Building Your Own Tile Shower May Just Have Gotten Easier

This post is in partnership with Mark E. Industries. All opinions are my own.

A Do-it-Yoursef Tile Shower?  Really

One of the trickiest things about constructing a tile shower is getting the proper slope on the base so water will flow toward the drain.   Also, of course, the base or pan needs to be completely watertight to avoid leaks, mold and mildew.

Mark E. Industries has created a tile shower system  they’ve dubbed “goof proof” and they say it makes shower construction easy for everyone, even inexperienced do-it-yourselfers.

The Trickiest Part:  The Base and Drain

To insure the base has the correct slope, the company has introduced the Quick Pitch Float Stick System.  It is made up of interlocking tapered plastic float sticks that can be cut to any length.  The float sticks are placed on top of a waterproof membrane then covered with mortar.  They act as a screed or guide for the trowel.  The tapered design virtually guarantees that the shower base will be properly slopped.  Take a look at the video to see just how this works.

A Solution for Shower Curbs

Shower curbs are frequently the source of water leaks, often because the waterproof liner or membrane has been punctured by nails during installation.  Mark Industries has solved this problem with a product called Kirb-Perfect -- a stay-in plastic form that has a built-in pitch on top to insure that water is diverted back into the shower.

Keep Wall Tiles from Slipping

f you’re working the larger size shower wall tiles, you’ll, no doubt, find the company’s String-a-Level -- a real time and work saver.  It’s a sectional stringer with built-in leveling bubbles designed to position and support large format tile vertically.  The device is removable and reusable. 

If you’ve wanted to tackle that shower but been a bit hesitant, take a look at this family of products from  these folks whose mission seems to be making tiling easier for everyone.

Click here for more product information.