How to Install an Indian Squat Pan and Floor Tiles
Master the installation of an Indian squatting pan with a P-trap, stable mortar base, and precision-cut designer floor tiles for a leak-proof finish.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Spirit level
- ✓ Angle grinder with diamond disc
- ✓ Notched trowel
- ✓ Rubber mallet
- ✓ Measuring tape
- ✓ Masonry mixing pan
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Ceramic Orissa squatting pan
- ✓ 110mm PVC P-trap and solvent cement
- ✓ Portland cement and fine sand
- ✓ Waterproof tile adhesive
- ✓ Anti-skid designer ceramic tiles
- ✓ Epoxy or waterproof tile grout
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Wear impact-resistant safety goggles and a dust mask when cutting tiles or dry-mixing mortar.
- • Verify the P-trap has a full water seal and zero joint leaks before encasing it in mortar.
- • Protect the glazed ceramic pan rim with cardboard or plastic during the masonry work.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (6 Steps)
Set and Align the P-Trap Outlet
Place the 110mm P-trap onto the main drainage pipe, ensuring the inlet sits dead-center for your planned pan location. Apply PVC solvent cement to weld the connection permanently, then use a spirit level to verify the top lip is completely horizontal. Pour a bucket of water into the trap to confirm smooth drainage and adequate water seal retention without pooling below the joint.
- • P-trap sits securely upright with the top mouth perfectly level
- • Water remains trapped in the bend without leaking around the joint
- • Failing to glue the joint securely, causing subterranean sewage leaks under the slab
Position and Level the Orissa Squatting Pan
Apply a generous bead of silicone or PVC-to-ceramic sealant on the P-trap mouth, then seat the ceramic pan spigot directly into the trap opening. Use a spirit level across the footrests and the outer rim along both axes to ensure a level stance. Build temporary brick supports under the pan's corners to keep it strictly immobilized at the target floor elevation.
- • Pan spigot is fully inserted into the trap mouth
- • Spirit level bubbles are centered across both horizontal and vertical axes
- • Resting the pan directly on uneven gravel without corner supports, leading to rocking
Pack Concrete Bedding Around the Pan Base
Mix a 1:4 cement-sand mortar with minimal water so it holds shape without slumping. Pack this mortar firmly beneath the bowl and around all sides, filling every void to provide uniform support beneath the footrests. Trowel the top surface smooth, sloping it slightly toward the pan edge so that finished tiles will sit flush with the ceramic rim.
- • No hollow voids under the pan footrests or bowl
- • Mortar bed is packed flush up to 15mm below the rim edge to allow for tile thickness
- • Leaving hollow pockets under footrests, which will cause the ceramic to crack under user weight
Measure and Cut Design Tiles Around Pan Contours
Measure the layout from the room center outward so tile cutouts wrap symmetrically around the pan's curved rim. Mark the pan's contour onto the face of the tiles using a cardboard template. Use an angle grinder equipped with a continuous-rim diamond blade to carefully notch and radius the tiles to match the pan profile with a 2-3mm expansion gap.
- • Cut tiles fit neatly around the pan rim with an even 2-3mm gap all around
- • Pattern alignment of the decorative tiles flows seamlessly across the floor
- • Cutting tiles too tight against the ceramic, which causes cracking during thermal expansion
Lay Floor Tiles and Set the Pan Perimeter
Spread waterproof tile adhesive across the mortar bed using a notched trowel. Press the decorative floor tiles firmly into the adhesive bed, tapping them level with a rubber mallet to match the top lip of the squatting pan. Insert tile spacers between joints to maintain uniform spacing and wipe away any adhesive squeeze-out immediately with a damp sponge.
- • Tiles sit perfectly flush with the squatting pan rim
- • All tile surface planes are flat without lippage
- • Letting adhesive cure on the decorative tile glaze, making cleanup difficult
Grout the Joints and Seal the Pan Rim
Allow the adhesive to set for 24 hours, then clear out tile spacers and clean joint crevices. Mix waterproof epoxy or polymer-modified grout and press it firmly into all tile joints using a rubber float. Fill the perimeter joint between the tiles and the ceramic toilet pan with waterproof, anti-fungal silicone or grout, wiping clean with a damp sponge after 15 minutes.
- • All tile lines and the pan rim joint are completely filled with dense grout
- • No haze or residue remains on the tile surface or pan glaze
- • Using standard non-waterproof grout around the pan rim, which absorbs water and harbors mold
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by G.G. Construction — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Cardboard template for curves? Heavy butcher paper or folded newspaper
- No Rubber mallet? Wooden block wrapped in a thick rag
- No Tile profiling tool? Soapy finger or cut plastic corner card