Waterproofing Bathrooms Wet Areas

Waterproofing Bathrooms wet areas, Laundry and kitchens are usually the wettest rooms in any house. Wet areas when not waterproofed correctly structural damage to your building structure will occur. The moisture can even attract white ants which love damp areas. All leaks in the bathroom are critical. Leaking may remain undetected causing terrible damage to timber structure. Selection of the best waterproofing product for the right wet area is essential.  

Bathroom renovations, on average, occur every 10 years.  In fact, this makes it one of the most commonly renovated rooms in the house. Fortunately or unfortunately Australian Standards AS 3740 apply to any waterproofing used. The unfortunate part is that many standards represent only the minimum requirement for the treatment.

Waterproofing your bathroom is not just essential; it’s a regulatory requirement under national standards. Local councils also mandate certification of waterproofing for all new builds. This is one area where cutting costs can lead to expensive repairs down the line. Poor waterproofing can result in leaks, with telltale signs such as stains on walls, floors, or tiles, and flaking grout.

It’s crucial to waterproof all areas exposed to constant moisture, including floors, shower bases, walls, and the bath area. Professional Waterproofers use a variety of products to ensure compliance, such as sealants, sheet membranes, epoxy, and polyurethane membranes.

Our content here is practical advice only

1. Drizoro Products for Bathrooms and Wet Areas

1. Bonded  using Drizoro Maxseal Flex  Make a small Coving using Drizoro Maxrest, (similar to a cornice)
2. Drizoro Maxmesh embedded in Drizoro Maxseal Flex to strengthen the floor wall joint to protect against movement in the joint.
3. A final coating of Drizoro Maxseal Flex
4. Allow to cure.

 

Typically Wet areas waterproofing for bathrooms where there are concrete and masonry surfaces

Use Drizoro cementitious products when waterproofing of masonry and concrete surfaces.

2. Traditional Waterproofing Bathrooms Wet Areas

Liquid sealants, such as polyurethanes, are applied similarly to cementitious systems. Or a 2 coat system. Apply Primer coating to the area first. Apply the first coat of polyurethane from left to right (horizontally).  The Second coat or finish coat is applied using up and down strokes (i.e. vertically). Ensuring all small/pin holes missed in the first coat are completely sealed. Use Flexible sealant around the bathroom where the bath and vanity units meet the walls. This prevents water from getting behind them and causing premature damage.

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Note:

• Waterproofing bathroom wet areas with products that may take a few days to dry or cure, usually, this is just a day or 2, check with the supplier to confirm that you get the correct waterproof seal.
• Don’t disturb the waterproof membranes whilst they’re curing. Complete all plumbing trade works. Then and only then waterproof the wet area. The biggest danger to a waterproof membrane is the destruction by other trades.
• Tiling should start only after the waterproofing has completely cured

3. Repair of Bathrooms and wet areas

Repair of Bathrooms and wet areas normally is a renovation that involves a complete makeover of the bathroom. The repair is really just like waterproofing bathrooms a brand new wet area. This can be expensive.

Repair of leaking bathrooms varies from bathroom to bathroom. The faults can be simple or complex. A little silicon often solves the problem

In other cases replacement of the mortar lines with a waterproof mortar, ordinary mortar and clear sealant applied to the entire tiled area.

 

4. How to Make Your Shower Watertight with Sealtight Clear 

7 reasons why SEALTIGHT is different to other Clear Sealers?

 

SealTight best clear sealer because it is made to an environmentally safe Scientific Formula using proprietary ingredients. Once absorbed into the concrete it fills the pores and blocks moisture from coming through the matrix. SealTight becomes part of the concrete chemical matrix and actually increases the strength of the masonry.

Method: – clean the shower to remove grease, and unsound particles, scrub thoroughly to remove all the scrum and mould. Replace all silicone sealant as necessary around shower fittings etc. Cleaning using Bluee-Powerclean (recommended). Rinse off all

Check all mortar lines for cracks or holes and where faulty replace them with waterproof mortar such as Drizoro Maxjoint Flex – waterproof mortar
The wall floor and corners make a small coving for the entire length of the joint. (Drizoro Maxjoint Flex)

Complete all the preparation. ALLOW SHOWER TO DRY (at least 24 hours) before application of a saturation coat of Sealtight to the entire area.

 

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5. How to Make your Shower Watertight with CMA Ultraclear Traffic Transparent Waterproof Coating

CMA Ultraclear Traffic Transparent Waterproof Coating (sometimes called Clearcoat).   Clearcoat is a TOP COATING only!  NOT a penetrating sealer.

Designed to be applied over the top of tiles. Like penetrating sealers, the Surfaces must be dry, clean, sound, stable, and free of dust, grease, loose, flaking, friable material and other contamination and substances. The surface is to be washed with detergent and/or bleach. Then washed off with clean water and allowed to dry thoroughly.

 

Conclusion

Repair of Bathrooms and wet areas like all waterproofing requires the selection of correct waterproofing materials. This then gives us the best result. The resultant protection of areas surrounding your bathroom wet area is important.
When is the repair of bathrooms and wet areas necessary?  Bathroom repairs are necessary whenever water is getting past the membrane. It is important to know exactly what causes the problem. So repairs to the leaking bathroom are correct.
When going back to bare masonry use Drizoro Maxseal product to waterproof behind tiles.
Looking to seal and renovate  a leaking bathroom without removing the tile there 2 options

1. SWP Sealtight
2. CMA Clearcoat

The ClearCoat I believe is the best choice as it is a physical coating.

 

According to Australian Standards for Waterproofing a Bathroom*

Bathroom waterproofing is critical. And is mandated by law. You must comply with Building Code Australia (BCA) and Australian Standard AS3740. Here are 5 basic requirements:

1. The shower enclosure is to be Fully waterproofed.
2. Shower enclosure walls are to be waterproofed to 1800mm
3. Bathroom walls should be waterproofed to a height of 150mm
4. If the bathroom floor contains or is made of timber or is on the 2nd floor or higher. The waterproofing of the wet area is critical!
5. The areas over the shower enclosure step/hob to the floor must be waterproofed to a height of 100mm

* At the time of writing and may vary at any time

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