First Bathroom. Help Please

[geordie2013]

:shades_smile:
Im doing a bathroom next week it has a shower cubicle in the corner would i have to use a tanking system (something i have yet to do) or can you buy a special adhesive/grout that waterproofs. The walls are plaster so what would be the best type of adhesive to use with a porcelain tile. I.e would i get away using the tub stuff. thanx

 

[Fekin]

A lot of tilers would say always use a tanking system for a shower cubicle, and some tanking systems are fairly low cost and easy to apply.

But the way I look at it is, if you use the correct adhesive and grouts, and do a good job then for a home shower, a tanking system isn't needed.

Now when your using porcelain tiles I would use a flexi grout, as grout sometimes doesn't like sticking to porcelain too well, and also Bal's Goldstar states it's useful for porcelain tiles but wether it has similar water resistant propperties as something like Whitestar I don't know.

If it was ceramics then I would use Whitestar and flexi grout and not bother with tanking as whitestar isn't cement based adhesive.
If I was going to use a cement based adhesive with it being porcelain then you need to acrylic prime the plaster walls first.

I've never used porcelain in a shower area yet, so Im not 100% sure myself.

 

[wayne]

cause its porcelain i would use cement based gear with porclbond or single part flex. use flexi grout as well. you shouldnt need to tank it but opinions vary.

 

[calculator]

I would go with the tanking system myself, with the risk of water ingress affecting the substrate. water will weaken the plaster/plasterboard saturated plaster/plasterboard loses all strength, collapses and dislodges tiles.. Cement based grouts whilst being unaffected by water once set, are porus and will therefore allow water to seep through. Normal wear and tear from traffic and cleaning solutions can gradually weaken the grout. the most vunrable areas are in the corners around pipes and trim so trat these areas with care.

 

[wayne]

the tanking kits are fine but there is not much water hitting the tiles for a prolonged period of time. i think they are overkill and years ago they werent used and people didnt have problems. the only time i use them is for wetrooms. why not use a grout sealer instead.