Yet Another Suspected Wet Room Floor! Looking For Advice Please!

[bcd-87]

it's water stuck under the tiles!
these type of trays trap it against the drain assembly. if this type of drain is used, best to use epoxy grout and Silicon around the drain.
i guarantee if this tray is used more than once a day, it will get worse....

@Bri its water under the tray ok !!

 

[bcd-87]

 

[Paula]

it's not just impey. loads of trays have little upstands. ufh is a good idea, as is epoxy grout too.
when i went on Schluter's training course it was a real education learning that water management rather than prevention is key to making a wet area last.

So....given that we are stuck with our Impey tray (with no weepholes), but have re-grouted with epoxy, and have a polypipe (wet) underfloor heating system in the bathroom everywhere other than in the actual shower tray area, do you think our floor will last a good few years without failing?

 

[One Day]

@Bri its water under the tray ok !!

Yes - It is showing efflorescence, as a result of wet grout staying wet from trapped water.
I'm just explaining the most probable cause, rather than just stating the effect.

 

[One Day]

So....given that we are stuck with our Impey tray (with no weepholes), but have re-grouted with epoxy, and have a polypipe (wet) underfloor heating system in the bathroom everywhere other than in the actual shower tray area, do you think our floor will last a good few years without failing?

I think if the adhesive bed hasn't been ruined by saturation for too long (you'd know as the tiles would be working loose), then the epoxy will keep water out and you'll be fine.
Just watch out around the grate. I would have siliconed around the grate. If it's been grouted, watch out for it pulling away and letting water in again. Just in case...

 

[widler]

By laws of probability shouldnt every wet room floor be showing signs like this floor if all grout lets in water ? Or do some folk just think its natural , you use a shower eveey day its bound to look wet in places most of the time, but some folk thinks it should look perfectly dry the minute you stop using it ?
My shower is used at least 3 times a day and does not ever get perfectly dry, im not saying this is the case on here, but surely shirley its gotta look wet at some point ?

 

[One Day]

we're talking over-saturation Craig - not normal conditions!

 

[One Day]

Right, I just returned from a Wedi AI course and really wrapped my head around just why I am seeing SO many failed wet trays.
The attached picture shows a Wedi tray which has an integral, pre-formed drain - i.e. water cannot help but get down the drain. It also shows the drain cover holder which should be set in place with just a dot of cement based adhesive on each corner.
If it is set on corners only, then water under the tiles can work it's way into the drain.
Time after time though, tilers are completely setting the tiles up to the edges and blocking the under-tile access to the drain. Or - even worse, sealing them up with Silicon.
The trapped water then leads to breakdown of the adhesive and even the cement face of the tray (on cheaper trays certainly) - resulting in the eventual squidgy wet smelly trays I keep coming across.

As I said previously, Schluter have dealt with this for years - so much so that it's a non-issue.
Wedi are well aware that it's a problem and gladly, many of the drains are now redesigned and have slits to minimise the issue.

It's quite simple - if a wet tray is in occasional use - 1-2 times a day it can generally withstand being installed and tiled incorrectly.
If it's in use continuously - i.e. large family or commercial environment, then you simply cannot afford to do things wrong or cut corners.

 

[Paula]

View attachment 78373 Right, I just returned from a Wedi AI course and really wrapped my head around just why I am seeing SO many failed wet trays.
The attached picture shows a Wedi tray which has an integral, pre-formed drain - i.e. water cannot help but get down the drain. It also shows the drain cover holder which should be set in place with just a dot of cement based adhesive on each corner.
If it is set on corners only, then water under the tiles can work it's way into the drain.
Time after time though, tilers are completely setting the tiles up to the edges and blocking the under-tile access to the drain. Or - even worse, sealing them up with Silicon.
The trapped water then leads to breakdown of the adhesive and even the cement face of the tray (on cheaper trays certainly) - resulting in the eventual squidgy wet smelly trays I keep coming across.

As I said previously, Schluter have dealt with this for years - so much so that it's a non-issue.
Wedi are well aware that it's a problem and gladly, many of the drains are now redesigned and have slits to minimise the issue.

It's quite simple - if a wet tray is in occasional use - 1-2 times a day it can generally withstand being installed and tiled incorrectly.
If it's in use continuously - i.e. large family or commercial environment, then you simply cannot afford to do things wrong or cut corners.

Thanks very much for this, Impish! I think I can see what you are gettting at, but we have an Impey tray, and I'm not sure that there would be any access to the drain UNDER the tiles in our case: just to be clear are you saying that with the tray in your photo, then water can get into the drain below the metal grating at the top?

If we don't have this access, then it seems we are doomed to having permanently wet adhesive around our drain (I have noticed that our grout is starting to crack around the metal border of the drain, so would imagine that water is getting through there now).

It does seem very odd, as you say, that nobody talks about this issue, when it can create significant problems. Thanks very much for highlighting it!

 

[Impey Showers]

Hi. Please feel free to call our tech team direct on 01460 258 682

 

[Dan]

Hi. Please feel free to call our tech team direct on 01460 258 682

If the customer has taken time to register on the forum we'd rather advice to be provided here.

I'll let this one slide but please don't just direct our traffic away from the site. Try to help where you can actually in threads.

Only paying sponsors can post emails, web addresses and phone numbers in threads.

 

[One Day]

Hi. Please feel free to call our tech team direct on 01460 258 682

might be just coincidence but most of the problem wet areas i come across involve impey. i don't see much wrong with the product, other than they're installed a lot by plumbers and builders.

 

[J Sid]

might be just coincidence but most of the problem wet areas i come across involve impey. i don't see much wrong with the product, other than they're installed a lot by plumbers and builders.

And are all these failures due to tiling straight onto the tray and not using the TileSafe membrane! ?

 

[One Day]

And are all these failures due to tiling straight onto the tray and not using the TileSafe membrane! ?

unsure Julian as i try not to get involved. it's got to be incorrect use of the stuff though. if it's used at all.

 

[J Sid]

Alot of the trouble with these types of trays are the shops selling them. Most don't stock or have any knowledge of what products are needed for a correct install.
As we know most builders / multi trades have not evolved enough yet to be able to understand how to read fixing instructions which come with these trays