How To Waterproof A Shower Floor Before Tiling

There are two types of waterproof membranes sheet and liquid applied options.

How to waterproof a shower floor before tiling.

This means deciding where the first tiles will be laid and how the tiles will align with floor and wall joints. A subfloor is the bottom most structural level of your floor. Therefore any concrete that may come into regular contact with water such as under tile or for a pool will need to be waterproofed. Sheet membranes are plastic or elastometric sheets that have to be bonded to the substrate before tile installation.

Smooth the membrane with the trowel. It is not structural but it must be non. After the second coat is dry and the whole shower area is prepped it s time to make tile decisions before going any further. This used to be done with sand and it is still in the tcna handbook.

For our shower we chose a running bond pattern. You ll need to let this second coat dry another 24 hours before it s ready. Tiles are cut as necessary to fit where they belong. Waterproofing concrete is a fairly simple procedure.

Pattern they ll take is established. You can also use plywood we typically call the tile people to put a mud bed sloped to the drain before we get going. It supports your decorative floor finish whether it s carpet hardwood vinyl laminate or tile. To prevent water damage you must install a waterproof membrane just below the tile bonding mortar as close to the tile as possible.

Second waterproofing on flats and down to floor. After letting the waterproofing agent dry apply a final coat of waterproofing to the walls and bathroom floor with a brush or roller. Water can ruin the best tile installations destroy bathroom walls quickly and seep through floors to attack foundations if the waterproofing is badly done. Use the notched trowel to spread mortar over the entire shower floor then press a sheet of waterproof membrane into the wet mortar.

Cement is actually a very porous material and can easily absorb water. Preparation for installing floor tile depends on the type of subfloor in the room you are tiling. Determine how much tile you ll need. Once all the mortar has cured tiling can commence.

Mud floor durock walls. You ll need a design plan before you start attaching the tile. It s likely that different styles of tiles will be used for floor and walls based on how much slip resistance they provide. Install the preformed curb covering it with mortar and waterproof membrane.

For more information download our pdf about types of subfloors.