Anyone had any experience with the new Schlutter system on bathroom walls?
They claim you can use ordinary drywall, thinset in their covering and there is a lifetime warrantee against water damage for the tile installation.
I’m working up a quote and my tilesetter thinks it’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR Construction
Vancouver, Canada
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Replies
It is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Most everyone here doing tile work has gone to the Kerdi for shower walls, and Kerdi drain for the drain.
On walls, glue the Kerdi right to the sheetrock, no prep required, doing it per their instructions.
The floor drain is IMHO much better than doing it the old fashioned way. Once again, follow their instructions. Do a mud base, sloped to the drain, over felt, atop your subfloor. Or, use one of the preformed foam pan base products. The Kerdi drain goes in, glued down with thinset, then the Kerdi fabric.
Ask your guy to price the installation for you both ways . . . conventional versus Kerdi. Report back what he says.
Gene, my tiler just swears by the system. I'm going to do a cost/benefit for the customer. This is just a bathtub surround, not a shower stall, and he tells me the product runs at about 2.80 per square foot. Still, if I NEVER have a warrantee problem.....Quality repairs for your home.
AaronR ConstructionVancouver, Canada
Has anyone used the Kerdi Shower ST, the shower tray, and the Shower SC, the curb??This eliminates the mortar bed.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
Aaron,
We had 2 custom showers built in our new home last year. Our previous home had 2 leaky showers. Our builder said that the Schlutter system is overkill, and that it is not necessary....but, he only installs and warranties one-piece fiberglass units. If you ever have to go through repairing shower leaks, you will realize that it is well worth the investment. We have had no problems so far and our Tiler swears by the sysytem.
Do it right the first time.
Edited 4/5/2005 12:02 pm ET by Quinhead
http://www.johnbridge.com
Lot of old mud guys gone over to Schluter (including JB).
FWIW,
I investigated the Schluter system extensively, thought I was gonna use it but the project fell through.
I think it's the way to do a shower, just forget everything else. I doesn't cost that much, compared to the assurance you will get that you won't have leaks.
I would not set it over sheetrock though, to me that is tempting fate.
They even have a pan to replace out a tub removal, it's 60'(+) x 32" I think?? Preformed curbs, jees, and idiot couldn't screw it up.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
I was reading an article the other day about this Schlutter system (I will use it in my on going reno).The question is :what do you do on an outside wall. I will install tiles over the Schlutter system, on top of concrete wonderboard. Are you suppose to use a vapor barrier under the concrete wonderboard? If you install a vapor barrier would you not create a problem with one on top of the other since the schlutter system works like a vapor barrier.
the schlutter system works like a vapor barrier.
That is correct.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
Does this mean you would not install a plastic vapour barrier over the studs? What about building paper, should I install that on the outside wall studs (inside wall studs as well?) Any ideas on this?
If you are doing new construction, using poly on the ext walls, I don't think will matter.
The Schluter is the vapor barrier. Having a second one is not going to hurt.
There is a site for building sciences, I don't have a link.
Google that, you may get more useful info.
Eric
I Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
Eric,Sometimes having 2 vapor barriers can be a very bad thing. If any vapor gets past the first barrier (under atypical pressure or conditions) it will most likely be halted by the second barrier. Now you have moisture that will not have an easy way to get out.The link you're probably looking for is
http://buildingscience.com/
Jon Blakemore
Thanks Jon I think I am on the right track. What do you think of the building paper idea?
Since you're profile is not filled out, I have to ask.Where are you located?If you do in fact need a vapor barrier I would install it as usual and cut it back when you install the Shlutter system.Felt would be a good backup barrier.The nice thing about felt is it's so forgiving. When it's dry the perm rating is low but when it gets wet the perm rating increases which then causes the wall assembly to dry more easily.
Jon Blakemore
There was a thread here last week discussing the plusses and minuses of vapor barriers behind shower/tub walls.
I'm not a fan of them at all especially when it is suggested to overlap the barrier onto the lip of the tub or shower pan, as though we are now installing weep holes at the base of the tile job.
The Schluter IS the vapor barries, so there shouldn't be a problem, although I would probably not double up on the VB in the shower.
Good ventilation is a must. I'm not saying that bad things don't happen when good scienceis ignored, but some people have a tendency to get really carried away with some of this stuff.
Thanks for the link.
EricI Love A Hand That Meets My Own,
With A Hold That Causes Some Sensation.
[email protected]
I have a related question about Schluter systems.
Does anybody have an opinion about the coated foam board which they claim can be used to make freestanding walls?
I'm talking about a sheet of expanded polystyrene with mesh and mortar on both faces. They claim that with tile on both faces, you can make a good strong wall out of very thin material. How thin depends on your design - adding corners will stiffen the assembly.
Ron