Water proofing shower cubicle

Eastender

After the builder installs the shower with built in valve, we’regoing with Mira Element SLT BIR, hope I made the right choice, we’re thinkingof doing the tiling ourselves to save money.

Now do we need to water proof thewall, which will be plastered and will have a shower tray?

Or can I just apply the bathroom tiles with appropriateadhesive and grout, without needing all these waterproofing paint and primerand tapes, on the shower wall? I mean are they necessary?

keystone

As you have gone for a plastered solution already and I suspecvt the work is underway there is precious little point in talking about cement board as an alternative substrate.

First question is what tiles are you proposing to put up? A skimmed plasterboard wall can carry a weight of 20kg per m2 including adhesive and grout. Plasterboard au naturel is 32 kg. So if you are going for natural stone or porcelain then don't plaster it!

Either skimmed pb or plain pb are fine for tiling on but you must properly prep it. The shower area should be tanked up to at least 1.5 m above the shower tray and the remainder primed with a suitrable acrylic primer such as BAl APD or Mapei Primer G. Under no circumstances should you use PVA as a primer unless you want your tiles all over the floor at some point in the future.

If you are fitting the shower tray make sure that the floor is absolutely rigid with zero movement. Otherwise somewhere down the line when the shower tray moves then you will get leaks.

Use a bagged adhesive in preference to the tubbed stuff but if you must use tubbed then go for something like Granfix Multifix or BAL Whitestar. Don't use tubbed for natural stone or porc and whatever you do if you do use tubbed for ceramic tiles don't use the combined addy/grout carp from the sheds.

Thats probably enough for you to think about for the moment.

I am not convinced that you will save money by doing this yourself tbh but thats your call not mine.

Cheers

ilikewatch

When I installed a corner shower cubicle a couple of years ago I did some research online, and most places seemed to suggest that a shower waterproofing kit should be used prior to tiling.

However, when I spoke to my tiler he:

a) Had never even heard of a shower waterproofing kit or tanking kit for showers.
b) Couldn't see the point in using one, "'cos that's why you use waterproof adhesive, innit?"

Anyway, I decided for the sake of £40 and an hours work I would use the Dunlop shower waterproofing kit anyway before the tiling was done - it has never leaked or caused any damp issues, but who knows if these would have occurred if I hadn't used the waterproofing kit first?

CashisKing

I wouldn't have the walls plastered, far better to be just moisture resistant plasterboard, or better still cement board.

You don't HAVE to waterproof the walls, there's no law saying you must, but if there is a leak then you will end up having one hell of a mess on your hands - the likelihood of which is increased by DIY tiling.

I would waterproof.

warmhands.coldheart

Most good tilers will recommend tanking the shower area to waterproof the walls especially if not on ground floor and if walls are studed. Also would highly advise to fit a shower tray seal like this. they are not too hard to do if your pretty handy. having just done a renovation myself, seriously..... do it right first time.... will save a lot of heartache for what is essentially very little additional outlay..

yangptangkipperbang

Have you considered this ?

http://www.boundarybathrooms.co.uk/Mermaid-Panels_b/?gclid=COiXoKm3srECFSgntAodkmcAIw

Not cheap, but produces a great (waterproof !) shower cubicle.

tpt

b) Couldn't see the point in using one, "'cos that's why you use waterproof adhesive, innit?"

Thats the classic comment that comes out of a tiler that doesnt quite know what they are doing. Waterproof adhesive and grout doesn't stop water penetration, it just doesn't breakdown when in contact with water. Your plasterboard on the other hand will fall to bits.

For a diy-er i'd recommend a tanking kit with a liquid membrane. pros tend to use a sheet membrane so it can be tiled straight away. whichever one DO tank it.

keystone's advice is bang on, follow it and you'll have no issues

Eastender

keystone wrote: »

As you have gone for a plastered solution already and I suspecvt the work is underway there is precious little point in talking about cement board as an alternative substrate.

First question is what tiles are you proposing to put up? A skimmed plasterboard wall can carry a weight of 20kg per m2 including adhesive and grout. Plasterboard au naturel is 32 kg. So if you are going for natural stone or porcelain then don't plaster it!

Either skimmed pb or plain pb are fine for tiling on but you must properly prep it. The shower area should be tanked up to at least 1.5 m above the shower tray and the remainder primed with a suitrable acrylic primer such as BAl APD or Mapei Primer G. Under no circumstances should you use PVA as a primer unless you want your tiles all over the floor at some point in the future.

If you are fitting the shower tray make sure that the floor is absolutely rigid with zero movement. Otherwise somewhere down the line when the shower tray moves then you will get leaks.

Use a bagged adhesive in preference to the tubbed stuff but if you must use tubbed then go for something like Granfix Multifix or BAL Whitestar. Don't use tubbed for natural stone or porc and whatever you do if you do use tubbed for ceramic tiles don't use the combined addy/grout carp from the sheds.

Thats probably enough for you to think about for the moment.

I am not convinced that you will save money by doing this yourself tbh but thats your call not mine.

Cheers

Asked the builder as to how he would do it, if he takes the job, he said he would use PVA then tile over it, and he thinks that should enough for waterprooofing.

So it looks the shower walls have to tanked and will use a false wall, do you think cement board or plasterboard will be better as the 3rd wall for the shower.

googler

Consider Showerwall.

Much easier to clean than tiles. No grout lines to get mouldy.

http://www.showerwall.co.uk/

tpt

eastender, you need a different person doing your tiling then!

PVA should never be used anymore, modern adhesives react with it

cyclonebri1

Eastender wrote: »

Asked the builder as to how he would do it, if he takes the job, he said he would use PVA then tile over it, and he thinks that should enough for waterprooofing.

So it looks the shower walls have to tanked and will use a false wall, do you think cement board or plasterboard will be better as the 3rd wall for the shower.

Is this the same non english speaking builder who seems able to convince you that his every word, albeit in latvishservic gobledegook is gospel, even though you can't converse??

Keystone is right, there is a specifice load that any type of wall call carry on it's skin. Check out the weight/sq/mtr of tiles and adhesive and you will realise that most modern tiles this for a plastered wall.

Tell me this is not a wind up please???????, starting to look that way. But you're good if it is.;)