Do I need to tank my bathroom?
Do I need to tank my bathroom? This is a question I get asked alot, and my answer is always yes. Many believe its just a way of plumbers and instllaer to get more money out of a job, which is incorrect, but it is a requiremtn of building regulations and has been since July 2018.
But do I really need to tank my bathroom?
The regualtion state a couple of points when it comes to the new regulations which need to be answered.
Are you Tiling the walls install a shower / wet area? If the answer is yes, then you need to tank these walls
Are you using panels instead of tiles in the wet area? If you answer yes, then you dont need to tank to conform to regulations.
Are you making a tiled wetroom? If you answer is yes, then all the walls and the floor will need to be tanked. Even if you are using tiles or panels
Do I need to tank the floor? Are you using a shower tray? If you are using a shower tray then No you dont need to tank the floor, if you are using a wetroom deck or tilable shower tray, and tiling the floor then yes you need to tank the floor.
The basic rule is, if you are tiling, in a wetarea, then it needs to be tanked.
Why Tank A Bathroom
Tanking is a Building Regulations Requirment, by not conforming to regulations, should you have a leak which damages your property, you may find you are not covered by your home insurance. As we all know, insurance companies will find any way not to pay out, so why give them a reason.
Is tanking expensive?
Tanking can be done in a couple of ways, every by covering or replacing your plaster boards or wall with a new boards such as a tilebacker board, or you can us a paint on membrain to waterproof your exsisting plaster boards.
Paint on tanking kits are cheaper per m2 in area, but this does require additional time to paint on and additional drying time, this can increase the time of a tradesman and increase the timeframe of the project/installation.
Tileback boards have in recent years come down in price as poduction has increased, and plasterboard has increased in priced over recent years, to a point where tilebacker boards are a simular cost per m2 as plaster boards and moister resistant plasterboard. So if a project sees you removing exsisting tiles (which will damage the original plster board) why wouldnt you replace the plaster board with a waterproof tile backer board?
If you would like to find out more, there are some great pieces and further information at the following sites: https://www.rubberduckbathrooms.co.uk/info/tanking-a-tiled-bathroom-is-now-mandatory and https://www.mirashowers.co.uk/blog/how-to/bathroom-waterproofing/ which add to the above.
Bathrooms - Kitchens 