Ensuite Tanking

whelzer

Should a small ensuite with slimline shower tray be "tanked". (Just heard about this today).

If so what would you guys recommend a particular system. Room is approx 2.12m * 1.82.

Thanks

Sparkpea

I don't believe any shower fitted correctly needs to be tanked, or even classi seal put on it. People tank incase of leaks but if you've a good plumber, good tiler, good materials then you shouldn't have leaks.

I've only tanked 1 shower tray and it was as a request. I would use classi seal often but don't particularly rate it much myself. My own shower tray in the downstairs cloakroom will be fitted in a few months without tanking of classi seal.

Davy

It doesn't matter about the size of the room, you just tank the area above the tray on the 2 or 3 walls. If using a low profile tray, chances are it wont have an upstand so would help if you used the tanking or even the classi seal. The classi seal creates an upstand on trays that dont have one.

Personally I like tanking, its a great job and gives great security and piece of mind especially with pump fed showers where the grout can let you down. It doesnt brake the bank and walls are ready to go after a few hours.

sanbrafyffe

wat ye mean by tanking lads

Buford T Justice

Sparkpea wrote: »

I don't believe any shower fitted correctly needs to be tanked, or even classi seal put on it. People tank incase of leaks but if you've a good plumber, good tiler, good materials then you shouldn't have leaks.

I've only tanked 1 shower tray and it was as a request. I would use classi seal often but don't particularly rate it much myself. My own shower tray in the downstairs cloakroom will be fitted in a few months without tanking of classi seal.

Would recommend the Classi Seal. I fitted it on my own tray and used a strip of bath seal under the tiles as a decorative feature. Was got from heatmerchants. Turns out, the rubber seam of the bath seal has curled up and away from the tray so I'm glad I went through the hassle of putting it on.

Davy

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

wat ye mean by tanking lads

Fibreglass mesh put on the plasterboard before tiling. It bonds to the top of the tray, so any water getting behind the tiles will come out onto the tray rather than going behind the wall.

Buford T Justice

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

wat ye mean by tanking lads

Tanking the walls and floor would make them waterproof, so if there was a leak in the shower, it wouldn't penetrate through the floor / walls.

Sparkpea

Davy wrote: »

Fibreglass mesh put on the plasterboard before tiling. It bonds to the top of the tray, so any water getting behind the tiles will come out onto the tray rather than going behind the wall.

not being picky here only asking the question

do u still put plasterboard around a shower tray? I thought pretty much everyone used marine ply now? or did you just say plasterboard.. or would you use plasterboard and tank it then feel its ok?

whelzer

Should have added the ensuite is upstairs. Water will be pumped..

Think I'm sold on it. Will google classi seal now. Any idea what this costs to buy?

Thanks for these posts - very glad I asked now!

Billy Bunting

I'm with Sparkpea, a well constructed area with a good plumber to do the job and leaks shouldn't happen.

If you've looked for a discount from the plumber be careful because he'll probably cut a few corners.

Sparkpea

classi seal is about £20 for 2m, and maybe £25 for 3m

tanking kit is maybe about £60-£80 I think roughly - my tiler would charge an extra £80 to apply it

Davy

Sparkpea wrote: »

not being picky here only asking the question

do u still put plasterboard around a shower tray? I thought pretty much everyone used marine ply now? or did you just say plasterboard.. or would you use plasterboard and tank it then feel its ok?

Well the moisture board I meant, not the standard board

Davy

Billy Bunting wrote: »

I'm with Sparkpea, a well constructed area with a good plumber to do the job and leaks shouldn't happen.

From a customer point of view, which can you rely more on. A plumber/tilers work that you dont know, or the area tanked.

Billy Bunting

Davy wrote: »

From a customer point of view, which can you rely more on. A plumber/tilers work that you dont know, or the area tanked.

A 100% Conclusive Written Guarantee

Davy

Billy Bunting wrote: »

A 100% Conclusive Written Guarantee

I mean in the long term, years down the line. Thats when things happen, Im not talking about an obvious leak

Billy Bunting

Isn't the tanking solution only as good as the person putting it down ?? would you not look for some protection on that ?

sanbrafyffe

dont use plasterboard at the shower.use marine ply.simple

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Tanking the walls and floor would make them waterproof, so if there was a leak in the shower, it wouldn't penetrate through the floor / walls.

Joey the lips

Personally speaking tanking is a great job if your budget allows. I always suggest its used to install shower trays especially on diy jobs.

However as pointed out if professionally fit this will not be a problem so tanking will not be needed.

Tankiing is generally used for wet rooms where there is no shower tray just a walk in. Most of them are fibre glass based.

Buford T Justice

sanbrafyffe wrote: »

dont use plasterboard at the shower.use marine ply.simple

I never suggested you should.

Sparkpea wrote: »

classi seal is about £20 for 2m, and maybe £25 for 3m

Last time i got it, it was around 65 squid for 5m. There's another crowd doing their own version of it as well called aquastrap

Sparkpea wrote: »

not being picky here only asking the question

do u still put plasterboard around a shower tray? I thought pretty much everyone used marine ply now? or did you just say plasterboard.. or would you use plasterboard and tank it then feel its ok?

Personally, I'd always use marine in the shower enclosure.

whelzer

Many thanks for all the info - have any of you come across the Weber tanking kit. Theres a video of it being it being used on their site . In my very humble opinion it looks ok??

Sparkpea

never used/heard of weber, bal tanking kit is one of the best I'm told.

Joey the lips

I am told bal or evo is the best on the market however weber make good tools so why not

Joey the lips

There is nothing wrong with using plaster board in a shower area. It makes sense imo to continue the walls uniform.

Haveing 2 different surfaces with a tile sitting on it would be more likely to give you trouble...


Haveing said that ply will be fine once primed. You will also need to put more screws into the ply on the wall than plasterboard.

Buford T Justice

Standard Slab is 12.5mm and you can get 12mm Marine. half a mil wouldn't make that much of a difference when tiling. Can be worked around.

Sparkpea

does all plasterboard not need to be screwed now or is that only ceilings? you can get 9mm plasterboard or 9mm wbp, same with 12mm, not matter what theres always a few mm off at any joints but a good bed of adhesive sorts that problem. Its amazing how many studs or block walls are off level, my tiler always builds out tiles so everything perfect, doesn't just slab them on - can go through an extra 2-3bags of adhesive if the walls are bad and at £20-30 a bag its some difference! but makes the job a good'un.

Buford T Justice

You don't need to screw the ceiling either, it can be nailed. Personally, i screw them. Makes less work if you hit the board with the head of the hammer - Another hole to fill :mad:

I've never come across a corner that has actually been a decent 90 Degrees or very near it.

9mm was generally for ceilings though, because of the weight. The standard is 12.5 down here. I don't think I've come across 9mm in a long time.

Davy

Sparkpea wrote: »

not being picky here only asking the question

do u still put plasterboard around a shower tray? I thought pretty much everyone used marine ply now? or did you just say plasterboard.. or would you use plasterboard and tank it then feel its ok?

Couldn't the case be made, if you don't need tanking because the tiling/grouting/silicone etc is fitted correctly, then why would the marine ply be needed instead of moisture board?

Buford T Justice

Davy wrote: »

Couldn't the case be made, if you don't need tanking because the tiling/grouting/silicone etc is fitted correctly, then why would the marine ply be needed instead of moisture board?

Fair point.

Old habits I guess..

Billy Bunting

Davy wrote: »

Couldn't the case be made, if you don't need tanking because the tiling/grouting/silicone etc is fitted correctly, then why would the marine ply be needed instead of moisture board?

Rigidity! too much movement, reduce that and no reason why tiling/grouting/silicone wont do its job.

Sparkpea

Davy wrote: »

Couldn't the case be made, if you don't need tanking because the tiling/grouting/silicone etc is fitted correctly, then why would the marine ply be needed instead of moisture board?

yeah true, stronger base even if its just for screwing to, I'd use it at the end of a bath that has a shower going on it too, better to screw the bath screen etc. to

whelzer

Quick update - got the evo stick kit. €66 inc vat in local builders merchants, it included mesh and 6m2 of "stuff". It needed 2 coats. Tiler applied it today...