Cross cut the Better Bench with a Sawzall and bend it to the length you want. It's essentially a concrete form, so it doesn't have to be all that accurate or pretty. Either that or have a custom solid surface bench made.

Good post, Joe.

Thanks, didn't know I could just cut it down to size.

Floating Bench out of Kerdi Board? That's funny. Kerdi Board is the single worst product to be launched in this industry in the past 10 years.

Think about it.

Kerdi Board has no Kerdi on it.

Uses paper to make it strong (referred to as "Special Reinforcing Layer in diagram").

Is made of foam.

And you want to tile on it?

The better bench is made of steel. Screwed to wall studs. Then gets 1.5" of concrete. Then waterproofing then tile.

There is no comparison. Kerdi Board is crap.

Why did I read this??? I have Kerdi board going in my shower as I type. Actually, it went in yesterday. They are tiling today. Ugh!

What is wrong with Kerdi board?

Kerdi board s an excellent product which has been well researched and is approved by the TCNA. There will always be some contractors who have favorite and less-than-favorite products. If kerdi board is installed as per the manufacturer's instructions (as all products should) you will have a leak free shower with no worries.

"....Why did I read this??? I have Kerdi board going in my shower as I type. Actually, it went in yesterday. They are tiling today. Ugh!

What is wrong with Kerdi board?..." - ck_squared

Think about it.

Kerdi Board has no Kerdi on it.

Uses paper to make it strong.

Is made of foam.

That's enough I think. I could go on and on but that will only upset you and the others. I won't use the product. Won't use the stuff from Wedi or Laticrete either. I think all foam backer boards are designed for a more mature setter. One that can not lift proper sheets of cement board and who need to take up ever sheet in one trip not make 3 or 5 trips up the stairs.

If you want to use Kerdi Board make it yourself. Cover cement board with Kerdi.

"....The KerdiBoard bench IS lined with metal, it IS waterproof, you don't have to "mud" it, it is VERY structurally secure and is quite similar to Innova's "Better Bench."..." - Avanti Tile & Stone / Stonetech

Lined with metal? That's hilarious. I guess the old handbooks, Kerdi training workshops and trade show booths that showed using the Kerdi Board by itself where all wrong then?

What happened? Did they have too many issues with just Kerdi Fix and Kerdi Board? Or was the paper layer just not thick enough to make it stiff enough?

Nope~The board works just fine. This was a framework by Schluter I saw at Dal a couple of days ago. First time I've seen it...already cut to dimension with a metal face you drop KerdiBoard into and attach to the wall.

Exactly my point. If the Board was working the right way (with no metal frame) as they launched it they would not be coming out with a "Fix" now that involves some decent building materials for a shower bench. I assume the tile guys aren't buying into the marketing either and the 2" stock of Kerdi Board is aging in the supplier shelves. I bet what you think you saw was some who used a better bench rack and then someone cut some Kerdi Board to fit in it. If Schluter has made a new framework that will be priceless. In a funny kind of way.

You would think if the board was designed for the floating install it would be shown in the Kerdi Board pdf file online. But Nope. You would also think that anyone promoting the board would have build one by now. Nope. You would think you would see any images online. Nope. At best you might see a small corner bench.... That's it. If you goggle Floating Kerdi Bench you see no metal device and no examples online of anything other than a small corner bench. There are more examples of corner benches installed with no form work or frame than with.

Kerdi Board as a floating bench is a bad idea. But that's my opinion. I'm sure in the private test labs and in controlled settings it works just fine. If you can recreated those perfect installs then everything should be just fine.

I like to jump on my benches. Kick them. Then I waterproof and tile. But that's just me. As a Houzz poster I have been writing articles, adding content to discussions and posting my work year after year. Every builder has their own preferences for what products are best. I formed mine on Kerdi Board after doing a lot of private testing. I learned that when testing the niches that 2 out of 3 leaked. I later learned that my test was too tough on the shower niche because I filled it with water to the top. The Irony in this debate is that Paul from Cabot & Rowe was the first person to alert me to the fact that Kerdi Board wicks water. He was given some newly released stock to play with. He blogged about it and then I did my own testing to prove or disprove his original post. What I learned is that the board does wick water and gets weaker when wet.

Not too long ago I watched a contractor load his Kerdi Board inside his truck. That made me laugh. It was raining and he had no rope. Think about it. The Kerdi Board is so light it would have been blow out of the truck and if it got wet it would be ruined or weaker. And that is the board that is suppose to go inside a shower.... Not in any of my projects.

Not a problem, John. Use what you like....and hump those concrete boards up to a 2nd or 3rd floor. At least you don't need to go to the gym, eh?

I prefer the newer technology and it works quite well for me, thank you!

Do you still hand crank your car? Just found out about that "Electrical Starter" thing. It just might take off.......!

This is hilarious. I always thought cement board was for those young guys who didn't know how to mix up mud or float out a wall , or were averse to carrying bucket up stairs one at a time.

Just think if all the mud men were to come on here and rile up all those people with cement board in their showers ? I can see the fireworks now.

There are many products and techniques that are proven and sanctioned by professional and work well if used and installed properly. None are the best for every application, or situation , or homeowner , or contractor.

I mean, if that better bench REALLY worked properly it wouldn't need to be filled with cement - if we followed some of the logic around here.

Don't worry all of you with a better bench - it's just fine.

As long as you didn't cover it with kerdiboard.

Where is the link to a metal lined Kerdi Board Bench. After an extensive search nothing comes up? Perhaps you think you saw that. If you have never tore apart a sample of Kerdi Board the "Special Reinforcing Layer" is not metal but rather some kind of pressed paper. Almost like a MDF type material. If you wet the sample you can pull it off easily for a closer inspection.

Never ceases to amaze me about the number of people that think the internet is the be all, end all for all things true.

You know the types, " I saw it on bliggedy's blog , so it must be true."

I also wasn't aware that houzz acquired the psychic friends network with all of the clairvoyance happening round here. Wish I could know what other people actually see.

Kerdi board is fine for shower niches and can be waterproofed. Don't let the fact that some people can't - or won't follow the directions for it dissuade you. Also, don't expect to use a product in a manner it wasn't intended and expect it to last , then claim it's junk.

"....Also, don't expect to use a product in a manner it wasn't intended and expect it to last..." - xedos

Kind of case in point here. The Kerdi Board web site does not show any floating bench examples or installation advice. I guess that means it is not in the scope of capabilities.

Mortar or concrete nees to be about 1.5" thick to be able to withstand the force of the average person. I believe all pavers are 1.5"-2" thick. All bricks the same. Driveway pavers. The better bench is a form made from stainless steel that allows you to anchor the bench to the wall and create a custom paver in the shower that is later waterproofed and tiled.

Kerdi Board is no where near the same. Can not be anchored the same. So in my opinion not an alternative to the Better Bench.

Guess the psychic powers are waning.

I was talking about Kerdi board for shower niches.

And while we're talking about benches, why not just use concrete blocks, lathe and mud . That'll make a bench you can jump on with a an elephant and will withstand any kinda movie you shoot in there.

"The better bench is a form made from stainless steel..."

The Better-Bench is made of alloyed aluminum.

There you go. I thought it was steel. Thanks.

I'm guessing that the aluminum is stronger than pressed paper and foam. Especially after it gets mortar...

John, I had to check because if it were stainless, that would have complicated my previous advice to cut it and bend it considerably. Whew.

Cutting stainless is no biggey. I cut my ACO drains all the time with a metal cut off wheel. I actually think stainless is easier to cut in ways than aluminum. Cutting aluminum is hard without a non ferrous blade. My mini cut off wheels I use for everything.

FWIW Schluter has always had a 2 inch wide stainless steel edge support for use with Kerdi board. Its shown on pages 7, 11, and 15 of the kerdi board installation manual. Part codes kerdi-board-ZC, ZC/E, Z/V, ZW, ZB, ZA, ZA/E and ZI/V Most are available in different thicknesses for different thicknesses of board. Found on pages 79 and 80 of the latest Schluter product guide.

Paul (Cabot & Rowe) that is a trim not a structural wall anchor. Thanks for giving everyone a heads up to the wicking way back when. It's because of your research that I was alerted to the boards design flaw.