Deck Mud

Knighton

I just tore an old tile shower out for a HO, added support to the joists and replaced the floor. The HO decided to replace the tile shower with another tile shower. He's to the point of laying the tile on the shower floor, but there are some slight imperfections in the deck mud floor. The floor near that abuts the inside of the curb is not quite level.

My question is if I remove some of the (now solid) deck mud to level it out, can I float the uneven spots with more deck mud? Will the new deck mud cling to the solidified deck mud? What about just using thinset for leveling that small amount?

Bud Cline

Fresh deck mud won't 'take' on its own and being "that thin" wouldn't be good either. Thinset mortar would be much better and bond perfectly but is hard to screed because it is so sticky. I have done this many times with thinset so I "over-fix" the area then plan on using a rub stone to hand rub the surface. Skim the whole floor. It'll work great.

Knighton

Thanks Bud.

I figured it wouldn't work that way. I used the quick pitch kirb perfect once and had to fill in a lot of imperfections in my mud job with thinset.

Do you suggest grouting the floor before completing the curb and walls. My thought is that you could get the grout in the spaces between the floor and and the wall and or curb that otherwise you wouldn't grout?

Thanks,

Knighton

Bud Cline

Probably a good idea.