Flooring & Tiling
Facing up to the wetroom challenge
M
andy Searle, technical services manager at Norcros Adhesives, outlines some of the issues associated with the installation of wetrooms The popularity of wetrooms in both domestic and commercial properties continues to increase. They appeal both to younger consumers, since they are perceived to be ‘on trend’ and they are also suitable for older users and the disabled, due to the level access they provide.
Comment by Mandy Searle
Technical Services Manager, Norcros Adhesive
Despite their increased use, these installations remain amongst those where problems are most likely to be encountered, and where a system approach to product selection is most important. A wetroom is considered to be an installation where the shower base is at the same level as the floor. Good design, water- resistant background materials, high quality
tiles, grouts and adhesives, as well as correct installation methods are all important to achieving a safe and long lasting wetroom. BS5385-4 includes guidance on the construction of wetroooms. Most importantly A wet room needs to be totally waterproof. Advice in British Standard states that installations need to be tanked, since water getting behind the tiles can cause leaks, leading to damage to the tiling and also to the background substrate.
There are a number of different solutions which will provide adequate tanking – these include waterproof backer boards, flexible membranes and applied waterproof coatings. Other factors which need to be taken into consideration are ventilation, the slip resistance of tiled surfaces and the provision of adequate drainage.
Norcros Adhesives offers wetroom solutions T
ile adhesive, grout and preparation products manufacturer Norcros Adhesives offers a range of systems and solutions which can be used by tilers to achieve successful results when creating a wetroom. To ensure a robust waterproof substrate, Norcros offers its high performance Pro Ply Tile Backer Board to provide a strong, stable background for projects in bathrooms and wetrooms. It is a high performance, mineral based, water- resistant backer board, which is both mould- resistant and exceptionally strong. The product is manufactured using a process that produces very little in the way of CO2 emissions, unlike cement- particle and gypsum boards. The board is silica and asbestos–free and has a Class A1 non- combustibility fire rating making it ideal for use with underfloor heating and in build-ups for fire resistant systems and firewalls. As with all Norcros Adhesives products, Pro Ply is covered by a lifetime guarantee. It is available in 6mm and 12mm sheets 1200mm x 800mm in size, with 6mm boards normally used on floors and 12mm boards on walls. Norcros Adhesives also offers showertrays, designed to create a walk-in shower area. They are manufactured from a high density polystyrene core and have a reinforced cement coating that is ideal to receive a tiled finish. The trays are manufactured with pre-machined falls enabling water to flow correctly to the drain outlet. They can be easily trimmed to suit the dimensions required. There is a wide range of ceramic tiles that may be used in a wet room. They should conform to the requirements of BS EN 14411. Glass and ceramic mosaics, as well as natural stone tiles can also be used. Some agglomerated natural stone tiles can
28 BKU DECEMBER 2017
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