That's about what I take/plan for. The niches and seats are time suckers. I can see why some guys are doing Kerdi on the base and liquid everywhere else.

 

If I remember right this one took me about 6-7 hours...one niche, 3'x3'. That included setting the foam base.

I did have a small corner shelf I added later that took about 45 min to attach and Kerdi.

Curious where others fall timing wise because I too feel a little slow.

 

I think I'm usually around a day as well. Depends on the scope but also depends on if that's all I'm doing which is rarely the case.

We do such variety that some days I'm there by myself or with one person and other days it's at a whole house remodel and I'm managing several guys so obviously that would take longer.

I certainly prefer the Kerdi board to drywall with Kerdi on top. It's an overall faster process.

I also feel slow when doing it but I'd guess I do 4-6 a year right now so it's nothing I will blow you away with. After attending the Schluter workshop's, I was going a good bit faster just because of help with technique.

 

I have been averaging a day for a Schluter shower. Wish that I had better access to Wedi products. It would cut my time down significantly.

 

Is it faster than Kerdi board?

 

I use kerdi board frequently. The two wedi that I have done, it was 50% faster. It offsets the higher cost of the wedi board and pan. I also like their drain attachment better.

 

This thread makes me feel better. A clean job seems to take the better part of a day when there are niches and whatnot. I finally did a kerdi board shower though and it is faster, especially if you factor in savings on hanging drywall. The corners are super sharp too if you break the boards elsewhere.

 

When you say break the boards elsewhere, are you getting at cutting through one side and breaking the board but not cutting the other face and having a flat seam vs a corner?

Or to put it differently, are you wrapping the corner with Kerdi board?

 

Can't seem to justify the expense of kerdi board. $50 for a 4x4 sheet is ridiculous.

 

Full sheets are a little better and the install will have fewer seams.


Sure it's ~$3/sf, but I can haul a whole shower's worth with one hand in one trip, install, and get a good start on tiling in a one day. Kerdi membrane over drywall is almost the same cost but takes longer to install.

It's also cool, you can spot adhere it to the old substrate, or drywall, to make walls perfectly flat with no sistering studs, shaving and shimming.

I used to do all liquid but I got tired of cement board and the added steps.

It'd be interesting to do a cost comparison factoring in time and materials.

 

I factor in a day for any waterproofing of a shower. They almost all have a niche, so framing that in and whatnot it takes times.
I also prefer the Kerdi-board over the membrane. The speed and ease of installing it is too good to pass up. A nice trick I picked up when tiling up to an existing drywall ceiling is to squeeze Kerdi fix along the top edge of the board before you hang it. If you're careful when you put it on, it creates a nice seal between the ceiling and wall.

 

An 8-9 hour day for a 3x4 shower with Kerdi, 4-5 hours with Kerdi board.

I do not find Wedi any faster, you have to rabbet joints and seal all the corners, seams and penetrations.

Tom

 

Are you gluing your kerdi board on or using fasteners?



If you are using fasteners, all the treatments to seams penetrations and joints are similar. I find that it is quicker to run a bead of sealant than it is to use kerdi band, plus not as much buildup at the schluter pan, wall, curb connection.



It goes really quick with a cordless sausage gun. You also don't have to glue the drain to the pvc (on a remodel), and you don't have to waterproof the pan with kerdi membrane. The only rabbet you cut is the pan to wall connection, and pan extensions.



I also hate cutting the kerdi band for the fasteners.



Each individual is different in their preferences and speed. I just like the Wedi better overall if I have a choice. Most of the work I have been doing lately is just labor only for a builder. He supplies the materials and loves Schluter

 

USG is coming out with a product that's a foamboard at a much more user friendly price point. The seams get taped like Kerdi. No washers needed. I don't know if they have a floor/drain setup yet.

I use foamboard glue behind wedi in some spots to level or add strength while reducing fasteners, like at a niche.

I still use which ever product is right for a particular job. Wedi-like products really reduce the mess in a room, less worry about carrying stuff upstairs and scratching something and instant waterproofing.

 

I always wondered if this stuff is even worth it.

How long has it been around?

 

http://www.schluter.com/22.aspx

Tom

 

It makes sense on a job where you are only doing the bathroom and have nothing else to work on, but in a production environment isn't spraying or rolling on a liquid membrane less costly and less labour?

 

I used Red Guard once, 2 days with prep and dry time.

Tom

 

I went full circle with showers when I gave a ****. Ended with dry pre slope drypack full liquid.

The kerdi board isnt strong enough between 16oc imo. I started run 1/2 ply first and full gluing before I woke up and said f that...

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Wedi is cement coated on both sides which gives it rigidity. The USG product I mentioned seems to have a denser foam and sturdy plastic-like skin.

A first layer of plywood? I understand why you switched.

 

And the unmod jibberish is simply nonsense. And Schluter will hire anybody even woldllc... lol

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Thats suprising. You can get anything in Chicagoland. I guess since angus is out they were like f it... lmao

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I have 2 stocking dealers within 5 miles of me.

Tom

 

i don't think a 1/2 a day is as long as it used to be:sad:

 

I'm lucky to get 3 hours out of my half day, if I get 4 then i'm not getting things done fast enough.:laughing:

 

I do Redgard as well in a day no problems...a fan certainly speeds up curing but it dries pretty fast, especially the first coat.

Much easier and less costly than the competition. Not that there's anything wrong with Schluter Kerdi...except it costs like festool :blink:

 

Yeah, I can't compete on price. Although there are other flooring installers who do showers locally who use kerdi also.

Its pretty much gonna be at least $1500 labor and material for me to get a basic shower waterproofed with a niche and corner seat.

 

Those of you doing liquid are you not taping and mudding the seams? What are you using behind the liquid? CBU always seems very labor intensive to install.

 

No need to mud. Fibafuse and AD.

 

when I use liquids, I thinset the corners, seams and nailheads. I know some of you use the fibermesh for corners and seams but I trust thinset more. Then I spot liquid the seams and nail heads. Then the whole board gets coated.

First coat dries within an hour usually. Second coat can take 2-3 hours depending on temp/humidity. I don't use a fan directly on the walls as I think it only dries the liquids surface and leaves just below uncured. Getting on the wall too soon re-wets an uncured membrane,imo. By the time I cbd the wall, and get to the second coat that's the day. There is no "we."

 

You should try the we, makes the job so much faster and easier.

 

Anyone seen this yet? I am tempted to try it...

https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...derlayment/goboard-trade-ultra-light-waterproof-tile-backer-board/p-2363329.htm

 

60 sheet minimum order according to the link.

Tom

 

I went to the Remodeling Show, there are so many different products out there now it's crazy.

Tom

 

Tile is my main thing. I do anywhere from 2-4 showers a month so I may be a bit faster. I use Schluter exclusively. Foam pan, Kerdi over drywall. If the seats aren't already framed in I use Kerdi board for the seats. By myself I can waterproof a shower start to finish in 3-4 hrs. If I have to pack a partial pan for larger showers I have to come back and install the band and Kerdi on the base. If I have a helper I usually figure a half day to install base, drain, Kerdi on walls and pack pan and set curb on a 6x8 shower.

I haven't used wedi so I don't have anything to compare to.

 

Be soooo careful with wedi pans. Any caulk joint below the tile floor is really scary


Kerdi board flexes a lot ....anyone else notice that?

 

I assume it stiffens up when tiled similar to the plastic niche pans that are has hard as a rock when tiled.

I am seriously considering Kerdi Board after getting some pricing from a supplier. I am also thinking about going Ditra as well.

 

The flex when setting messes with my flatness.

We have a board here called prova ...it is great ...similar to wedi , very stiff. Duroc is introducing one also.

Ditra is a really nice product . As far as crack prevention , nothing comes close .
The only concern I have is the new, impregnated moisture resistant subfloors aren't really great to bond it to, they are somewhat waxy.

 

Usually closer to a full day than a half day for me as well, once prep and and clean up time are included. I've seen and had guys do in in a half day but they are not doing the tilers any favours. IMO a couple of hours extra to get it done right pay dividends on ease and quality of work to follow.

 

I fully agree. I'll shim out the tile backer, and shave down studs if I have to, to make a flat surface. I like to float out any dips in the wall with leftover thinset at the end of the day too.