What to do about gradient for a central drain in Bathroom

4 years ago

About to start tearing out an old bathroom in 100 year old house. Bathroom was probably updated in the 90's. Shower pan is cracked. Bathtub is integrated type. It will all be coming out. Plan is to convert the bathroom back to something closer to an Edwardian pattern with the bathroom as a complete wet area. We have a free standing clawfoot bathtub to install. Shower will go above that. I was going to take up the old floor down to the boards and remove whatever mess I find. Then put down Villaboard. Go over that with primer and membrane. Then tiles. But my question is what to do about the drain gradient. I was going to put a drain in the centre of the bathroom with drop. But what do you do about the drop in a wet area bathroom. Will I need to screed over the villaboard? If I put a screed down over the Villaboard will I need to first prime the Villaboard. Then put down the screed? Then put down another layer of primer? Then put the membrane over the top? What is the order of layers to get my gradient for the drain? I've not found a clear tutorial on doing this anywhere. All instructions for a membrane seem to assume a flat floor!

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Comments (4)

oklouise
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
strongly recommend that the new floor base is installed below the level of the rest of the house so that the gradient can be made out of concrete on top of the new floor joists and Villaboard so that the highest part of the finished new tiled floor is level with the floor at the bathroom entry..no tripping and well worth the extra effort..all the floor structure and waterproofing is done flat and the only gradient is in the tile bed
Damien Towning
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for the help!

Getting rid of the original tongue and groove boards is definitely the way to go. I was going to replace them with Scyon or similar. So to clarify does the membrane go over or under the screed ? I know sometimes it goes over and sometimes under. But not sure which is best here. Also I am wondering if I could skip the screed and go for two layers of villaboard instead with shims and a suitable adhesive layer between them to get the fall? I would be able to set em up and drop em straight in that way as the floor over the substructure. Then I would prime and membrane over that ? Or is the screed also required to get moisture to the puddle flange and the weep holes and do whatever other jobs it has to do ?
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oklouise
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
waterproofing and plumbing needs to meet Aust standards so we've found that it's more cost effective to use a plumber who recommends a waterproofer that they've worked with before .. we've not discovered a way to get a better result without starting with the plumber and we wouldn't do anything until the professionals confirm our ideas and directs any DIY around their work.
PRO
Beach Bathrooms
4 years ago
Have been double waterproofing for many years and NEVER had a bathroom leak

Have renovated many 100 yr old bathrooms

1..... Remove floorboards, check dimensions ,spacing and condition of bearers and joists and if level...More often than not 100 yr old homes do not meet 2020 Standards

And all supporting timbers require replacement ( Not a big job, worth the effort )

2....Plumber should check drainage, moving items easy and cheaper at this stage

2 ....Lower if necessary to level timbers and Scyon to finish 40 mm lower than outside floor, fix to manufacturers spec

3... Plumber to fit item pipes and drainage penetrations ( Puddle Flange ) consider location of floor waste ...may be preferable under vanity drainage for shower and floor waste..

4....Waterproof entire floor, up walls 300mm shower etc to standards Prime and we use Davco K10 plus,

5... Add water bars to shower and doorway, Sikaflex , adhesive/sealant ( NEVER Silicane ) ALL Walls to floor.' Shower corners to 2000 mm Waterproof second coat

6...Tiler to lay tile bed and establish fall to floor and shower

7.. After drying, Polyester bandage shower walls to floor, Waterproof Third Coat

8... Final Coat of waterproofing

9...Tiler to tile

Ii takes around 7 days to waterproof as for $ 50,000 bathrooms

Any further questions, Pleas feel free,If in Sydney Contact

What to do about gradient for a central drain in Bathroom

Comments (4)

oklouise

Damien Towning
Original Author

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What to do about gradient for a central drain in Bathroom

Comments (4)

oklouise

Damien TowningOriginal Author

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oklouise

Beach Bathrooms

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Damien Towning
Original Author