Yes, if you’re planning on tiling your shower, then you should take the time to waterproof it first. Failing to waterproof a shower can be problematic. That’s because a shower that isn’t waterproof can lead to tile splitting and expansion. If you want to protect your tiled shower from unpleasant crack development, then thorough waterproof work is essential.
How to Waterproof Your Shower Walls
If you want to waterproof your showers then should make sure you know how to do so in the correct manner. It can help to learn all about foam construction panels, waterproof sheet membranes and, finally, liquid waterproofing. Foam building panels can be beneficial for people who don’t have many concerns about decreasing their expenses right off the bat. Panels that consist of foam do function as substitutes for backer boards or drywall panels. They are quite strong when structured correctly and used to build shower seats that support ample weight, too.
Waterproof sheet membranes are available via rolls. You can apply these membranes using mortar straight on top of a backer board or drywall.
People often appreciate the fact that this technique eliminates any and all uncertainty. People never have to wonder if they’ve applied enough. Liquid application, however, is a whole other ballgame.
You can apply liquid waterproofing with the help of a standard roller. This task can be hassle-free and fast. Tackling it all by yourself shouldn’t be a problem, either. You should abide by any and all brand guidelines that relate to coating layers. Do the same thing with general thickness.
Shower Waterproofing Systems
Comparing the ins and outs of existing shower waterproofing systems can help people make logical decisions that fit their lifestyles and preferences. Liquid waterproofing, as mentioned previously, is a biggie in the shower realm these days. Liquid waterproofing shower membranes is a straightforward job. It involves simply painting liquid straight onto the cement board prior to putting on any tiles. People gravitate to liquid membranes for various reasons. They do not call for fancy banding or reinforcement in shower nooks and crannies or elsewhere. If you want your liquid waterproofing system to work smoothly, then you should prioritize sufficient coating and overall thickness.
If you’re not sold on the idea of investing in liquid waterproofing for your shower, then you can consider sheet membranes. There are some people who prefer sheet options to liquid ones. If you take the sheet membrane approach, then you can spare yourself from having to delay things for roughly three days prior to starting mortar pan application. Sheet membrane application tends to be stress-free and easy. It can even be helpful to people who don’t want to have to wonder about thickness matters.
You can approach standard sheet membrane waterproofing by putting membranes on top of each other. Some people introduce banding to corners in showers. Doing this can force shower nooks to jut out more than the even sections in the center. That’s precisely the reason that people should take layout matters into consideration prior to selecting any materials for waterproofing tasks.
Is Cement Board Waterproof?
Some people wonder whether cement board is a material that’s waterproof. The truth is that it isn’t. It is a material that takes in moisture in a thorough way. In spite of that, it offers impressive dryness strengths. Showers are parts of bathrooms that get significant contact with splashes of water. If you need a backing board for tile in your shower, then you can use cement. Just make a point to utilize a material for waterproofing in the back of the boards. Plastic may work like a charm here. You can also try the liquid membrane approach. You can put this type of membrane onto the tops of cement boards.
The majority of backer boards that are accessible these days do not break down any time they’re around moisture for a while. Although they don’t necessarily drop to the ground due to being around water, that in no sense means that they’re part of the waterproof category. It can help people greatly to do what they can to stop moisture from making its way over to the metal studs or wood pieces that are under their tiles. It’s vital to utilize sealants or barriers for any and all materials that are permeable.
Remember, cement board isn’t classified as being waterproof. That doesn’t mean, though, that water necessarily will ruin it.
How to Waterproof Cement Boards?
Waterproofing cement boards isn’t a tough or perplexing job. It can help to utilize painters tape as a means of safeguarding your bathtub from waterproofing. After that, you can close up all of the openings that are in the middle of the the bathtub and the cement board. You can do this with the assistance of silicone. Give it the opportunity to fully dry prior to going forward with anything else. Grab a paintbrush to put a dense coating of liquid membrane onto the cement board. After that, put liquid membrane fabric on. You can get this in roll form. Make a point to keep any and all signs of crinkling at bay. Dodge air bubbles, too. Put a thick layer of the liquid membrane right on top of the fabric that’s in place.
Focus on the corner seam. Utilize a putty knife or a drywall knife as a means of seeing to it that the fabric is firm in its position in the corner. You want to refrain from pushing on things in a manner that’s excessively aggressive. If you’re aggressive, then you may risk ripping the fabric. Conceal any and all screw holes and seams.
It’s not necessary to conceal the cement board in full using coating. The majority of individuals do so, however. The last thing you want is for any water to make its way over to the cement board. That’s because the board can accommodate a substantial amount of the liquid. It can in some situations even bring on the emergence of mold. Since mold can be highly dangerous to humans, you want to avoid that situation at all costs.
You don’t have to be “stingy” with your liquid membrane use during this waterproofing project. Liquid membrane is in no sense a substance that responds well to extended storage. That’s the reason that you have no reason not to use every last drop of it for thoroughness. Once the initial coating has dried fully, you can begin at the lower section. You can put on a particularly dense coating right on top of the fabric that’s there. After that, you can close up the cement board as you get higher and higher. You may realize that you no longer have any liquid at some point. That’s okay, however. You’ll be so high by that time that no water will ever be able to access the space.
If you closely abide by all of these strategies, then you should be able to secure a cement board that’s nice and waterproof for your upcoming tile shower.
Waterproofing Products for Showers
You can make an informed decision about waterproofing products for showers once you have assessed them all meticulously. It can help you significantly to zero in on all of their strengths and weaknesses.
People are often drawn to liquid waterproofing products such as AquaDefense, Hydroban and RedGard. These are among the favorites in the liquid waterproofing realm. These products offer users superb waterproofing strength. Note, though, that attaining suitable thickness levels can be tough for people who use them. It may be wise to get your hands on a product that’s known as a wet film gauge. This kind of gauge can come in handy for liquid waterproofing thickness measurements that are accurate.
AquaDefense, Hydroban and RedGard products can also be problematic as far as timespans for curing go. Liquid waterproofing products often require substantial time for drying. Your initial coat may require 24 hours in total. The coat after that should dry a bit more rapidly.
Shower muds beds are also products that you can consider using. Mud beds, in short, are tailored shower foundations that are arranged close to the drains with blends of sand and cement. It can help to conduct a flood test prior to going forward with pan use.
People often look into bonded sheet membrane products. Schuter Systems has the well-known Kerdi Shower System. Laticrete is yet another brand to put on your radar. It has a waterproofing system that revolves around Hydro Ban sheets. People appreciate these products for a plenitude of reasons. They often like the fact that they make it so that they do not even have to think about sheet thickness. They can also be beneficial for folks who do not want to have to delay things for three days. Curing isn’t exactly the speediest project.
