How to Install a Shower Pan Liner

This step-by-step video walks you through the process of how to install a shower pan liner. The Oatey PVC Shower Pan Liner is an economical, flexible liner designed for use in tile showers and other concealed waterproofing applications. It's made of 40 mil thick, flexible PVC sheet and marked in 6 in. increments for easy measuring.

[DumbCarGuy]

As an installer this was a nice video. As an installer I will point out a few observations that are never mentioned in videos. 1. on the back corners you are left with 3 layers of vinyl, do you know what that does. That causes your cement board be be bent inwards at the bottom. Tile doesn't like to bend. The solution is you sawsall a fat channel like 1/4" at the back corners so you can tuck the liner behind the wall instead of folding it on the inside where you need to cement board it. 2. Don't cut the liner to the same size as the drain hold. cut a smaller hole about 1" in the center then pizza cut the rest, just 8 slices. The liner will stretch and bend into the drain hole cavity when applying the bolt on threaded thingy. Creating a much better seal. 3. Although you did a great job on the curb. Wood curbs fail because the wood shrinks leaving air space then the grout cracks then the water gets in then the tiles crack. The only solution is a cement curb then you bury the liner in the cement curb which means the first level of mud needs to be installed then you put in your liner as usual but you build the mud curb at the same time and bury the liner only half way into it tapering it up hill.

[VanOutloud]

Well, color me ignorant. I have never been involved with the construction phase, even though I've been a plumber for nearly forty years. I never once ran into one of these pan liners, even though I was constantly working on floor drain replacements, toilet flange replacements, and shower drain replacements. This video is like an epiphany. Finally, seeing the correct way to ensure your shower is properly sealed is like a lightning strike to my aged soul. All I can say is that down here in Florida they must be paying off the inspectors to look the other way. I will never accept anything less in one of my homes.

[nikomadrid]

My house which was a new build cookie cutter house has an upstairs laundry closet, no waterproofing at all, learned that the hard way. Used this to make the closet waterproofed after taking out the old ruined tile and grout. Works nice

[brendamartz]

As a single woman who will hire this work out, thank you SO much. Very helpful. Several quotes and opinions. I appreciate the open dialog gentlemen. ☮️

[Goaskdrbobcom]

Thanks for the experienced comments. God Bless

[AQUARIUMFREAK]

Would this OATEY pan liner and glue be AQUARIUM SAFE ? can i make an aquarium seal out of these materials seen here ?

[BusinessCat]

A few things to add that are missing in this video that may or may not be obvious:

1. Oatey x-15 sets up in contact with PVC *very* quickly, get your folds figured out and creased before you apply.
2. Oatey x-15 smells eye burningly strong, even with minimal exposure. I believe when I used it my sinuses were dissolved to reveal their freshest layer, even while wearing a mask and trying to keep distance.
3. The curb requires smaller hospital folds to deal with excess material, people may already know this, but it's not explicitly shown in the video.

[Renatousa]

Thanks for this video, helped me a lot 👍👍👍

[belencamugli]

I need this
Material.
I
Live in Argentina.thanks!!!

[bridalbuddy]

What if the pvc liner has folds in it? How do you flatten it to install it flat?

[stevefrey]

How thick should the mortar be at the drain under the pan liner? How thick should the mortar layer over the pan liner be? How is the cement board attached to the curb without making holes in the pan liner? Thanks

[anthonyroyal]

How do you go about tiling the shover curb over the PVC? It is my understanding that mortar will not adhere to the PVC

[robeagleton]

The video doesn't show how to cut the corner where the curb is.

[tomfletcher]

The video didn’t show how to do the liner corners a the curb. Some people will cut and think the dam corner will seal. I folded and sealed with X15 so as not to compromise the liner at the curb corners

[BonBon]

Wow look at that it takes the company to show somebody how to do it right LOL, I would take a oscillating tool with a brand new blade and knocked out those three layered sections in the corners of the wood so it recess is back in the woods so your concrete board or foam board or whatever using does not bulge out at the bottom. And I've never done the double curb system but I would like to add you should pitch your curb because when water gets down on top of that liner, and the two-by-four curb is level the water's going to go one way or the other you wanted to go inside the shower so always pitch the two-by-four ittle bit into the shower, also in my opinion X-15 on top of the bottom three piece drain and underneath is the only place X15 or silicone should be, I know you guys use silicone or whatever I think X-15 work better. I've done some tests. Either is fine. I also use a plastic weep hole protector every single shower even if it's linear drain. And at first I was like he stapling through the top of the curb LOL but then you covered it with the second piece, you actually don't need the second piece you just make the same folds and you do the same cut that you did on top of the curb on the outside and the damn corners, also damn Corners are recommended on the outside and inside so we use for now. I constantly have to come in because I'm a tile guy and fix plumbing guys problems putting silicone on top of the liner and then putting the second piece down and screwing and smashing and smearing silicone and clogging the weep holes, so I have to disassemble it before the silicone dries get it all out make sure it works, flood test excetera and these are professional plumbing companies LOL. Most tile guys know how to hook up a shower drain w a y better than most plumbers. Sorry but it's the truth. Great also in the beginning of the video it shows you screwing the bottom piece down to the wood subfloor but that leaves no room for the pre-slope and then your video skips to the pre-slope being done but that's what the little for divots are for on the bottom of that piece of bottom drain it's a half-inch room to accept half inch concrete for the pre slope

[thefinaldispatch]

I still don’t understand how 3/8” of mortar and tile works with the drain cover sitting so high from the liner

[buzz-]

anyway to test that shower pan without having to put in a bunch of water? I'm doing one on the second floor and if it leaks, it will ruin the downstairs ceiling...

[johnnyramos]

The shower divider where the door sits on that part also gets cement board ?

[Apexjasonmorganllc]

Good video. No woods in curbs ever though. Mud curb only

[WindoWarrior]

Me in my head (I got this easy) I'm over here sweating bullets taking 3 months finally got the liner on I used recycled styrofoam in my mix with some rock and a little bit of sand an polymer liquid some water more type S it's for an rv so I had too keep it lightweight could have had a taller pan I'm hopeful I can fix that with foam panels more lightweight mix and epoxy will be using magic liquid seal with fish rocks decorated I tryed keeping it all in one piece for the toilet right next too it might have to cut and glue too get a better fit tho