Shower Enclosure Installation..tank? Aquapanel? BAL WP1?????

[Bobcat1974]

Hi,

I'm about to start refitting my ensuite. I am replacing a shower alcove (3 walls and pivot door).

My question is all about waterproofing.

I am going to tile on all 3 sides with a shower base at bottom (obviously!)

Q1. I assume under my old tiles (which I'm going to remove) it is platerboard. Do I use Aquapanel, Weki board, no more ply, do I also have to tank with BAL WP1? Do I also use tape? Is it sooo wrong to just tile onto normal Plasterboard for a waterproof seal?

Q2. Are shower tray upstands highly recommended?

Q3. How is BAL WP1 applied? Is it like a thick paint? Can't I just apply WP1 over normal platerboard?

Q4. The question of how to tile over shower tray upstands is always debatable, whats the trade method?

This is an absolute minefield, so many permutations of doing the job......but it's got to be done right first time, hence this post.

 

[gcol]

First off, ensure the floor is properly rigid - consider screwing down a piece of 12mm ply.
Plasterboard for the walls.
Get a shower tray with an upstand and sink it into the walls so that the upstand is flush with the walls.
Tape corners and wall/tray joint with tanking tape.
Tank the walls - you paint it on.

 

[neds]

gcols pretty much covered it!

I got a shower to do soon and I will use some Aquapanel up to about a metre and the rest regular plasterboard. Just gives me a bit more piece of mind. Bal is good stuff but expensive, consider the Dunlop kit from Screwfix as well.

Whatever anyone says, Tile and grout does not make a wall waterproof!

 

[dextrous]

gcols pretty much covered it!

I got a shower to do soon and I will use some Aquapanel up to about a metre and the rest regular plasterboard. Just gives me a bit more piece of mind. Bal is good stuff but expensive, consider the Dunlop kit from Screwfix as well.

Whatever anyone says, Tile and grout does not make a wall waterproof!

Unless the tile is about 7' by 3'

 

[Bobcat1974]

Thanx for ur help guys.


At the weekend I spoke to 2 different 'experts' at tileshops.

Guy #1. "You don't need any tanking for a domestic shower, just use waterproof adhesive and grout"

Guy #2 "Use BAL WP1, it is a belts and braces approach but worth it, we sell the kit for £80"..."you can use BAL Whitestar adhesive and BAL Superflex but it's water-resistant not waterproof"

Bal White Star Adhesive
********************
Highly flexible, highly water-resistant adhesive suitable for fixing ceramic wall tiles and mosaics in both dry and wet conditions. These include commercial applications such as communal showers and hotel/restaurant kitchens. It can be used on a variety of backgrounds including, plasterboard, plaster, cement, sand rendering, existing ceramic tiles, paint, tile backerboards, worktops and wooden backgrounds.

-Highly Flexible
-Highly Water Resistant
-Non Slip





BAL Superflex Grout
*****************
Wide Joint Grout is a flexible, water-resistant, frost-resistant cement-based powder grout with built-in admixture. Specifically designed for use in areas where increased flexibility and enhanced durability are required. It is suitable for walls and floors.


-Most tile types, including porcelain
-Dry/wet - interior/exterior
-Including swimming pools/power showers
-Extra flexibility/bond strength
-Water/frost-resistant


Isn't the BAL water-resistant adh&grout good enough for a domestic shower that get used once a day?

 

[gcol]

More often than not, yeah. Depends on the size of tiles you are using - the larger the better. The tanking issue is less important in a bath/shower environment, but in a standalone shower I would always recommend it. Your call.... do you feel lucky... punk?

 

[Bobcat1974]

Do I feel lucky ?

Em.... no.

My philosophy in home diy (esp when water is involved ) is

"if it can go wrong, it will go wrong ! "

*********************************************************

Back to the question of upstands. I got more conflicting advice.

Guy #1 says " you dont need upstands, just make sure you seal it properly with a good quality silicone "

Guy #2 says " Use upstands, just put tray into shower space and tile over them"

Guy #3 says " Use upstands, get them into the walls "


The two shower trays I've narrowed it down to are;

http://www.showermania.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=JT1

http://www.showermania.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=JT2


Q1. Why do trays come with and without upstands?

Q2. I assume upstands must be sunk into the wall - so you can tile flush on wall instead of inward angle. By sinking into wall.....do you raggle wall to get them in?

Q3. Has anyone used these JT Shower Trays before...apparantly the best thing since sliced bread (well...according to manufacturers)

Thanks Again Guys

 

[gcol]

Back to the question of upstands. I got more conflicting advice.

Guy #1 says " you dont need upstands, just make sure you seal it properly with a good quality silicone "

Guy #2 says " Use upstands, just put tray into shower space and tile over them"

Guy #3 says " Use upstands, get them into the walls "

I've already told you the best course of action and it's the same as guy 3. Am I guy 3?

The two shower trays I've narrowed it down to are;

http://www.showermania.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=JT1

http://www.showermania.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=JT2


Q1. Why do trays come with and without upstands?

Some people think they're necessary, some want to save money.

Q2. I assume upstands must be sunk into the wall - so you can tile flush on wall instead of inward angle. By sinking into wall.....do you raggle wall to get them in?

Make a cut with an angle grinder, then chisel away what you don't need.

 

[Bobcat1974]

I think behind these old existing tiles it will be plasterboard........

so, should I just stanley knife into the plasterboard, then tape?

Another Question !!

If I remove the tiles and it's platerboard covered in old rock solid adhesive, is it still possible to tank over old adhesive ??

Ta

 

[gcol]

You sure you're not posting under an alter-ego Jo.... I mean "Bobcat1974"?

 

[joe-90]

If in doubt follow the instructions of the manufacturer. It doesn't matter what some guy on a forum says.

 

[Bobcat1974]

You caught me out !!

I'm really Andy Kane aka Handy Andy from Changing Rooms, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen has asked me to do his shower enclosure (with the credit crunch and rising prices of large cuffed shirts he's got a few financial problems right now)



**********************************************
Never trust a guy who has brown fingers and doesnt smoke !

 

[gcol]

And there's the proof. Silly boy.