Shower trays and underfloor heating

bro'

I assume for UFH that you do not put piping under the shower trays or is this incorrect?

I am interested in hearing about what other people did in their bathrooms with underfloor heating installed.

Also,
My shower tray is 180mm [~7''] high and i wanted to see about inserting the shower tray on the sub floor before the insulation and screed is poured so that I would only have about 1 inch of the tray visible above the finished floor?
I appreciate that no accesss would then be possible to the tray if this done but do not believe you would need to go near the shower tray in it's lifetime?

Appreciate peoples thoughts on this idea?

Viking House

Hi Bro

We use Danish Mira tanking products for all our bathrooms.
You don't need a shower tray with this system.
We also combine it with electric UF heating cables.
We don't sell these products but we import them for our own use.

http://www.viking-house.net/tanking-and-wetrooms

bro'

Thanks viking but i am stuck with the shower tray setup as have the enclosure and trays ordered

I want to replicate a wet room effect with a shallow tray and so was thinking of placing the 180mm tray on the floor and pouring the screed around it with the UFH so I would reduce the hight of the tray. Would this be possible?

tribesman

Would this mean that you'd have to chase the trap and waste pipe into the subfloor? This won't be very easy in strong contrete.

Also, bear in mind where your waste pipe is going. If you place the shower tray down low will you still have a the correct fall to a gully outside.

bro'

tribesman wrote:

Would this mean that you'd have to chase the trap and waste pipe into the subfloor? This won't be very easy in strong contrete.

Also, bear in mind where your waste pipe is going. If you place the shower tray down low will you still have a the correct fall to a gully outside.

Hi tribesman, would the 6-7 inches be enough clearance. I was thinking of getting the 7'' high shower tray placed onto the subfloor [bisen slabs upstairs] and then build the 6 inch finished floor around it? I will check with the plumber next week as he is on hols this week.

tribesman

I should point out that I'm no expert so be all means check this with your plumber.

Does the 7" tray include the height required for the trap? Or does the trap need to be placed underneath the tray completely? If you look at the attached picture you'll understand the difference. SCoramshowertray_002.gif

If the waste pipe has to run on top of the slab then your trap will have to sit on top of the slab and your tray will sit on top of the trap regardless of how high it ends up.

bro'

I'm pretty sure the trap fits within the tray height as in your picture link...

I will check with the plumber next week on the waste fall as the waste pipe will run on the bi'sen slab and be covered with the 6 inch finished floor.

tribesman

One other thing. 6" seems a lot for upstairs. We have underfloor heating in a screed upstairs and the total thickness above the slab is only 4". 1" of polyiso insulation and 3" of screed. Are you having more insulation or more screed? If more screed then the response of you UFH may be slow.

Viking House

I think you have too many combinations.
Why not return the shower tray to the supplier and get a proper wetroom waste from Davies. The shower doors can still be used.

When we do wetroom/UF heating combinations we first put down a layer of green plasterboard, then we run the UF cable on top of that.
We put strips of plasterboard between the cable loops and pour self levelling compound around the cables level with the strips of plasterboard.
We then use the Mira triple layer rubberoid/membrane combination on top of that which goes 4 inches up the wall all round the bathroom and up 2 metres in the shower area. We tile on top of the tanking system.

We use Mosaik tiles in the shower area to give a fall to the waste trap.

jdh

Hi folks. Your info makes for good reading. I am also installing UFH upstairs 2" of insulation and 3" of screed. Like you, I wanted the shallow tray, and the tray to be heated by UFH. My plumber also recommended forgetting the tray, and tanking instead, to use mosaic tiles, to accomodate good water flow to the gulley. I'd be concerned about putting an off the shelf tray on or near the subfloor, as you will suffer heat loss due to reduced insulation. I plan to contour the 3" screen down a litte in the shower area, and pre-set the gulley. It seems the most logical solution, but open to your thoughts....Thx, D

bro'

jdh wrote:

Hi folks. Your info makes for good reading. I am also installing UFH upstairs 2" of insulation and 3" of screed. Like you, I wanted the shallow tray, and the tray to be heated by UFH. My plumber also recommended forgetting the tray, and tanking instead, to use mosaic tiles, to accomodate good water flow to the gulley. I'd be concerned about putting an off the shelf tray on or near the subfloor, as you will suffer heat loss due to reduced insulation. I plan to contour the 3" screen down a litte in the shower area, and pre-set the gulley. It seems the most logical solution, but open to your thoughts....Thx, D

My builder incorporated a 6'' finished floor upstairs as per the ground floor hence the reason for 2'' of insulation upstairs as i do not want more than 3'' of screed- I guess it's the same for you.
You mention having UFH under your shower tray ? I would not have thought this would be necessary as you are only in the shower a few minutes of the day and by the nature of a shower it/you will be warmed by the hot water. If you want the shower tray warmed just turn on the shower a few minutes before you get in

As my bathroom supplier delivered the wrong size trays, I am building a timber frame around where the shower tray will fit allowing the builder to pour the screed, then i can fit the trays and fill in any gaps [1-2''] around the tray with more cement mix ready for tiling.