Epoxy Shower Walls
|Epoxy Shower Walls – When a lot of people enter their tile shower they rarely consider the behind the scenes procedure that went into making that shower work correctly. Unfortunately some contractors make use of this to their advantage to scrimp and save a couple of bucks. I have to say most contractors are trying to do a sufficient job, and some of them never learned the best procedure and why these processes are very important. The best method to find a good tile contractor is usually to you can keep them explain the theory. If they are able to tell you how it works behind the scenes, higher you will definately get a great job. If your pals refer somebody to you it is still OK to question these questions, after all what can your pals truly know in regards to the foundation a tiled shower? They may are finding a contractor that’s nice and an easy task to work with in addition to their brand-new shower looks great, but when you won’t want to fight mildew in half a year but for the next 20 years you will ask a couple of of questions.
So let’s move on from the outset and explain common language and theory of an tile shower. First you have what is known a shower pan. This is a completely waterproof section that covers the shower floor or more the walls about 10″. This is sometimes a hot mop, (the quantity of layers of tar paper, hot tar, tar paper, hot tar and the like) or it can be a PVC membrane which is folded in the corners and over the dam. The most important thing about this for you the homeowner to learn is of course it is absolutely waterproof but additionally which it has what is known a sub-pitch. A proper sub-pitch is simply float of cement or similar product within the pan that produces a flow towards the drain along with the shower pan. This is important because, say for instance your shower pan is flat (no sub-pitch) water will cross your grout and make its way towards the pan while showering. If this water forms a puddle beneath your tile floor as an alternative to flowing towards the drain it becomes stagnant and very quickly will become mildew with your grout. With a sub-pitch water that creates its way towards the pan continue circulation towards the drain always being substituted with fresh water. It is much like the difference between a pond plus a creek.
Next you have a vapor barrier which is applied towards the walls directly towards the wood studs. This is ordinarily a paper with a tar kept in the center. This paper keeps moisture out from the walls. Why is this important? Not a lot of water penetrates the shower walls, but the substrate (the substrate is whatever surface your tile is stuck to, backer board, cement float, etc.) this surface will get moist. Moisture will move from substrate toward the interior wall, out through the grout and down towards the pan, without vapor barrier paper you will definately get small amounts of water in your wall cavity. So you say “why should I bother about this kind of little water”. The reason is when you’re getting a drop of water as part of your wall every time your shower is utilized, those drops add up since your wall does not have any ventilation for evaporation, so eventually the wood is always moist. Do you know what loves moist wood? Termites, they love these conditions because they never have to travel back towards the ground to secure a drink, they are able to just keep eating. It would be as you and I never having to go towards the market. Think of how productive we’re able to be in the event it were the case.
Well that’s the theory of waterproofing behind your shower walls. When you stay with these guidelines your brand-new shower contains the best probability of looking great for several years, without extreme maintenance.
So in conclusion, I hope it has been an interesting and also understandable explanation of why a correctly waterproofed shower makes a difference. As a Contractor I welcome customers who will ask me these questions, it tells me they view the value of an job well done.