Tanking or not tanking

[Donquick]

Hi,

I have been reading various bits and bobs ready for a tilling job at home. I have done a fair bit of tiling over the years here and there and have now to do the following in a new place: floor en-suite, floor and walls enclosed shower (effective wetroom scenario) within the ensuite, separate 2 x walls of a bathroom. I have my tiles and my tanking kit, which is just about big enough to cover the enclosed shower area, I hope. I am about to get cracking and buy the adhesive and grout.

My question is this - There is a shower above the bath and I have been reading advice around about the forum about tanking the wall before tiling above the bath. There seems to be a fair bit of advice suggesting a tanking solution prior to tiling.

Even Bal, don't recommend the tanking solution in this scenario and i presume they have a vested interest in giving a belt and braces set of solutions. I am happy to buy another tanking kit (in spite of the significant expense and time to install) but would value some opinions first. My parents bathroom and shower room were built well before the invention of tanking kits and they have never (30+ years) had damp or leaking issues as far as I am aware.

Any advice please!

Thanks in advance,

Don

[timeless john]

Don - I would go as far as to suggest that you may have answered your own question! It is belt and braces for around bath shower areas - but showers are a lot more powerful now than 30 years ago - so the extra time/cost of tanking the shower end may just give piece of mind. The most important area is the join at the bath and tiles so make sure its well sealed, supported and no movement. Good luck.

[Mike]

As th says, also people shower a lot more than 30 years ago. In then days us 4 kids would use the same bathwater, cleanest first lol

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[paul damian]

As above don, and welcome to the forum. Best to be safe than sorry.

[timeless john]

As th says, also people shower a lot more than 30 years ago. In then days us 4 kids would use the same bathwater, cleanest first lol

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30 years ago there was a water shortage and the Government advised people to share a bath.
I'am just waiting for them to tell me it's okay to have one on my own now!

[deanotile]

The definition of tiling is to provide a waterproof and reasonably flat surface. Tanking systems are a secondary protection should your tiling faille to provide the necessary waterproofing. The failure of tiling to provide the necessary waterproofing can if no tanking has been used be very expensive to correct and far outweigh the cost of installing a tanking system.
The construction of houses today makes it almost impossible for the tiling to be 100 percent waterproof in the long term due to the amount of structural movement IMO.

[Donquick]

Thanks guys - I will go for the thorough solution, i think, following your comments. As you say, a few extra pounds is worth it for the peace of mind.

By the way, I like the attitude on this forum: you are obviously a friendly bunch. Not like the electricians on DIY Not I must say - take your life in your hands there, I tell you!

Thanks again everyone,

Don

[timeless john]

Thanks guys - I will go for the thorough solution, i think, following your comments. As you say, a few extra pounds is worth it for the peace of mind.

By the way, I like the attitude on this forum: you are obviously a friendly bunch. Not like the electricians on DIY Not I must say - take your life in your hands there, I tell you!

Thanks again everyone,

Don

It's a forum I've never looked at but I can imagine they are only trying to protect the DIY enthusiast from lethal action!!!!!
As I've remarked on here a few times, the law and regulations are there to protect you and others and no insurance co. will accept alterations to electrics if you are not part P registered.