Continuing the bathroom construction. Making slow progress. The challenge today is to install a floor drain. I’m using a linear drain. The linear drain comes with a traditional round floor drain. Some of the more expensive drains come with integrated flange materials that can be glued right onto whatever waterproofing system you are using.The challenge is to waterproof the area where the floor meets the drain. I’m using a paint-on waterproofing membrane on the floor and walls, but right here at the drain, that won’t work.

So. I built up a subflooring with 3/4 plywood, about 2″ below the primary subflooring. That is supported by 2×6’s on the joists below.

Now I need to install a traditional shower pan plastic sheet for under the drain to ensure nothing gets by. This is additionally challenging in that I have to make adjustments from below the floor and above it. Lots of stairs. I also have some guesswork involved when it comes to matching the finished height of the drain with the finished height of the tile. The tile isn’t in yet and the drain height has to be set first. Got the lights in and working and the ceiling drywall.

The floor will be covered by 1/2″ hardi-backer to give the tile a firm support. The 5mm plywood (luan) is there to add depth and assist the slope of the floor to the drain. This shower will be curbless and ADA compliant. But also, really attractive. The gray you see is the thin set mortar under the hardiboard to give it a solid adhesion to the subflooring. I check the slope using a spirit level (a common tool, not a new age snake oil technique) to ensure water will gently move to the drain and not pool on the floor.

As I noted last year, my stairs going to the basement are wet. You can see the dark spots In this picture.

There is no leak anywhere in the house. Moisture is simply being absorbed from the air (humid summer) and soaking the stairs. I suspect there is some sort of spilled chemical that accounts for this. It only happens when the humidity is high.

My AC capacitor broke last week so the humidity inside the house isn’t being “dried” like it normally would. I expected a new part today from Amazon, but its delayed until Monday.

This capacitor is bad since the top is bulging out, and the fat in the outside condenser and compressor won’t start. If I flick the fan with a stick, it will turn and rotate normally. Also. It failed the multimeter test.

Silly HVAC parts stores arent open after 4pm or on weekends. The part is normally about $15, or $250 if you call out an HVAC repair guy to do it.

This little jerk is an asshole.

He flew into my car window and announced himself by stinging me in the head, above my ear.

D.c. is currently inundated by every sexual deviant, activist and fat girl pretending to be lesbian so she doesn’t feel bad about being unattractive to … well… everyone.

Add in the drug addicts openly using.

It’s a total zoo.

I decided to save you all from the close up pictures of fat people and perverts of various types.

This is why we test the system under pressure before closing the walls and laying tile.

Small water drops forming at the edge of the teflon tape. A slow leak that over time, would have led to catastrophic failure of the shower wall, mold, and floor rot.

Easy fix. Crescent wrench and an extra turn tightening each coupling. All night test will continue to check for further problems.

The 2×10 that the orange valve is attached to is secured to the verticle 2x6s with screws. This will make it easy to adjust the depth of the valve behind the tile so it isn’t too proud or too deep.

For the master bath project, I mentioned I was using retrofit LED lights. Here’s how.

Out of the box, they look like this.

I clip off the plug and hard wire them into my light circuit.

Those wire “whiskers” are there to hold the device into the cans. I dont have cans. So I bent them to better hold drywall from behind.

I bought a hole driller from China Freight. Then practiced on some scrap drywall. It was difficult and I needed some practice. I recommend a light hand and slow speed drill.

And completed, they will look like this.