Do You Have To Waterproof A Bathroom Floor Before Tiling

Water leaking into your floor and wall spaces can rot structural timbers and cause damage.

Do you have to waterproof a bathroom floor before tiling. The worst bit about this kind of damage is that you won t normally realise it s happening until the worst of the damage has already been done. Tile floors are beautiful durable and a fairly diy friendly option but for tile s good looks to really last it s vital to start with what you can t see the ideal underlayment. Cement is actually a very porous material and can easily absorb water. Although most backerboards currently available won t fall apart when exposed to moisture and are somewhat water resistant they aren t waterproof.

If cement is not waterproofed it can cause issues with the mortar used between the tiles. Often the subfloor consists of plywood that is nailed or screwed to the construction floor. Preparing a subfloor is an essential step for installing floor tile it provides a level surface that will allow the tiles to properly stay in place. Therefore any concrete that may come into regular contact with water such as under tile or for a pool will need to be waterproofed.

Water can ruin the best tile installations destroy bathroom walls quickly and seep through floors to attack foundations if the waterproofing is badly done. After letting the waterproofing agent dry apply a final coat of waterproofing to the walls and bathroom floor with a brush or roller. Proper waterproofing in wet areas is absolutely vital water leaking into floor and wall spaces can very easily rot structural timbers and do some heartbreaking damage to a house. Whether you re laying down a new tile floor or installing a shower you may use a sheathing material such as backerboard.

This guide will show you how to prepare your subfloor for a tile installation project to ensure that it s fit to support ceramic or porcelain tile. Before finish flooring is installed on top of a plywood subfloor you must waterproof the subfloor especially in a bathroom. This video from bunnings warehouse will show you the simple steps. Fortunately waterproofing an enclosure is only a matter of proper preparation of the walls before the first tile is laid.

Answer answer if the ceramic tile is already installed there is no way to fully waterproof the floor after the fact unless you replace the tile and install a legitimate waterproof membrane during the replacement process. Some people will try to put a sealer on the grout joints but that doesn t waterproof it. It only makes it more water resistant.