I have always used a PVC shower pan liner under the floor of tiled shower stalls. I like the protection, but the liner which runs up the walls causes the bottom walls of the shower to be out of plumb when I install the Hardi backer over the studs and liner.
My local distributor recommended that instead of the PVC liner, I coat the bottom of the floor with Redguard waterproof liner. It was explained as a plastic coating that applies directly to the floor, then the mud floor can be floated over the top.
Anyone with any experience with this product?
Thanks.
Brian, Bayview Renovations
Replies
Several; thoughts, if you're using the PVC, you should be notching the bottom of your studs to account for the thickness of the liner so that your backer board stays flush. I had never done a shower pan before, and I used the PVC and was very pleased with the results. Check out John Bridge's tile forum, the topic of shower pans is covered in great detail over there. They will also push the Schluter Kerdi system instead of the redguard.
Neil
Eleven years ago i did my first custom shower stall using red-gard. It is more time consuming than the traditional pvc liner. Both are effective, but if the people want to have a lifetime shower i reccomend using red-gard as a panliner and also using it over the rockboard on the walls. I have never had a problem to this day...
Either one, properly installed will do a fine job, but redguard and kerdi are both nice to use when there are outside corners to waterproof, and there will almost always be outside corners if you bring the pan up above and over the threshhold, which should be done.
In my jurisdiction, we require inspection of a flood test where you fill the pan up to the level of the threshhold and let it stand for 24 hrs. I see both products, and the few failures I've seen have been with improperly installed pvc. And, if you do get a leak with the redguard, it's easier to fix.