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wetdec
Hi Liz
Thanks for your enquiry I’ll do my best to help you here.
Given the size of the alcove you are best using a near size base like the Tuff2 1800 x 820mm wet room former. To install this you will need to cut it lengthways to fit, remove the existing boards in the shower area and sit the tray on your joists checking it has adequate support. When the floor is over boarded then the tray will need lifting to flush with the new level. The Tuff2 formers are extremely strong so need no under boarding . Before sitting in place it’s a good idea to roughen up the surface of the former with sand paper to create a key for adhesive.
As you say the floor will need a covering of plywood, 1. To ensure stability for the tiles 2. It will give a good surface to work off.. 12mm ply will be sufficient screwed at 150mm centres to the existing floor.
Once the ply is down and shower former secured the area will need waterproofing / tanking.
To waterproof the wall area we will use a permanent off the roll membrane Durabase wp. The membrane is fixed using flexible tile adhesive which you will already have on site for the tiles so no messing with gums etc. As well as being straight forward to install (like wall paper) it is also preferred over paint on membranes as it is physical and there can be no doubt its actually there at the specified thickness as opposed to guessing if you have got it right with for your warranty with paint on.
The floor is slightly different but only in the membrane used, the Durabase ci membrane serves both as a tanking membrane and an uncoupling mat. When tiling on wood you have to consider the movement stresses, we all know wood expands and contracts as temperatures change, this movement is called lateral movement and as the floor moves so cracks will appear at the surface. The Durabase ci mat prevents this lateral movement travelling to the surface and causing tile damage, it is also used on new screeds and over floors with under floor heating where the same movement can occur. (stone tiles must have a decoupling membrane over wood)
Walls
The Durabase wp membrane for your project is supplied with a roll of flexible tape, pre-made internal corners and gaskets to seal your shower pipes. All of these items are flexible allowing them to stretch when buildings move maintaining waterproof seals. Cut and fix the tape with flexible adhesive to both internal corners to a height of around 1.8m. and the 2 internal corners at the base. Using flexi tape again cut and bed it around where your walls meet floors / tray and finally bed the pipe gaskets around pipes.
Once done the wp membrane can be fixed over the top. Spread flexible adhesive to the wall surfaces using a mosaic trowel, when done fix the membrane pushing it to the walls with hands before going over it with the flat side of your trowel firmly expelling any air. The back wall will require 2 lengths of membrane to make the width, join the 2 pieces by overlapping by at least 50mm. There’s your walls done.
Floor
The Durabase membrane for the floor is fixed much in the same way to a clean floor. Secure the floor to wall transitions with flexi tape, the membrane is then fixed down with adhesive and the joints in the lengths taped with flexi tape. When you come to the wet area cut the drain gasket neatly around the drain fixing to the former with flexi adhesive again.
Once fixed the membranes can be tiled over straight away so there is no drying out to wait for like the gums etc.
When tiles are fixed tiled grouted and dry the wet room glass screen can be fitted, as the alcove is just 1.6m wide I would suggest an 800 or 900mm wide screen side fixed. We have free standing screens but because of the width it’s not practical.
I hope the above is what you were looking for if not please don’t hesitate to contact us.
www.wetdecs.co.uk The PDF version of this is HERE
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