My name is Isaac Ostrom and I am a licensed contractor in Northern California. I have been licensed since 2003, so I have seen a lot over the years.
I have used many different methods to install showers, all following TCNA approved methods. Still, failures are bound to happen when you are in business for a long time. This is the first time I have encountered a failure on one of our floated showers. I suspect there are 3 circumstances that led to the issue at hand: a.) tar paper behind our float that allowed the mortar to separate from the wall, b.) stresses caused by excessive movement in the exterior walls of the home, and c.) a very soft body ceramic tile.
The only guideline that I did not follow from the TCNA is that we did not use a flexible sealant in teh changes of plane. Instead we used grout which is standard protocol for professional tile installations in our area. That will probably be changing soon. But nobody likes caulking because it gets mildew and peels off under water over time. Grout looks much nicer.
Anyways, enjoy the video and please leave your comments in the section below. Please try to be helpful so that we can all learn and get better together.