That pesky tub flange. You have the tile backerboard installed and everything is waterproofed. Everything except that gap between the backerboard and the tub flange. How do you waterproof that? What to do with the tub flange? To begin with you can try reading the instructions for the backerboard… which then will reveal… nothing. What about […]
Waterproofing
Building a Custom Shower Niche from Scratch
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Preformed Custom Recessed Shower Niche Part 4: Building a Custom Shower Niche from Scratch This post covers: Cement board, foam board, and Hardibacker Cutting into wall framing Waterproofing LOTS of photos! Sometimes there’s no good way around it. Building your own custom recessed shower niche from scratch can be […]
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 nothing about waterproofing being […]
How to Modify your Recessed Foam Shower Niche
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Preformed Recessed Shower Niche Part 3: How to Modify your Recessed Foam Shower Niche In this post we cover: Situations where you would consider modifications A technique to check if your foam niche is still waterproof Method and tools to customize a foam shower niche Staying out of trouble […]
How to Design a Preformed Foam Recessed Shower Niche
The Ultimate Guide to Building a Preformed Recessed Shower Niche Part 1: Planning and Layout In this post we discuss: What types of prefab recessed shower niches are out there Which preformed shampoo niches are best Shower niche design ideas Why you should plan for a shower insert before you install any tile How […]
No Waterproofing: Will this cause shower leaks?
Shower leaks. The last thing anyone wants when they build a new shower. And yet I hear the following questions quite often: Is cement board waterproof? The tile and grout will keep the most of the water out, right? My contractor didn’t put any waterproofing in our shower. Will this cause shower leaks? We […]
Tile Backer Board Breakdown
Which Shower Tile Backer board is best? I often get questions on what sort of tile backer board to use for showers and tub surrounds. When it comes to installing tile backer board the easiest to install is usually the worst choice or most expensive option. The types that are the most difficult to install […]
Exterior tile installation over occupied space
Exterior tile installation over living space This week I got an email about tiling outside over an occupied room. This isn’t something that I’ve talked about so far but this is a high risk situation and I wanted to expand on it a bit. Here’s the question: Hello.. I was hoping you could provide some […]
Kerdi no longer acceptable for tile steam showers
TCNA tightens steam shower requirements In 2013, the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), the organization that sets the guidelines for tile installations, is rumored to have made a modification to their specifications for constructing tile steam showers. It’s all about perm ratings- and Schluter Kerdi fabric no longer cuts it. (edit: this is now […]
Why Schluter Ditra is so cool: Uncoupling membranes explained
How tile uncoupling membranes work You’ve probably seen uncoupling membranes before. It’s not unusual to see these orange waffle-y products on some DIY television shows. You may have even wondered “Do those things really work?” In my quest to keep up on tile installation products I took one of Schuter’s training courses some years back. […]