Wet room floor membrane

[Peter Lee]

I am building a small wet room which is 900 x 1850. I am using an AKW Tuff form 900 x 1400 former so there is a 450mm gap at the end which needs to be raised to the level of the former (22mm). The former and the filler piece will be screwed down to the same sub-strait so there is limited possibility for movement and it is outside of the wettest area. I intend to use Mapeiband tape for the corners and the bottom and was then going to put Schluter KERDI Waterproofing Membrane over the entire floor area (900 x 1850). There is some suggestion the that my choice of membrane is not the best for the job; any suggestions?

In addition is there a more cost effective solution (than Mapeiband) for taping the joints in the backerboard.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Peter

 

[Wetroom specialist]

It may cost more, but I would suggest that you use the AKW membrane. Not the paint, on but the Butyl self adhesive membrane. You will get the guarantee with it. You don't have to wait for anything to set or dry. Once you start mixing different manufacturers products they can and will blame each other for any potential or subsequent failiures. Stick to one manufacturer. Things rarely go wrong then, but follow their install instructions to the letter. There is nothing wrong in using infills as long as they are fixed well and have no movement.

 

[Waluigi]

Very true- I once fitted Kerdi to an Impey Aquadec. This was going back well over ten years. I couldn’t get a definite answer out of either manufacturers.

I ended up using Kerdi Fix with Schlüters special trowel which is a little bit like an A2 trowel.

I agree with Wetroom Specialist, keep it all the same if you can. It’s been tested together.

I’ve not used the AKW tanking personally. What’s it similar to?

 

[Wetroom specialist]

I can't say it's like anything that I can think of. I sell a very similar product on my web shop (no I'm not touting for business). It's only 1mm thick but very tough. It's forgiving if you lay it in the wrong position to start with by mistake. You can take it up and replace it. It's a fleece Butyl membrane. So it has a release paper on the under side that you peel back as you lay it. Being fleece on the top you don't get stuck to it when you walk on it. Much easier to use than the original Tilesafe membrane that they used to sell. It was a great tanking system, but a real pig to use. This one is as good but just easier to use.

 

[Waluigi]

Tilesafe membrane was a disaster.

I had a nightmare on a loft conversion wet room on a hot day with it. It stuck to everything. On a cold day it stuck to nothing.

Thanks for the info....

 

[Waluigi]

Get some more messages under your belt and I will send you a PM. At present it won’t let me.

 

[One Day]

Personally I mix products to suit applications.
The only system I really 100% buy into (have full confidence in) is Schluter's, but it's cost-prohibitive on many jobs and awkward to adapt for timber floors in may cases.

Being realistic, do we know anyone at all who has successfully claimed on a manufacturer's guarantee for a failed wetroom? I don't.
Every single time, it will be installer error. I heard (from someone involved at Wedi) that Wedi declined a genuine claim involving faulty wastes because non-Wedi washers were used on the walls.

That said; when you start out installing wet trays and tanking areas or are DIYing, it is probably better to stick with one system - until you understand not just "how", but "why" things do or do not work.

 

[Waluigi]

Considering Marmox used to produce XPS trays with no means for the water to actually reach the drain properly, no I don’t wholly trust Manufacturers recommendations or installation advice

 

[One Day]

Considering Marmox used to produce XPS trays with no means for the water to actually reach the drain properly, no I don’t wholly trust Manufacturers recommendations or installation advice

Aye. The long and sorry story of the missing weep holes and squidy trays.
Seen a few in my time!

 

[Waluigi]

Yeah I know. I randomly saw you post a picture of one without any weep holes.

Turns out it was a wet room I installed myself.

 

[One Day]

Yeah I know. I randomly saw you post a picture of one without any weep holes.

Turns out it was a wet room I installed myself.

One of yours?! Where when?

 

[Waluigi]

On here. You posted a pic of a marmox tray without the weep holes which was Randomly a wet room I did over ten years ago.

 

[Stu Lilley]

I would use all Schlüter products and not mix manufacturers ...gets you a guarantee and and peace of mind