aqua panels vs tanking kit

[Brad]

hi guys

two quick q's......
1) are cement backer board, tile backer board, thermal board and aqua panel the same thing, just a diff trade name?
2) why use aqua panels in a shower/wetroom instead of say a "gum and matting" tanking kit? is it down to time and cost?

[whitebeam]

I treat every board with it's own personality as such, Thermal board is not just a cement board, Good for laying ufh on top. Cement boards are solid and do not fall apart when wet. A wet room should have tanking but a standard shower would have aqua boards just in case of any water ingress, Personally they should all be tanked but not always poss

[Brad]

thanks whitebeam........appreciate your input

[Dave]

hi guys

two quick q's......
1) are cement backer board, tile backer board, thermal board and aqua panel the same thing, just a diff trade name?
2) why use aqua panels in a shower/wetroom instead of say a "gum and matting" tanking kit? is it down to time and cost?

1 : cement backer/tile backer type boards are usually just a water resistant board...meaning that they do not breakdown in contact with water...

2 : Thermal type boards , like wedi or marmox etc are thermal coz of the polycore properties but also they are fully waterproof with the cement fibre coating and the polycore...so just need the joints taping to be watertight..

3 : Both these type of panels can hold more weight per sqr mtr when tiling onto them than standard plaster boards or ply....so do have there place in that matter as well water ingression ...

4 : Now gum/liquid type tanking kits are old school as far as i'm concerned.. usually 2 coats to be applied ( if correctly done) and left to dry....

5 : Tanking membranes are the waterproofing future...fail safe method and can be tiled onto straight away...there are a few makes about and all are applied simply with a cement based adhesive, just like wallpapering.lol..

[Brad]

thanks for your input dave......

.......so to get it straight....in a waterproofing situation thermal board is bettter compared with cement backer/tile backer because it is WATERPROOF as opposed to WATER RESISTANT? (I still don't really understand the difference)........also, the tanking membranes you write about........are you refering to a product like Schluter's Kerdi?

[Dave]

Brad....A tile cementboard like hardibacker...isn't fully waterproof, it will absorb moisture without breaking down like plasterboard...the back of the board will wet up and moisture can escape the reverse side......now boards like the wedi type board are waterproof....water wets the face of the board up but will not penertrate its body.....the polycore is waterproof and a heat shield, so ideal as an insulator as well.....

As for the membrane then yes schluter kerdi or durabase is wot i am on about.....

[Brad]

thanks dave....thought as much.....appreciate your time