Before work begins
Why curbless is a different build
A curbless shower has no dam at the entry. The bathroom floor flows into the shower, and water stays inside only because the shower floor is lower than the room and slopes away from the opening toward a drain. That simple idea drives every other decision. Without a curb, the slope, the drain location, and the waterproofing have to do all of the work.
Sons Marble & Tile installs curbless tile showers in Phoenix and across the Valley. We take calls 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 602-885-7438, and the first conversation is usually about feasibility: how the floor is built, where the drain is, and how much height we have to work with.
Slab recess or floor buildup
Most Phoenix homes sit on a concrete slab. To get the shower floor below the room, there are two broad paths. One is to recess the slab in the shower area so the pan can be built down into it. The other is to raise the surrounding bathroom floor so the shower can be built at the original slab level. Each path affects different parts of the house.
Recessing a slab is structural and plumbing work. It must be assessed before it is planned, and cutting into a slab involves trades and evaluations beyond tile. Raising the bathroom floor avoids slab cutting but changes heights at the door, the toilet flange, and the vanity. We explain both options for your bathroom and coordinate the assessments that are needed instead of guessing.
Slope and where water goes
Every part of a curbless floor has to slope toward the drain, including the area right at the entry. If the slope is too shallow, water creeps toward the bathroom. If the transition at the opening is abrupt, it becomes a ridge under your feet. We plan the slope from the drain outward and confirm that the entry point lands at or above the high side of the shower floor.
Larger showers with a long run to the drain need more total drop, which is why depth is such a central question. We measure that depth before committing to a design.
Linear drains in a curbless shower
Linear drains are common in curbless showers because they let the floor slope in a single plane. Placed across the entry, a linear drain catches water before it reaches the opening. Placed at the back wall, it lets the entry sit at the high point of the floor. Each placement changes how the floor reads and how much recess is required.
The drain body, its outlet, and its connection to the plumbing are set and confirmed by a licensed plumber. We then tie the waterproofing into the drain flange according to the drain and membrane manufacturers.
Waterproofing continuity beyond the shower
Because there is no curb, the waterproofing should extend past the shower opening into the bathroom floor. Splash and the occasional overflow do not stop at an invisible line. We carry a continuous membrane across the transition and up the walls, with corners, seams, and penetrations treated according to the system we use.
Glass for a curbless shower usually mounts to the floor and wall without a curb beneath it, which means the glass company needs a flat, solid surface and backing in the right places. We plan those details before tile.
Accessibility goals and next steps
Many homeowners choose curbless to make showering easier now or later. We can plan wide openings, blocking for grab bars, and a built or fold down seat. We do not promise that a shower meets any specific accessibility standard; if you need that, bring the requirement and the right professional into planning early.
Removal of the existing shower or tub is included only with the new installation. Send photos of the bathroom, a note on whether the house has a slab or raised floor, and the drain location you have now. Call Sons Marble & Tile, ROC 294160, any time at 602-885-7438.