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Build an Outdoor Shower Rock Solid goes alfresco with a decorative outdoor shower. From "Rock Solid" episode DROC-204

(Continued from page 3)

	Figure N
	Figure O

Setting the River-Rock Tile Wall

After the concrete base has set up, you're ready to apply the stacked river rock to the back wall. Mix modified latex thinset in a clean bucket with a paddle mixer. Mix to achieve a paste-like consistency. Joe suggests adding a flexible additive to the mixture to add strength and flexibility.

• Spread a skim coat of thinset about a foot high with the flat edge of a notched trowel, and then follow up with a thicker coat of thinset with the notched end of the trowel; this provides a nice bed of thinset for the stacked stones to sit in.

• Start setting tile at the bottom corner and work your way up (figure N and O). Dean and Derek suggest working about a foot or two at a time and using a grout float to push the stones securely into the thinset.

• If there are holes where pebbles have fallen off of the backing, reapply the fallen stones into the holes with thinset. You can do the same to fill blank spaces at the edges or cut stones with a grinder and insert them one by one.
  

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When raising the height of the base, double check to make sure that the form pitches away from the house, mix up the concrete and pour into the form (figure P). Work the concrete with a trowel until it is smooth and has the desired pitch (figure Q), then let it set up for several hours.

Figure P

Figure Q

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