Tiled showers, steam showers, and bathtub surrounds provide the ultimate
in practical and aesthetic appeal.
Since showers are used every day (PAUSE), and in most homes more than once a day, it
is essential to have a reliable waterproofing system in place.
How much water does your shower see? The average shower lasts about 12 minutes, which means
your shower is seeing 30 gallons of water a day! That’s more than 1100 inches in a
year! That’s a lot of water!
More than the roof of your house ever sees!
That’s why it’s so important to have a system in place to make sure your investment
is protected from all that moisture.
There are two types of systems that are typically used in shower construction.
(PAUSE)The traditional shower system
… also known as the water-in/water-out system, (PAUSE)
and a sealed system.
Let’s explore both. First, let’s take a look at the traditional
method for installing tiled showers.
This approach creates what can be described as a water-in/water-out system.
While effective when done properly, this method is time and labor intensive.
First, a mortar bed is sloped to the weep holes in the drain.
The waterproofing membrane (PAUSE), or pan liner, (PAUSE) is placed over this pre-slope
and clamped into the drain. Pan liners do not allow for the direct application
of tile, so a second mortar bed must be installed to provide load distribution and a bonding
surface for the tiles. Contrary to popular belief, tile coverings
are not waterproof.
Water and vapor will penetrate between the tiles through the grout joints; (PAUSE) even
if these joints are sealed. This moisture must pass through the mortar
bed to the sloped pan liner and exit through the weep holes in the drain.
With regular use of the shower, the mortar bed can remain saturated, particularly if
the pre-slope installation is ignored or the weep holes become clogged.
This can increase the potential for efflorescence and mold growth within the system.
With other errors, such as fastening the pan liner below the height of the curb or not
installing a vapor retarder behind the backerboard, moisture will penetrate the structure.
This can damage moisture sensitive building materials, like wood framing and subfloors
or gypsum board ceilings below, and cause mold growth.
To avoid the common challenges with traditional water-in/water-out shower assemblies, Schluter®-Systems
offers an integrated family of products that create a “sealed system”
We call it the Schluter®-Shower System. .
The Schluter®-KERDI waterproofing membrane is installed over the solid backing on the
shower or bathtub surround walls. Schluter®-KERDI-DRAIN is installed in conjunction
with a sloped mortar bed, or a sloped Schluter®-KERDI-SHOWER tray with integrated waterproofing.
KERDI-DRAIN enables a simple and secure connection to the membrane at the top of the assembly
via the integrated bonding flange. Unlike a traditional assembly, tile can be
set directly over the waterproofing, which makes installation quick and efficient.
With waterproofing directly behind the tile, moisture is unable to penetrate into the mortar
bed or solid backing. This allows the system to completely dry between uses.
The integrated Schluter Shower System eliminates leaks (PAUSE), reduces potential for efflorescence
and mold growth in the system (PAUSE), and dramatically reduces installation time, to
ensure success and make shower installation easier than ever.