Shower of Cement

IMO, tile is purely for looks and a water barrier. No rules say you have to tile. But if you don't, be sure the cement gets a good healthy coating of some type of water sealant. Plenty of products out there to choose from.

But why not tile? Tile is fairly inexpensive.Easy to work with and gives the shower a more completed look.

When an uncle of mine tiled his little bathroom, he was able to get all of the tile for free. Check around various construction jobs and see what left overs they might have.

Thanks for the response. I live in a small country. no free tiles here :-( cheapest tiles here cost around usd $1.20 (more for shower floor tiles) per sq. ft. typical shower walls and floor about 50 sq ft.then grout and thinset. the work is also time consuming. I just want to pour the shower floor and rent. req

Then just go ahead and do the cement. Just waterproof it good. Have fun.

Usually a concrete lined shower would have a pan or vinyl/neoprene/pliable plastic/waterproof membrane under the concrete. This is the "dam" so to speak, and here we need to fill that with water to get it inspected by the county building inspector. So, the concrete is a base for the tile, and the membrane under the concrete stops the moisture that wicks through. It is tied into the shower drain. I suppose one could put the membrane in, float concrete toward the drain, and when dry, paint the surface or seal it well with a waterproof sealer/silicon/product. If trying to go cheap, and person could put in exposed aggregate floor also. Remember that shower floors do get very dirty, and the smoother/or less porous they are/less joints/means easier cleaning too. I know that there are boat paints, that will go over concrete like a concrete boat that are very smooth and washable. Lots of ideas......... john

hehe I like that subject line.. But.. do you have to tile the shower floor and sides ? I am partitioning some two bed apts and making them into 4 rooms with bathroom (shower only, no tub)is it possible to make one out of cement and have the good moisture control? Pools are like that and some wash tubs/basins. Looking for the cheapest way to do these renovations.

NLOCP. req

He said he lives in a very small country. Which might not have such luxuries as a membrane so readily available.

He said he lives in a very small country. Which might not have such luxuries as a membrane so readily available.

How about a layer of truck bed liner? Mythbusters showed that the stuff can withstand a blast from ten feet away. It can be brushed on like paint.

Good idea ......Wax. Fiberglass....... Rolled up plastic tarps......... Many things will work. A pan can be made out of sheet metal....... Depends on what you have how long you want it to last, codes, money..... time, etc. john

How about a layer of truck bed liner? Mythbusters showed that the stuff can withstand a blast from ten feet away. It can be brushed on like paint.

Thanks. that's an excellent example to go with pools and wash basins. A concrete boat. I'll use coloured concrete. Then if I feel up to it stain and/or groove and grout it req

We have plastic sheets that we put down before a pour. req