Shower cubicle - sense check before tiling?

[steved21]

Hey all,

This is my forst post on here, so first off - Hi!

Ok, so my en-suite has been stripped (of everything) and as removing the tiles from the shower cubicle wrecked the existing plasterboard I have replaced it with Wickes Aquapanel .This has been installed as per their instructions - i.e. fixed to the studs with the Aquapanel ceramic coated screws and all joins (horizontal and corner verticals) sealed with the Aquapanel silicone sealant. There is no 'lip' around the edge of the shower tray to fit behind the boards or tiles, so the boards are 'sat' directly onto the flat rim of the tray. The same silicone has been used where the Aquapanel boards meet the shower tray.

I will obviously use a waterproof tile adhesive and grout, and then silicone where the tiles meet the tray and also the vertical corners after tiling. Is there anything else I need to do (either before or after tiling) to ensure the whole lot is water proof?

 

[White Room]

Hi and welcome..

To make it water proof you could tank it..

 

[davemul]

Waterproof tape on joins and join to tray. A nice couple of coats of mapegum.

Super waterproofness

 

[Mike]

make sure it's bagged (cementitious) adhesive you use and not 'diy readymixed stuff'

 

[steved21]

Thanks for the input gents.

@Whitebeam & davemul - I thought the whole point of using Aquapanel and the Aquapanel silicone in the joints was to negate the need for tanking or taping? I don't mind doing it if it really is a good idea, but don't want to waste money uneccessarily?

@Mike - thanks for the tip. For my info though, what's the difference between the bagged adhesive and the readymix 'waterproof' stuff? I guess my only concern here is consistency - I'm a competent DIYer but if I get the mix/consistency of the bagged stuff wrong then I'm guessing that could cause it's own problems?

 

[steved21]

Ok, after a bit more research, it sounds like tanking the Aquapanel is a good idea, as although it is resistant to moisture, it is not 'waterproof'. Question is though, can I tank straight onto the Aquapanel or do I need to prep it first? I've seen a post elsewhere which said to skim the Aquapanel with tile adhesive first?

 

[steved21]

Sorry guys - I meant to say 'Thanks for the tips' in my last post .... most rude of me!

Also to add to my last post; from what I can tell the Dunlop tanking kit looks to be pretty good. Do you guys think this will be ok? If not then I guess BAL is the one to go for?