(And no, “it’s red” is not the correct answer.)

If you guessed “there’s no hole for the drain”, you win … well, nothing. I win having to go in from the other side of the wall to drill a hole and install an elbow to connect to the existing vertical pipe the plumbers installed.

D’OH!!

The red stuff is Red Guard*, a plasticized waterproof/anti-cracking membrane, which I put in because after the obvious water damage in the shower at our last house we’re completely paranoid about moisture penetration. For instance, the inside corners in the shower surround are protected, in order, by:

1. silicone between the cement boards
2. reinforcing tape embedded in thinset
3. two coats of Red Guard
4. another coat of thinset (to come)
5. tile (to come)
6. grout (to come)

If water still gets in and rots the framing, I’m going to be very very surprised.

Anyway, the second coat cures overnight and then tomorrow morning (well, technically this morning) I tile the floor. While that’s doing its 24-hour cure, I’ll do a bunch of other handyman-type tasks around the house (like reinforcing the stairs), and then start on tiling the walls on Sunday.

It’s been a long time coming, but we’re finally in the home stretch.

* Every time I think “Red Guard”, I imagine fanatical little plastic molecules forcing laxer ones who accidentally let a water molecule through into vicious “self-criticism” sessions.