Flood testing a shower pan. I get several calls per year about showers that are leaking. Some of these showers leak after just a few years, and some just a few weeks after they've been built. I estimate that those calls could probably be cut in half if this one simple step were taken: … [Read more...] about Flood testing a shower pan: Why it’s done and how to do it
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5 Ways to Screw Up your Cement Board Installation on Floors
Cement board installation over floors is not incredibly difficult. But I see people make the same screw-ups over and over again. The following are the most common mistakes I see when installing cement board over floors and what you should do instead. Cement board mistakes Let me throw … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Screw Up your Cement Board Installation on Floors
How to Install GoBoard Tile Backer Board | Video
It's time to work on DIY'ing your tile shower and you're not looking forward to working with the dreaded cement board again. It's dusty, crumbly, and hard to start screws into. Not to mention how heavy it is. Sure, there are waterproof foam backer boards on the market but they are extraordinarily … [Read more...] about How to Install GoBoard Tile Backer Board | Video
Shower Waterproofing Crash Course
4 Shower Waterproofing systems for tile showers Waterproofing a shower. This seems like common sense, doesn’t it? Well, a lot of showers that are built these days still have no shower waterproofing whatsoever. Or they have poor or improper waterproofing. What! No Waterproofing!? How … [Read more...] about Shower Waterproofing Crash Course
Installing Electric Floor Heat: How to Not Void Your Warranty
"How do you know it works?" I've been asked this by more than one homeowner when installing their electric floor heat systems. It's a good question. Frankly, it's too big of a risk to install the whole electrically heated floor with tile on top and then hope that it works when the project is … [Read more...] about Installing Electric Floor Heat: How to Not Void Your Warranty
2 Methods for Sealing the tub flange for tile
That pesky bathtub flange. It doesn't make a lot of sense to go to the trouble of waterproofing your bathtub walls if you don't handle the flange properly. But what is the proper way? And why do most residential remodels not do it that way? Let's dive in. The proper way to install … [Read more...] about 2 Methods for Sealing the tub flange for tile
Is Hardibacker and Durock cement board waterproof?
Reader question: Hi there. I recently finished grouting my tile surround in my shower. I posted photos on Facebook and somebody questioned whether I had waterproofed the Hardiebacker 500 board. Much to my dismay, I had never even heard of this… Anyway, I went to the James Hardie website and see … [Read more...] about Is Hardibacker and Durock cement board waterproof?
Do Uncoupling Membranes Really Prevent Cracked Tile Floors?
You want to tile your concrete floor. But there's a problem. The concrete has cracks in it. You know that if you tile right over the crack you soon will have a floor tile that's cracked in the exact same spot. So what can you do to keep the tile from cracking? Do Uncoupling Membranes Really … [Read more...] about Do Uncoupling Membranes Really Prevent Cracked Tile Floors?
No Waterproofing: Will this cause a shower to leak?
A leaking shower. The last thing anyone wants when they build a new shower. Yet I hear the following questions quite often: What inspired this post? A member of the John Bridge forum asking a simple enough question: Is a moisture barrier required? He had hired a contractor to … [Read more...] about No Waterproofing: Will this cause a shower to leak?
Ditra Heat Mat Installation: Ignore these two rules
This post was updated on July 2023. Typically, I encourage people to follow the manufacturer's instructions. Especially when the company has clear, detailed, and easy-to-understand instructions like Schluter does. But when it comes to both Ditra Heat and Ditra Heat TB [edit: now … [Read more...] about Ditra Heat Mat Installation: Ignore these two rules
