Curbless Floors & Linear Drains
One gentle slope, one sleek drain — step in, not over.
Curbless showers are Berlin's fastest-growing floor request: no curb to step over, one clean slope to a linear drain, large tile running wall to wall. Done right they're the safest and best-looking shower floor available; done wrong they're a flood into the bathroom. The difference is all in recessing the subfloor (or ramping correctly), waterproofing past the shower line, and nailing the single-plane slope. We build them to spec and flood-test every one.
- Zero-threshold entry. Walk or roll straight in — no curb, no trip lip.
- Single-plane slope. One fall to the drain; large-format tile friendly.
- Linear drains. Tile-in or designer grates at wall or threshold.
- Extended waterproofing. Membrane runs past the shower into the bath floor.
- Aging-in-place ready. Grab-bar blocking and bench options while we're in.
- Flood-tested. Every curbless floor proven before handoff. Non-negotiable.
Modern floors for Berlin
Floor systems we set across Berlin — grip, slope-fit and grout that lasts.
The workhorse — grippy, cheap, perfect.
Vintage grip, endless joints.
Spa texture, expert grout.
Modern lines that turn slope.
Berlin notes
Kensington's older baths still run the original 4x4 wall tile over plaster, usually with a failing caulk line at the tub. The ranch baths are fiberglass tubs with surround panels yellowed at the seams — the classic re-tile trigger. Candidacy check is free in Berlin: Berlin's most common call: a fiberglass surround gone yellow and chalky around a perfectly good tub — re-tile the walls, keep the tub. If your subfloor can't recess, we'll say so and price the low-curb alternative instead of faking it.
Common questions
Usually yes if the subfloor can recess or the entry can ramp within code — joist direction and depth decide. Free candidacy check with measurements, honest answer either way.
Roughly $2,500–$4,500 for the floor conversion versus $1,000–$2,000 standard — the premium is subfloor surgery, extended waterproofing and the linear drain itself.
Larger tile than standard showers — 4x4 up to 12x24 with rated slip resistance — since one plane needs no mosaic articulation. We verify DCOF ratings.
Down the single slope into the linear drain, with the bathroom floor outside waterproofed as backup. Slope + drain capacity + membrane redundancy — all three, tested.