THE TILE SOURCE's solutions for wet rooms
How you waterproof the wall or floor of your wet room will depend on the wall construction. Under each of the main wall types below we list our prefered waterproofing solutions for walls and a link to a section on floors. All products are available from stock and at the very best possible prices.Studwork partition walls
If the room has studwork partition walls (metal or timber frames) fix 2500x1200x12.5mm Marmox (fixing instructions) wall and floor boards using 15 number 30mm M5 stainless steel screws and SUPA PRO TBB washers. A high quality silicone sealant (such as Dow Corning 785) should be applied to the edges of the board before butting up the next board to be fitted. The edges of the boards should be supported by the studwork partition and taped using Marmox self adhesive fibreglass scrim tape covered with a skim coat of cement based tile adhesive. The Marmox board should be fitted closely round any extruding pipe work or shower fittings and small gaps filled with silicone sealant. If the gaps are large use BAL WP1 waterproofing compound and fibreglass tape to waterproof the joint.
Plasterboard walls
If the plasterboard is fixed to studwork partition walls we recommend that it is removed and replaced with Marmox wall and floor boards (see 'Studwork partition walls' above).
Alternative solutions:
a. Use BAL WP1 to tank the plaster (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 19kg per square metre).
b. Use Ardex WPC to tank the plaster (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 19kg per square metre).
c. Plug and screw Marmox sheets to plaster walls (for detailing see studwork walls section above).
Rendered walls
Ensure the surface is sound and clean and more than 2 weeks old. Use Schlüter Kerdi matting. (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 38kg per square metre).
Alternative solutions:
a. Use BAL WP1 to tank the render (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 39kg per square metre). b. Use Ardex WPC http://www.ardex.co.uk/pdfs/wpc_guide.pdf to tank the plaster (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 39kg per square metre).
c. Overfix with Marmox wall and floor boards fixed using the dry lining method (for details refer to plasterboard section above).
Brick or blockwork walls
Fix Marmox wall and floor board fitted in the traditional dry lining method and detailing as 'studwork partition walls' above.
Plywood walls
We recommend that it is removed and replaced with Marmox wall and floor boards (see 'studwork partition walls' above.
Alternative solutions:
a. Overfix with Marmox using 40mm M5 stainless screws fixing into the timber frame (see above). The ply should have been allowed to acclimatise and the back and edges of the board sealed.
b. Use BAL WP1 to tank the ply (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 19kg per square metre). The ply should have been allowed to acclimatise and the back and edges of the board sealed.
c. Use Schluter Kerdi matting. (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 18kg per square metre). The ply should have been allowed to acclimatise and the back and edges of the board sealed.
d. Use Ardex WPC to tank the plasterboard (note. tiles and adhesives must weigh less than 19kg per square metre). The ply should have been allowed to acclimatise and the back and edges of the board sealed.
Tiled walls
Ensure the surface is free from grease, dust, dirt etc and that the weight of the new tiles, waterproofing, the old tiles and all the adhesive will not exceed the weight permitted for the underlying surface (plaster 20kg, plasterboard 32kg, render 40kg, tile backer board up to 62kg). Use Schluter Kerdi matting.