I'm installing a Swanstone 32x32 shower base over a sturdy 3/4 plywood subfloor and I'm wondering what type of mortar to use. I have a bag of mud bed mix by Mapei, but I noticed it says not to use on wood floors. I also have a bag of Prolite by Custom. Are either of these products suitable for my installation? I've noticed the install manual mentions it's optional to screw or toe nail the base to the wall, so I'm considering not doing that. Additionally, is Prolite good for both small and large format tiles? I plan to work with small tiles over Goboard in the shower and larger tiles over Ditra (or a similar product) on the floor.
2 Answers
If you have the Prolite available, it should work perfectly fine for what you’re doing. It’s not necessary to buy more if you already have something suitable. Just make sure to mix it properly for the best results!
It's a good idea to mortar the shower base to provide extra support and avoid any movement. If you're looking for a cost-effective solution, you can go with cinder block mortar. It works fine for your application, and you'll save some cash compared to using ceramic tile mortar, which is pricier but offers a longer working time. Personally, I stick with cinder block mortar since I like to dry fit my bases nicely before committing.
So would just a bag of VersaBond LFT work for this?
I have Prolite on hand, should that be sufficient?
Great, thanks! I’ll use the Prolite then.