How To Waterproof A Wall Before Tiling

Sheet membranes are plastic or elastometric sheets that have to be bonded to the substrate before tile installation.

How to waterproof a wall before tiling.

Press the waterproof membrane into the wet mortar on the wall. This means deciding where the first tiles will be laid and how the tiles will align with floor and wall joints. Add up the wall areas and add 10 so you have extra tile for mistakes or future repairs. I read somewhere that it s a good idea to waterproof plaster walls before tiling a shower or bath particularly at the bath edge where someday the caulking and grout may deteriorate and let water in.

You protect it with a layer of water proofing material. Repeat the previous steps to apply waterproof membrane to the remaining shower walls. Determine how much tile you ll need. You should not ever put tile directly onto drywall even the green board water resistant kind.

It s likely that different styles of tiles will be used for floor and walls based on how much slip resistance they provide. This old house general contractor tom silva shows a foolproof way to build a leak free shower. Cut the waterproof membrane into lengths of the bathroom walls. Rub the smooth edge of the trowel over the membrane to smooth out any wrinkles or trapped air bubbles.

Tiles are cut as necessary to fit where they belong. Fortunately waterproofing an enclosure is only a matter of proper preparation of the walls before the first tile is laid. You don t really water proof the drywall itself. Pattern they ll take is established.

With the installation of a waterproof membrane followed by water resistant cement boards your enclosure will be safely sealed usually within the course of a single afternoon s work. Lay the membrane down so that half is on the wall and the other half on the bathroom floor covering the crack. To stick the membrane down use either a paint roller or brush to paint over it with the waterproofing agent. To prevent water damage you must install a waterproof membrane just below the tile bonding mortar as close to the tile as possible.

See below for a shopping list and tools subscribe to this o. Use a utility knife to cut an x shaped slit to reveal the shower valve. You ll need a design plan before you start attaching the tile. There are two types of waterproof membranes sheet and liquid applied options.

For our shower we chose a running bond pattern.