Since concrete is so hard it is often believed it is waterproof. Not so. Concrete acts much like a sponge, absorbing and holding onto water over time. In a shower, water can get into concrete by soaking through grout (tile may be impervious to water, but grout isn't), leaking around the edges of the shower base, or seeping into cracks in the concrete that develop as the material ages. Many showers were made using a vinyl liner under a packed mud (concrete) bed, with a custom pitched surface for drainage. Unfortunately, over time water often collects between the concrete and the vinyl liner, creating a filthy, mold-ridden mess. Eventually the concrete crumbles, and these showers became unusable. Thousands of them are being removed from homes, hospitals, and other facilities every year. Installing an ARC shower on concrete provides an impervious surface, covers any cracks that may occur in the concrete, diminishes the potential for mold and mildew growth in the concrete, and delivers consistent, precisely-controlled pitch planes for perfect drainage performance and predictable tiling results.
Chances are, the reinforcement ring around the underside of the drain hole is hung up on a joist or blocking. If you look at the underside of a TrueDEK Classic you'll see that there is a squarish-shaped reinforcement area around the drain hole. This reinforcement area isn't flush with the ribbing or bottom surface on the rest of base. If the reinforcement area rests on blocking or a joist or some other support, it prevents the base from seating properly.
Another possibility is that the joists and blocking are uneven or there are high and low spots in the framing. You want even support, level support throughout the framing below a shower base.
Yes, but we don't recommend it unless you are very neat about it. Nothing bonds to cured silicone, so if any is exposed in places you intend to apply waterproofing, you'll end up with a problem--be sure no silicone is squeezed into areas that need to be waterproofed. If you do use silicone you can clean up squeeze-out (before it cures) with WD-40 or similar products.
This has been a good solution for some situations. You'll have to plan for two drains, and two drainage areas with a slight ridge in the middle.
A wet room is basically an entire bathroom that has been waterproofed. So, in addition to the shower area, the floor throughout the bathroom is waterproofed along with the walls to a height of about 3" to 4". All seams and joints in the floor, as well as the floor to wall joints and wall corners, are covered with embedded reinforcement tape.
A wet room provides several key improvements over an un-waterproofed bathroom. First, no water can penetrate to the subfloor, preventing rot, mold, and mildew from developing. Second, water cannot leak into rooms below. Third, shower spray can splash into the room and bathers can step out of the shower without having to dry off beforehand. Fourth, washing down the entire room for cleaning is easy and you'll never worry about water getting into the framing. Fifth, a wet room can expand the maneuvering area beyond the shower, which can be a real advantage for people with disabilities or physical limitations. Sixth, wet room designs can make a small to medium size bathroom feel much more spacious.
Great question. Any installation will depend on many factors, including the size and complexity of the room, the time and materials it takes to apply the waterproofing materials, and most significantly, the type of tile or other wall covering you choose. Wet room walls must be covered with some type of waterproof material like tile, stone, or sheets of acrylic, fiberglass, quartz or the like, and as you might guess, the cost of these materials varies widely.
Absolutely. One of the great things about aTrueDEK foundation is that you can remove the original tile or stone, then redo the waterproofing and cover with new tile or stone of your choice. Be sure to repair any damage to the fiber cement board underlayment on the floor or walls before reapplying waterproofing materials.
Leaving joints uncovered allows more opportunity for water to penetrate your framing structure. In the long run it pays to embed tape over every joint. You'll never regret it. Remember, most tile and stone are impervious to water, but grout is not.
The off-center drain hole is an advantage because it helps the installer avoid an obstacle by rotating the foundation two or four ways, depending on whether it's a square or rectangular model. For example, when you set the TrueDEK into position the drain hole may sit directly over a joist, but by turning the foundation you may avoid this conflict. All Classic foundations have off-center drain holes.
Mullens are made of fiberglass reinforced plastic. They are very strong and rigid. Because of the waffling underneath, weight is reduced while maintaining strength.
The six alcove models may be cut to length. Of the six alcove models, four may be cut at one end only (the end opposite the drain) and two may be cut at both ends (the drain is centrally located on these models). Alcove models may only be cut in the designated area(s) at one or both ends, and the cut must be straight and parallel with the original end so that a new end cap can be installed. The designated area for cutting in all cases is 11? wide (measured from the original end of the base).
Corner model should not be cut.
To cut an alcove Mullen, use a circular saw, reciprocating saw, or jig saw. A circular saw most easily delivers straight cuts. Equip your saw with a fine-toothed blade to minimize chipping. To assist you during a cut, you'll find guidelines on the underside of the alcove Mullen models.
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