waterproof screed / resin around bath tiles - water pooling

[jrhartley]

Hello

I recently tiled a bathroom with some mosaic tiles. The problem is that the bath sits against a wall that steps out, so there is an area about 10cm x 1 metre along the edge of the bath that is flat and water pools there when the shower has run. The tiles are on WBP. We have been using a squeegy to ensure the water doesn't stand there, but the grouting is still getting discoloured and I'm having to regrout and reseal the area where the water pools a lot sooner and more frequently than I expected. I think water is obviously penetrating the (waterproof) grouting and the ply is expanding and staining through the grout.

It's not really viable to have the flat part remade a steep angle as it would look awful and also would remove space around the bath for stuff like shampoo, etc. I was wondering if there are any products that I could use instead - take up the mosaic tiles on the flat part, and pour in some sort of waterproof resin or screed and have that form a seamless joint to the bath edge? I was thinking in the same way as a resin floor. White would be good, or a light grey, but I would want a product that would have a consistent colour through it, and not look like unfinished concrete.

I thought about using a waterproof matting also, but I enivisage issues of how the membrane ends (it would have to overlap the lip of the bath edge, so I can't see that working).

Any suggestions / ideas on how to make a completely tanked solution, that is flat (or a tiny gradient, but still appears flat) for the sound of the bath would be really gratfully appreciated.

if it helps, I can take some photos and post that.

 

[tictic]

take tiles and wbp off ,check for any other damage.
renew with aquapanel at a gradient.

as for the "waterproof" grout it aint, its water resistant not unless its expoxy grout.

 

[tictic]

post some pics mate.

 

[jrhartley]

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aquapanel then, you think?

 

[jctilingservices]

yes mate, aqua panel, and as tictic pointed out, your grout is not waterproof,its either water repellant or water resistant, but DEFO NOT waterproof,unless its epoxy grout

 

[bathstyle]

I disagree with the use of Aquapanel in this instance. It's a horizontal shelf with a shower above it. I would either use a waterproof tilebacker board such as Wedi, marmox etc with the joints taped with the specific waterproof tape or Plasterboard the area and then tank it.

Whatever you decide you will always have slight issues with grout staining on your horizontal shelf, I would always specify a thin granite, Hi Macs, or Corian. Initial cost is expensive but it doesn't have to be done twice like your job does. Depending on height of the tiles against your Bath edge you could always get the Corian etc retro fitted.

 

[jrhartley]

Firstly, thanks for all your replies.

I'm going to speak to someone to get an idea about the Corian solution, as I fear that without a seamless edge to the bath lip I'm going to keep getting this staining issue and my tiling and building abilities aren't good enough to be able to accurately enough calculate the level of all the substrates, adhesive and mosaic tiles to get it to sit only marginally above the line of the bath and with a shallow angle, and I can see the staining will just keep happening.

Given the shelf is 250mm x 1100 (wider than I remembered) and 100mm x 900mm (so about .37m2 area) - what sort of price would I be have to brace myself for for something like Corian? Am I looking at £200-300...?

 

[bathstyle]

Try these people:-

http://www.solidity.co.uk/index.htm

I had some polished travertine done recently and it came to £150 for three pieces, 200mm x 800mm (2 of) and a window board about 1m x 150mm

 

[jrhartley]

just received a quote from another firm (not solidity) for the corian l-shaped piece..... over £1100 inc VAT.

Needless to say, I will not be spending that amount. I will try to get some other quotes, but otherwise it will have to be the original solution.

Out of interest, how BAD is epoxy grouting to use. Everything I've read online suggests its just awful - are there any good products out there to work with?

 

[tictic]

epoxy grout has moved on ...a bit..its not that to bad to work with, visit a GOOD tile distributor they will advise you better...just in case get the marygolds looked out..

 

[bathstyle]

Mapei Kerapoxy.

It takes a while to set (overnight) but gives a decent amount of working time.

I keep a pot of Kerapoxy Jasmine in the van all the time and use it as a filler for travertine, works well.