Shower pan

Abstract

A pre-fabricated shower pan provides the features of a custom on-site constructed shower pan. The pre-fabricated shower pan comprises a wood frame, a drain, a sloped floor, and a hot-mopped tar covering. A box is constructed from a four by six dam on one or two sides, one by six lumber on the remaining sides, and a plywood floor. A drain is mounted in the center of the plywood floor. The sloped floor is created by layers of composition shingles or similar material. Tar is mopped over the shingles and on the inside of the box to provide a watertight seal. The tar may further be mopped over part or all of the outside of the box.

1 . A prefabricated shower pan comprising: 
 a box comprising: 
 a floor;  
 at least one dam attached to the floor;  
 at least one side wall attached to the floor; and  
 a rear wall attached to the floor;  
   a shower pan interior defined by a top surface of the floor and inside surfaces of the walls and the dam;    a drain approximately centered on the floor;    a filler on the floor creating a slope from the dam and walls downward to the drain; and    a waterproof coating applied over the inside surface.    
   
   
       2 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the floor is plywood.  
   
   
       3 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the walls are solid wood walls.  
   
   
       4 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the dam is a solid wood dam.  
   
   
       5 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the filler comprises layers of composite shingles.  
   
   
       6 . The shower pan of  claim 5 , wherein the filler includes layers of composite shingles forming a slope.  
   
   
       7 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the drain is an instaset drain.  
   
   
       8 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the drain is a two-piece hot mop shower pan drain.  
   
   
       9 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein the waterproof coating is hot-mopped tar.  
   
   
       10 . The shower pan of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 an outside face of the dam is even with a corresponding edge of the floor; and    outside faces of the walls are even with corresponding edges of the floor.    
   
   
       11 . A prefabricated shower pan comprising: 
 a box comprising: 
 a plywood floor;  
 at least one solid wood dam attached to the floor;  
 at least one solid wood side wall attached to the floor; and  
 a solid wood rear wall attached to the floor;  
   a shower pan interior defined by a top surface of the floor and inside surfaces of the walls and the dam;    a drain approximately centered on the floor;    layers of composite shingles on the floor creating a slope from the dam and walls downward to the drain; and    hot mopped tar applied over the inside surface and a top surface of the dam.    
   
   
       12 . A method for constructing a pre-fabricated shower pan, the method comprising: 
 providing a floor;    cutting a drain hole in the floor;    attaching a dam to a front edge of the floor;    attached side walls to the dam and to side edges of the floor;    attaching a rear wall to the side walls and to a rear edge of the floor;    attaching a drain to the floor, the drain residing in the drain hole;    laying a filler on the floor between the dam and walls and the drain to create a sloped floor sloping downward towards the drain;    covering interior surfaces on the floor, dam, and walls with a water proof sealant.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein covering interior surfaces on the floor comprises covering interior surfaces on the floor while leaving weep holes of the drain uncovered.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein covering interior surfaces on the floor, dam, and walls with a water proof sealant comprises covering interior surfaces on the floor, dam, and walls with hot mopped tar.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further including cover the outside surfaces of the shower pan with hot mopped tar.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , further including installing the shower pan comprising the steps of: 
 cutting notches in studs to accept the shower pan;    positioning the shower pan in the notches;    fixing the shower pan to the studs;    removing a drain grating;    inserting a length pipe into the drain and into a coupling residing below the drain; and    tightening a fitting in the drain around the pipe to form a seal.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , further including applying glue to the length of pipe before inserting the length pipe into the drain and into the coupling.