Rant: I was dead set on a curbless shower until the joist guy showed up

I had my heart set on tearing out the tub for a curbless walk-in, but when the contractor popped the floor in my 1950s ranch near Dayton he found 2x8 joists notched down to about 3 inches by an old drain line. I switched to a 4 inch curb and used the money I saved on a proper Schluter pan instead. Has anyone here run into notched joists killing a curbless plan, and did you sister them or just go with a curb?

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felixm2914d ago

Sistering those notched 2x8s would've cost you more than the pan did, and you still might not pass inspection depending on how deep the notch ran. Three inches of wood left on a joist carrying a tile floor is asking for deflection, and a curbless pan needs a solid base or it cracks. I think you made the right call going with the 4 inch curb. Lot of guys dig their heels in on curbless and end up spending 5 grand to fix sagging joists later.

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