Ramundo has a problem about tiling a shower floor - his question and
our answer.
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Hi, I am redoing the bathroom floor due to water damage. My concern is that a poured concrete floor is porous and any water that sits on the grout will eventually migrate to the concrete and then to supporting plywood and cause damage even if you add acrylic milk additives to the cement or grout mix. Grout sealers help but if the grout cracks from movement it will also fail. Your solution/products seems the best but most tile installers do not like to pour concrete over an impervious membrane because it does not bond well to the surface. They say the cement floor will not adhere and cause movement. Others want to use cement board and nails to fasten to the subfloor which tends to pierce the membrane if it placed between plywood and cement board. Please suggest a product/solution to this dilemma and direct me to a dealer that handles your products. Thanks you for your assistance and I look forward to hear from you soon. Ramundo. |
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Dear Ramundo, The membrane installed over a sheet floor substrate is not only for waterproofing but it also acts as a slip sheet (cleavage sheet). This sheet disconnects the underside of the tile bed from the structure a requirement needed to stop the transfer of cracks through your tile bed and eventually into the floor tiles. Your tilers are right in their assumption that the floor will move, but where is it going to go? It is surrounded by the walls of the bathroom. One of the problems that tile floors have is that the tiles become loose. This is an installation problem on the tilers behalf, (the underside of the floor tile has disconnected from the topside of the tile bed). Don't bother adding PVA into your tile bed or grout, it is water soluble and will wash out. Just make sure you get a tiler who really knows what he's doing. When excellent quality membranes fail, there is usually only one person to point the finger at. The American Tile Association which has thousands and thousands of members, will also give you the same advice. They have a web site as well. Regards, David Viles |
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Last Update: 11/21/01 - Copyright ©1999 by April Showers Waterproofing - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED