Schluter Shower System vs. a Traditional Mortar Bed: What Homeowners Should Know

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If you're planning a new shower in Folsom, Sacramento or the Bay Area, one of the first questions is what goes under the tile. Tile and grout are not waterproof. What keeps water out of your walls and subfloor is the layer behind them. There are two main ways to build it.

The traditional mortar bed

For decades, showers were built in layers: a sloped mortar "pre-slope," a vinyl or PVC pan liner, then a second mortar bed on top, with weep holes at the drain. The walls got cement board with a plastic moisture barrier behind it.

It works when every step is done perfectly. The catch is that water is allowed to soak through the tile and the top mortar layer, and only stops at the liner underneath. If the weep holes clog or the pre-slope is off, water sits in the mortar. That's how you get musty smells, dark grout lines and, eventually, a failed shower pan.

The Schluter approach

Schluter moves the waterproofing up, directly under the tile. A thin orange membrane called KERDI is bonded to the walls and floor with thin-set mortar, and the tile is set right on top of it. Water never gets into the mortar or the wall backing, so the shower dries out between uses.

Instead of building slopes out of mortar by hand, the floor can be a pre-sloped foam tray (KERDI-SHOWER), and the drain has a flange that bonds directly to the membrane. We break down each part in every layer of a Schluter shower, explained.

Side by side

	Traditional mortar bed	Schluter system
Where water stops	Liner under the mortar	Membrane right under the tile
Mortar stays dry?	No, it gets wet	Yes
Floor slope	Hand-floated mortar	Pre-sloped tray or mortar
Mold and efflorescence risk	Higher if details are missed	Lower
Manufacturer warranty	Depends on parts	Up to lifetime with Schluter thin-set
Build time	Longer (mortar must cure)	Shorter

Why we use Schluter on most showers

In 15+ years of tile work, Mike has learned exactly where showers tend to fail. Versa Tile builds most showers with the Schluter system because fewer steps means fewer places for a leak to start, and the waterproofing can be checked before a single tile goes on.

A mortar bed still has a place, for example when a shower floor has an unusual shape. But for most bathrooms, a Schluter shower is the more forgiving, longer-lasting choice. Learn more about our Schluter shower installation service.

You can see the full line of Schluter shower systems on Amazon.

Planning a shower?

If you're replacing an old shower, read our post on signs your shower pan is leaking. When you're ready, call or text Mike at 916-847-2825 for a free estimate.