Waterproofing or ‘ tanking’  Shower Rooms

When it comes to designing your bathroom and with en-suite facilities becoming ever more popular, a shower or wet room is now a feature which more and more homes are taking advantage of. A Waterproof Shower Room has the advantages of looking good and fitting into any home and can be adapted to fit even the smallest bathroom or en-suite. Waterproof shower rooms or wet rooms, are usually equipped with a walk-in shower.

The room itself becomes the shower enclosure, with the shower drain set into a gently sloped floor which replaces the conventional shower tray. It is essential Waterproof Shower Rooms are properly tanked. Tanking is a waterproofing procedure which is carried out in shower enclosures, wet rooms and bathrooms as well as sauna/steam rooms which protects the building from moisture migration and leaks.

When the floor of a waterproof shower room/wet room is tiled, contrary to popular belief, the tiles, adhesives and grouts are permeable and therefore can allow moisture to leach into the structure over time which can cause mould growth, rot and, in some cases result in structural damage. The impact of water damage leaking from bathrooms/shower rooms is one of the most common insurance claims and you should be aware that:

• All tile adhesives and grouts are permeable to some degree, they are not waterproof but rather they are ‘ stable when wet’


• It takes 2 minutes for water to penetrate grouting


• It takes 5 minutes for the water to get beneath the tiles


• It can take 5 weeks of the resulting damp to dry out

It is therefore essential to create a 100% waterproof tanked shower room and you should take into consideration the following when designing your bathroom/shower room:

• Having the correct flooring and sloping gradient for effective drainage


• Effective waterproofing/Tanking


• Compatible floor drainage


• Total protection of neighbouring rooms from water migration

A Waterproof Shower Room will open up your bathroom giving more space and with its contemporary look will fit well into today’s modern home as well as complimenting more traditional styles. A Waterproof Shower Room works perfectly with underfloor heating, giving the luxury and comfort usually only afforded to exclusive establishments, allowing you to create a lavish addition to your home.

Installing a Waterproof Shower Room with Tanking is a relatively simple procedure but if you consider the damage a leak will cause, you will recognise the importance of ensuring installation is completed professionally and correctly. A tanking system is designed to protect underlying structures, backgrounds and bases from water penetration.

A Waterproof Shower Room with Tanking has a waterproof coating, polyester tape for reinforcement of corners and joints, polyester matting when required for floors and a floor and wall primer. There are many different methods of waterproofing or Tanking a Shower/Wet Room and each room structure plus the choice of flooring and materials used should be taken into consideration when installing a Tanking system.

A correctly Waterproofed or ‘ Tanked ‘ Shower Room will cope with the needs of any busy family and when designed well with the correct floor structure and a comprehensive tanking system will be trouble free, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of a completely waterproof stylish Shower Room which will be trouble free and also add value to your home.