How to Build a Shower Step by Step: Every Layer, the Right Way

The short answer: a good shower is a stack of layers, each one doing one job: a stiff frame, a properly set drain, a sloped mortar bed, a waterproofing membrane, a flood test, then tile set with full coverage and flexible silicone at the corners. Skip or rush one layer and the ones on top can’t save it.

Want to see it in 3D? Open the interactive shower cutaway and build it layer by layer while you read.

The build order at a glance

1. Frame and subfloor: stiff, flat, no rot.
2. Plumbing: supply lines and the shower valve on solid blocking.
3. Drain rough-in: outlet, trap and drain line at the right height.
4. Wall board: flat, solid board stopped above the mortar bed.
5. Drain body: linear or centre, set to the finished floor height.
6. Mortar bed: slip sheet, first lift, wire mesh, then the sloped second lift.
7. Curb: built from the same mortar (or left out for curbless).
8. Waterproofing: reinforced corners and seams, then two coats.
9. Flood test: overnight, before any tile.
10. Tile: full coverage, back-buttered, flat and even.
11. Grout, silicone and grate.

Structure, plumbing and drain

Tile is rigid, so it needs a rigid base. Bouncy joists, rot from an old leak or a soft subfloor get fixed first. The valve and shower elbows go on solid blocking so the trim lines up later. The drain outlet is set at a height and spot that lets the sloped floor and tile meet it cleanly. A drain set too high or too low forces a bad slope later.

The sloped mortar bed

This is where the floor gets its slope to the drain. Over wood, we build an unbonded bed the way LATICRETE describes it: a slip sheet, a first lift, wire mesh in the middle, then a hand-packed sloped top lift. More on slope in Shower Pan Slope and Drains.

Ahh ahh ahh! Beware of crumbly floor mud. A basic bagged sand mix that’s mixed too dry or too wet can crumble under the tile. We use LATICRETE 3701 Fortified Mortar Bed, mixed right. Why it matters. Best way? Do your research and hire a pro.

Waterproofing and the flood test

Every Burlington Tile shower gets LATICRETE HYDRO BAN over a custom-sloped mortar bed. Corners and seams get reinforced first, then the walls, floor, curb and drain flange get two coats. Details in Waterproofing a Shower.

Ahh ahh ahh! Beware of skinny corners. Most shower leaks start where two surfaces meet, not in the middle of a wall. Corners, seams and pipe holes get reinforced and double-coated. Best way? Do your research and hire a pro.

Ahh ahh ahh! Beware of skipping the flood test. Once tile is on, a leak is a tear-out. We plug the drain, fill the pan and leave it overnight before any tile goes down. Best way? Do your research and hire a pro.

Tile, grout and silicone

Tile goes on with full mortar coverage: combed in one direction, tile back-buttered, pressed and slid to collapse the ridges. Corners and changes of plane get flexible LATASIL silicone, not grout, because buildings move. See Setting Large Tile Without Lippage.

Ahh ahh ahh! Beware of cookie monsters. Pancake dots of thinset leave hollow spots behind the tile, so it cracks and pops loose. We back-butter and go for full coverage. Best way? Do your research and hire a pro.

Can I build my own shower?

Plenty of people do. But a shower is a hidden system: when it fails, you usually find out a year later through the ceiling below. If you DIY, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for every product, don’t mix systems, and never skip the flood test.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to build a shower?

It depends on the size and the products, and the cure times between layers add days. I DON’T KNOW your exact timeline without seeing the job. A rushed shower usually means a skipped cure.

What is the most important step in building a shower?

The waterproofing and its flood test, closely followed by the slope. Tile is the part you see, but the layers underneath decide whether it leaks.

Do you need a mortar bed under a shower floor?

You need a sloped base. Some systems use foam trays. Burlington Tile always uses a custom-sloped cement mortar bed so the slope can be tuned to the drain and tile.

Is grout waterproof?

No. Grout fills the joints. The membrane underneath is the waterproofing.

Building more than a shower? See our custom bathroom renovations in Burlington.

By Mike Bourdages, Burlington Tile. Last reviewed Mike to confirm review date.