Renovating a bathroom is no easy task. A mandatory step in the renovation of the bathroom is waterproofing. This is necessary to reduce the risk of leaks, as well as to prevent the spread of fungus and bacteria. The choice of compositions to ensure moisture protection depends on the selected finishing material. Let's figure out how to waterproof the floor in the bathroom under the tile.
Moisture protection is the most important stage of bathroom renovation. Many, doing repairs with their own hands, neglect this stage. And absolutely in vain! A properly executed hydro-barrier extends the life of the finish, both walls and floors, and reduces the risk of flooding of the apartment below. So, if the owners want to make a really high-quality repair, then waterproofing work in the bathroom should not be neglected.
Where should it be applied?
First of all, you need to find out which parts of the room need to be waterproofed. This is:
- the entire surface of the floor with access to the walls to a height of at least 20 cm;
- the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe ceiling, this will to some extent protect the apartment from leaks from the apartment located above. In addition, the presence of waterproofing on the ceiling will protect the supporting structures from damage caused by moisture evaporation. This is especially important for a wooden house;
- the surface of the walls in the area of \u200b\u200bthe location of sewer risers and water pipes;
- wall surface near plumbing fixtures.
Advice! The area of \u200b\u200bmoisture protection of walls near plumbing fixtures should be at least half a meter in each direction.
Varieties
The materials used for moisture protection of the floor and walls of the bathroom are distinguished by several features. The main feature of classification is the method of application. You can use the following compositions:
- Coating. These are materials that are applied to surfaces with a brush or roller.
- Pasting. Materials are sold in rolls.
Coating
For do-it-yourself repair work in the bathroom, many people prefer this type of moisture protection.
Advice! Materials for coating moisture protection are available both in ready-to-apply form and in the form of dry mixes. In the latter case, they must be prepared before application.
The most popular coating moisture protection:
- Bitumen-polymer. Such coating moisture protection is already implemented in a form ready for application. The main one is a bituminous base and synthetic additives. The use of this type of waterproofing is recommended only for the floor, provided that a thin screed is made over the waterproofing layer.
Advice! It is best to use bituminous mastic for waterproofing the bathroom floor, provided that the area of the room does not exceed 7 square meters.
- Bitumen-latex. This is one of the easiest and most convenient materials to use. After hardening, the material forms a smooth, seamless surface with excellent elasticity and moisture protection. On top of this type of waterproofing, it is also recommended to perform a thin screed and only then lay the tiles.
Advice! Bitumen-latex moisture protection can also be used to protect walls, provided that after waterproofing the walls are sheathed with plasterboard or plastered.
- Polymer-cement. This type of moisture protection can be used for both floors and walls. On top of this type of waterproofing, you can immediately glue the tiles. The composition is applied with a spatula or a wide brush.
- Acrylic enamel. This type of waterproofing is the cheapest, but also the most unreliable. It is applied with a brush in several layers.
Advice! The use of acrylic enamel for moisture protection of a room with a high level of humidity is the last century. But if you are doing budget repairs with your own hands, then it is better to use this type of waterproofing than to completely abandon the use of waterproofing materials.
Pasting
Materials are produced on the basis of fiberglass or polyester. They are a canvas, the lower part of which is covered with adhesive compositions. The outer part of the canvas is coated with a special substance that increases the degree of adhesion to the tile adhesive.
Advantages of this option:
- affordable price;
- simple installation, installation of waterproofing is easy to do with your own hands;
- the possibility of performing tiling work as soon as the laying of the waterproofing layer is completed;
- versatility, the material is suitable for waterproofing both concrete and wooden subfloors. The materials have a sufficiently high degree of elasticity, so they withstand the movements of the wooden floor associated with changes in humidity.
The canvases are laid on the floor surface, laying is carried out with an overlap of at least 10 cm wide. It is very important to roll the material well to the floor surface so that there are no voids anywhere. If the laying is carried out in such a way that gaps remain between the canvases, then we can say that all the work has been done in vain.
Use cases
Let's figure out how coating or rolled moisture protection can be used if you are doing a bathroom renovation with your own hands. First of all, you need to figure out how best to place the waterproofing - on top of the screed or under it. Each option has its own merits.
Under the screed
This option is used most often, that is, it is this technology that is standard. For floor waterproofing, this option is better, because this technology provides increased coating strength. An additional plus of this technology is that it is possible to use any version of the waterproofing material.
However, this technology also has a negative point. So, if water spills on the floor, the screed will get wet. It will take a long time for the screed to dry, and during the entire drying period, there will be increased dampness in the room, which can lead to mold growth.
Over the screed
This option for waterproofing the bathroom floor is less commonly used. The fact is that the waterproofing coating does not provide a high level of adhesion with tile adhesive.
The positive aspect of using this technology is that the screed will remain dry if water gets on the floor. If this particular method of waterproofing is chosen, then it is better to choose either cement-polymer mastic or roll materials.
Combination
To ensure a high level of waterproofing, it is best to use a combined moisture protection method:
- the first layer (about 3 cm thick) is placed under the screed;
- the second layer (about 1.5 cm thick) is applied over the completed screed.
Work performance technology
Consider how moisture protection of the floor in the bathroom is done with your own hands. This operation is carried out as follows:
- the surface is thoroughly cleaned;
- all existing defects must be repaired, the permissible level of differences in height is no more than 2 mm per 2 linear meters of the surface;
- all joints of plates, pipe entry points and intersections of the floor and walls are filled with silicone sealant or putty;
- rubber seals are additionally put on the pipes, and a sealing tape is glued to the joints;
- not only the floor surface is prepared for application, but also the lower part of the walls to a height of about 20 cm from the floor;
- coating materials are applied with a brush or spatula, sheet materials are overlapped and rolled with a roller;
- after applying coating materials, they must be given time to solidify;
- then either a thin concrete screed is performed, or they immediately begin laying the tiles.
So, there are various materials for waterproofing the floor in the bathroom, so it is difficult to choose the best option. Experts are not recommended to use paint compositions, they are short-lived and do not provide a high level of protection against moisture. A layer of colorful waterproofing will collapse after a few years, and this will contribute to the appearance of dampness and the growth of molds. Under the tile it is best to choose rolled materials or mastics based on polymer cement, these two options are optimal for waterproofing work.
