Due to increased air humidity, constant exposure to moisture on the floor, walls and even ceiling, the bathroom is exposed to various harmful effects. These include the appearance of mold and mildew, the growth of bacteria, which causes an unpleasant odor, as well as the destruction of wall, floor and ceiling materials, especially if they are made of wood. The absence or poor waterproofing of a bathroom in an apartment can lead to constant leaks. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to carry out waterproofing work in the bathroom correctly and efficiently.
Types of waterproofing
Waterproofing materials are laid between the base of the room surfaces and the decorative trim in all areas where contact with water is possible. To decide which waterproofing is best for a bathroom, you need to consider its types.
Pasting
This type includes roll or film materials made from cardboard or synthetic fiber impregnated with bitumen. The roll is cut into separate strips, laid on the surface and heated with a gas burner, after which the material melts, firmly adhering to the floor.
Disadvantages: roll waterproofing is not suitable for use in a small, unventilated room, since a gas burner cannot be used under such conditions. The joints of the strips must be sealed with silicone or polyurethane sealant, otherwise they will allow moisture to pass through. Inconvenient during installation.
Advantages: in addition to those materials that need to be heated, there are waterproofing materials that themselves adhere to the surface. Such materials are reliable and convenient to use. In addition, roll insulation is cheaper than other types.
Coating
These are thick compositions in the form of powder, paste, mixture based on bitumen, sand or cement with the addition of various polymers.
Coating materials for waterproofing a bathroom come in two types: one-component and two-component. The first type contains water and waterproofing agent, and the second includes polymer binders. Two-component waterproofing, in addition to protecting against moisture, contains substances that protect the surface from the formation of fungus and mold.
Disadvantages: bitumen mastic can crack due to temperature fluctuations, and it also has an unpleasant odor during application. In addition, it is worth noting the long drying time of the waterproofing layer, reaching three days. It is necessary to apply several layers, each of which must dry for at least 6-8 hours.
Advantages: coating waterproofing for the bathroom with various plasticizers and polymers has a composition that penetrates into all cracks and cracks, filling them and protecting them from water penetration. Easy to apply. The adhesion coefficient of the mastic allows it to be applied to hard, flexible surfaces. Coating materials combine well with the “warm floor” system and are able to withstand elevated temperatures.
Liquid formulations
Liquid waterproofing for the bathroom is used to cover walls, floors, and ceilings. It is available in two types: liquid glass and liquid rubber. Liquid glass consists of a solution of potassium and sodium, fills the pores on the surface of concrete or wood without forming a film. Liquid rubber is a bitumen emulsion diluted with water. Absorbing into the surface of the floor or walls, it forms a reliable top protective layer.
Disadvantages: liquid waterproofing of the bathroom floor is done only under the screed.
Advantages: liquid waterproofing of bathroom floors is universal in relation to various types of surfaces. This material has a high coefficient of adhesion to various coatings, is resistant to various aggressive environments, and can be used to insulate walls or floors where there is constant contact with water.
Choosing the right waterproofing material
To get high-quality work on applying a moisture-resistant coating to a bathroom in a frame house or apartment, you need to know what kind of waterproofing to choose for the bathroom and how to install it correctly. So, the best waterproofing for the bathroom is selected according to the recommendations:
- To lay tiles on a concrete base, it is recommended to use a coating mastic. They are easy to use, withstand temperature changes, and are suitable as a base for screed. Coating materials are also best used if the surface area to be treated does not exceed 10 sq.m.
- Liquid rubber is suitable for use in the bathroom, regardless of the finishing material.
- Waterproofing bathroom walls is often done using cement-polymer compounds. This material is excellent for tiling.
- Waterproofing the ceiling in the bathroom, as well as the walls, can be done with liquid glass - this plastic composition forms a thin surface that protects against moisture, fungi, mold, without weighing down the wall surface.
- Waterproofing a bathroom in a wooden house is conveniently carried out using roll materials, and protecting the floors under the bathroom floor is done using coating mastic.
- Waterproofing drywall in the bathroom is carried out using coating compounds, on top of which tile adhesive and the tile itself are applied. Coating mastic is also ideal for covering plaster walls in the bathroom.
In this case, it is always possible to combine different types of materials. For example, to cover a large area of the floor surface, roll waterproofing is used, and for the walls of the same bathroom, coating or liquid insulation is used.
Laying waterproofing
Before waterproofing the bathroom, you need to carefully prepare the room: clean it of dust and debris, remove plumbing fixtures and furniture. Grease and oil stains are removed with special means.
Installation on walls
Waterproofing bathroom walls begins with removing the old coating down to the concrete. Then you should complete the following steps:
- The walls and ceiling in the bathroom are checked for evenness using a level. If there are significant deviations from the level, they must be leveled with plaster.
- Walls, ceilings, all corners are treated with antiseptic.
- The waterproofing solution is prepared in strict accordance with the instructions, avoiding the addition of any additional components.
- Application of waterproofing in the bathroom should be carried out on walls that have been previously moistened with water for better adhesion to the mastic.
- Waterproofing is applied to the walls using vertical or horizontal movements with a wide brush that fits tightly to the surface.
- The walls in the bathroom are covered with a second layer of waterproofing.
The junction of the bathtub and the wall must be thoroughly sealed. Due to difficult access to them, sealing cords or tapes should be used, which must be laid in the seam between the bathtub and the wall.
After finishing the finishing work, to ensure high-quality waterproofing, it is necessary to seal the seams between the tiles with silicone or polyurethane.
On the floor
Waterproofing a bathroom floor under tiles, similar to wall treatment, begins with removing the old coating down to the concrete. If the floor is uneven, you need to fill it level. Next, perform the following steps:
- Apply the primer mixture to the floor surface using a roller. All hard-to-reach places (corners, pipe outlets, etc.) are treated with a thick solution using a brush. After drying, another layer is applied.
- Next, you can begin directly installing waterproofing in the bathroom. The treatment is done with a wide brush, starting from corners, joints between walls and floors, and pipe exit points.
- While the mastic has not dried, sealing tape is laid on the treated joints. At the same time, you need to ensure that it is without seams, wrinkles, or folds. The joints must be overlapped with a width of 5-7 mm and must be coated with mastic. In the same way, you need to process the corners of each wall to a height of 15-20 cm.
- Another layer of polymer waterproofing is laid on top of the tape.
- Bathroom waterproofing under the tiles on the floor is laid in a uniform thick layer, of which there should be two or three. Each of them must dry before laying the next one.
After 24 hours, you can begin tiling the floor. After finishing the finishing work, it is necessary to treat the seams between the tiles with silicone sealant.
In addition to coating mastic, you can use impregnating compounds, for example, treat the floor with liquid glass. It penetrates into concrete, strengthening it and imparting water-repellent properties. In order for the composition to crystallize faster, it is necessary to moisten the previous one with water between applying each layer.
Waterproofing the floor and walls in the bathroom of a wooden house can combine not only treatment with water-repellent compounds, but also the use of water-resistant wood species for finishing.
Waterproofing drywall in the bathroom is not required if you use moisture-resistant material or aquapanels. They do not allow moisture to pass through; you just need to treat the seams with sealant or glue.
Waterproofing a wooden bathroom in a private house is carried out with special care in those places that are subject to constant interaction with water: the ceiling, walls above the shower stall, near the sink, toilet, around the bathtub and the entire floor surface. To waterproof the ceiling, you can use film material or regular polyethylene film attached with a construction stapler, as well as coating mastic. It is imperative that a vapor barrier material be attached to the beams above the ceiling.
Waterproofing of a wooden floor in a bathroom is carried out at two levels: on the joists under the rough flooring and under the screed before laying the flooring. Many experts agree that it is better to use rolled material, and treat the corners, pipe outlets and sewer holes with a coating compound extending onto the walls by 20-30 cm, covering the edges with sealing tape. Sealing of seams between the joints of strips of rolled mastic should be done using glue.
Thus, high-quality waterproofing in the bathroom with your own hands will allow you to avoid many problems associated with constant exposure to water and high air humidity in the bathroom, and a wide selection of materials will help create a comfortable atmosphere.
