We are renovating a bathroom and I want to remedy, once and for all, a nagging leak located at the joint between our cast iron tub and the wall surround. Several details from past Fine Homebuilding articles illustrate a caulking solution using a primary sealant joint between the backerboard and tub and a secondary sealant joint between the tile and the tub.
Has anyone used a self-sealing peel and stick membrane or another detail to create a more mechanical water shedding solution for this joint condition.
Replies
Make sure there is a 2 X 4 ledger nailed on the tub wall to hold the rim, the weight of a filled tub and weak floor joist makes the joint open up.
I usually silicon caulk plastic sheet to the rim of the tub a lap it up the wall 6-12" up, then tarpaper and cementboard or lath & stucco.
Covering the whole wall with plastic is not good cause the moisture won't evaporate.
After tiling and grouting make sure you seal the grout.
Sungod, thank you for your input. I had not thought about using plastic sheeting.
We do all tile work using Schluter systems membranes and fittings. We've not regretted using that tedious backerboard.
Shluter has a product called Dilex that flashes the tub and wall joint, and it works like a charm.
View Image
View Image
Look closely and you are seeing two layers of membrane represented in the section pic. That is not possible when doing a Kerdi membrane job when the tub is in place already. We bring the primary membrane level down to the top of tub, then use a 4" strip of Kerdi band to flash and lap the tub top, with sealant down between tub lip and wall, before doing the band. Then the Dilex.
Not the Dilex has a width of 7/8" and is meant for a tub with flat wall edge. That may not be your situation. If so, get creative.
But by all means use Schluter.
Go and see all their stuff, including a great installation video of the Kerdi shower membrane and drain, at the website: http://www.schluter.com
At the John Bridge forum, the web's greatest tiling application resource, IMHO, there is a lot of discussion about Shluter.
Edited 3/1/2006 11:10 am ET by Stinger
Edited 3/1/2006 11:18 am ET by Stinger
Stinger,
Thank you for your response and recommendation, this is exactly the type of detail I was looking for.
REV
thanks for that one too ...
I have the same problem soon to be address at my own house ...
was sure I'd seen that "add-a-flange" somewhere ... couldn't remember where.
Musta been their website while looking for something else.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
Gene,
Do you have any photos of the tile work in progress at that site?
I would love to see the Schluter products in use as I have not had the opportunity myself.
I can't even get anyone around here to order it let alone stock any of the products.
Eric[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been
Eric, if you have high speed internet, go to the Schluter site and navigate to the Kerdi shower stuff section. There is a downloadable video that shows a shower being built from the drywall on up.
For access to product, call Schluter at their North American HQ in Plattsburgh, NY, and ask them for distributors in your area.
Thanks Gene,
I've done the first and I'm aware of the second.
I just thought it would be interesting to see it in a real live application.
Thanks[email protected]
It's Never Too Late To Become What You Might Have Been