pebbles for area under shower - how to fix - Tile Advice

[hfj]

Hello. I'm building a shower/wet area in my upstairs bathroom. It's got a timber floor. I'm using a pre-formed wetroom tray which has a central drain.

I want to use flat pebbles as a base in the shower area. They are a variety of sizes from 15mm to 45mm diameter.

I've got the pebbles, but I am not sure what I should be using to bed them down on the wetroom tray. The pebbles are dark grey, and I was looking to use a dark grey grout in between.

Should I put down a layer of tile adhesive first, bed the pebbles in that, and then grout between? Or something else?

Any suggestions on how to get a smooth, fluid appearance of the 'grout' between the stones?

Any suggestions on the type of adhesive (if needed) and grout that I should use?

Thanks!

 

[White Room]

Will the pebbles need sealing before/after fixing.

 

[hfj]

Will the pebbles need sealing before/after fixing.

I guess they do need sealing with a matt clear stone sealer. Before and after.

 

[Dave]

Check on weight/depression issues onto your tray with the chosen tiles ..

 

[hmtiling]

I'd use a good s1 adhesive.
You may find that you have to strip the edges of the sheets as they often don't tessellate too well. Dry lay them first to see. I'd also recommend using a wide joint grout like Bal wideflex.

 

[hmtiling]

Check on weight/depression issues onto your tray with the chosen tiles ..

Good point! May not be suitable for foam core

 

[Qwerty]

Have you actually stepped onto them with bare feet? Not the most comfortable surface to be showering on

 

[Flintstone]

I know some do but personally I wouldn't have pebble on a wet tray in my home. The best way to get them perfect or as you want would be to remove them all from the sheets and fit them individually.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Ive got a funny feeling that hfj is using real pebbles.

I would advise using mosaic pebbles (on a sheet). They will be pretty flat and spaced close together. The matted backing holding them together will hold them to the shower tray. Grouting would be easier too.