. This is normal!
With every use, the water will flush through, with new water getting behind your tile and forcing the old water down, eventually into the drain.
This is water-in, water-out.
When unused, gravity will draw that water down toward the drain. Since this layer is below your tile, so below the top opening of your drain, that water needs a way to enter the drain. That is the purpose of weep holes in your shower drain.
Regardless of your brand of clamping drain, the weep holes will be integrated into the upper flange.
A clamping drain is called that because the rubber liner…wait for it… is clamped between the upper and lower flange, creating the seal.
Tile product manufacturers aren’t known for their originality.🤷‍♂️
This image shows the hole in the liner, centered over the lower flange (place silicone beneath the liner to help seal it). The upper flange is the black ring sitting next to it. The keyhole-shaped holes are placed over the bolts, twisted to lock in place, and tightened down to clamp the liner between the two flanges and seal it. If you look at that ring the four little channels along the edge that run inward toward the four holes are your weep holes. The water runs through those channels and down into the weep holes into the drain.

Series: How to Build a Traditional Shower Floor

This series covers building a traditionally waterproofed shower floor using a clamping drain and rubber liner. Each step builds on the previous one.

1. Building the curb and installing the pre-slope
   Creating the foundation that ensures water moves toward the drain — not into your framing.
2. Positioning and installing the shower liner
   Correct placement of the liner over the pre-slope and into the drain assembly.
3. Forming the liner around the curb and flood testing
   Properly wrapping the curb and verifying the liner is watertight before moving forward.
4. Finishing the drain and forming the level perimeter
   Setting drain height and creating a consistent, level perimeter for the final mud bed.
5. Tying in wall waterproofing and finishing the mud bed <-You are here
   Integrating the walls with the floor and completing the final sloped surface.
6. Building a shower floor – Video
   Time-lapse video of creating a shower floor

And the rest . . .

Once you have your entire perimeter done you simply need to pack deck mud into the rest of the base from the perimeter to the drain. Once again – beat the hell out of it. Seriously, pack it in there really well. The more dense your floor is the better. You need to ensure that the line of the floor is straight from the wall to the drain all the way around without any major humps or dips. It takes time and patience – use both. This step is critical since this is the substrate your tile will be installed upon.

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Series: How to Build a Traditional Shower Floor

This series covers building a traditionally waterproofed shower floor using a clamping drain and rubber liner. Each step builds on the previous one.

1. Building the curb and installing the pre-slope
   Creating the foundation that ensures water moves toward the drain — not into your framing.
2. Positioning and installing the shower liner
   Correct placement of the liner over the pre-slope and into the drain assembly.
3. Forming the liner around the curb and flood testing <-You are here
   Properly wrapping the curb and verifying the liner is watertight before moving forward.
4. Finishing the drain and forming the level perimeter
   Setting drain height and creating a consistent, level perimeter for the final mud bed.
5. Tying in wall waterproofing and finishing the mud bed
   Integrating the walls with the floor and completing the final sloped surface.
6. Building a shower floor – Video
   Time-lapse video of creating a shower floor

Well now we’re ready to waterproof your curb. If you have reached this post before reading the previous two, start with How to build a shower floor from the beginning.  Now that you’re ready to get the curb cut and waterproofed lets get it done.

And yes, I know my pictures suck – I’m a tile guy for cryin’ out loud, not a professional photographer. Until you try to balance a liner, a razor knife, a margin trowel, and a camera while trying to take a photo don’t give me any crap about it. Oh, and you can click on any of the images for a full-size version – partake in the full glory of how much my photography sucks.

We need to start by finding the inside lower corner of your shower pan and making certain that the liner is pressed firmly against it. Then follow it up the corner of the curb and wall to the top inside corner of your curb. This is the spot at which you will start the cut in your liner.

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