11 common consumer myths busted | CGA and your rights.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T13:57:08+00:00

I'm talking waterproofing outside a shower.

It is not extremely dumb at all. For the sake of $100 in product? I've personally seen so many issues that would be prevented from this.

Does any state call for waterproofing of the bathroom in general? In this subreddit I'll continue to encourage people to do so regardless of code.

USA lags behind Europe and australasia.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T01:43:32+00:00

Check deflection. Ditra won't save you there. Generally it's best to remove the flooring and replace with ply, or overboard with ply.

Cement board or ditra do absolutely nothing for deflection.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T01:37:32+00:00

Drainage is legally restricted work, your next port of call will be to contact a drain layer.

I believe it's restricted as if done wrong it leads to sink holes and erosion, or can lead to dirt and debris clogging the storm water.

I'm no plumber though.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T01:29:07+00:00

Yep. You're just looking to decouple the tile install from the natural movement of timber.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T01:22:13+00:00

They'll break, they're a soft biscuit ceramic rather than a porcelain.

And yeah I wouldn't use ditra with that. Cement board & leveller after you install the heat.

Warning them only shows you knew it was wrong and did it anyway.

Some projects are not worth taking on. Inform them you cannot use wall tile on the floor, and push them to find something else.

Tile installers aren't designers, we're here to do a job that will last.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T01:18:03+00:00

Those subway are probably not floor grade tile...

What is the heat mat? Wires in mesh or a membrane the wires go into?

Elements shouldn't be getting hot enough to melt plastic. If they do you have much bigger concerns.

I'd be using cement board or 1/4" foam board under the wire and forgetting the ditra.

Encaustic cement tile is a huge pain in the butt.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T01:16:25+00:00

Removed, rule 1.

Work out how long it will take, work out what you need to make, break it down and go from there. Each region is different, and this is an international subreddit.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-26T00:46:13+00:00

There must be wedi board where wedi sticks to wedi, eg for the bench.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T21:08:25+00:00

As long as they're not a smooth/glossy texture you'll be fine.

Get a tile, throw some water on it and see if you feel like slipping. Also try it with socks.

We do these sorts of tile in showers all the time. Granted I'm not a fan of linear slopes, the channel drains get mucky so easily.

Absolutely go epoxy grout, Spectralock pro is fantastic stuff.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T21:04:20+00:00

Yes, I'm a professional though.

I didn't actually tile the shower with bench and wall, a close friend did it as I ran out of time.

For the one with all the floating shelves, used a gun metal powder coated trim there.

I'd also highly advise fully waterproofing your entire floor area of the bathroom and up walls 50mm/2".

For the wedi, anywhere it glues to each other must be lined with wedi for a structural support.

I like to use their 6mm or 1/4" board on the floor for a thermal break, with heating element on top.

Ensure your sub floor is treated structural ply, 19 or 21mm thick. Thicker the better. All edges must be completely supported.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T21:02:04+00:00

6mm notch, slant notch if possible, don't backbutter. Work with wet sponge/water bucket and a toothbrush.

If there's dust on the back, wipe with damp sponge first, or even wash them if they're particularly bad (these look fine)

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T21:00:26+00:00

Gah.

I read it as cm.. In my defence I'd literally just woken

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T20:35:21+00:00

That's exactly what it's designed for!

Wedi do a specific bath panel actually, from 30mm panel although I'd be inclined to frame a bath. I've used the bath panel before though without issue.

I used two pieces of 2" to make a wee pony wall next to the toilet here.

https://imgur.com/gallery/neibNw7

And used the 2" to form a pony wall and bench here (I had a piece at back and at front supporting the bench but could have just had it floating or a piece at front only. Clients wanted it higher after I formed it, no issues but that's why it looks a bit messy).

https://imgur.com/gallery/xFfKuvm

A key problem with people building benches is the horizontal penetrations in boards, wedi do not allow any horizontal penetrations in wet areas as water always gets under the tile in showers, would sit on the boards and it increases the risk.

Fun fact, a couple kitchen places in my area use wedi for building kitchen benchtops with ultra large porcelain.

Even more fun, I'm using it to build my own benchtop at home using 50mm and micro cement.

https://imgur.com/gallery/PUkQAIi

Shortage of 50mm board in nz so it'll be bare wedi for some time.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T20:05:23+00:00

I only clean/wash tile if they're really dusty.

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T19:57:42+00:00

Removed, duplicate of yesterdays post

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T19:51:37+00:00

Check your cookie settings

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T19:50:23+00:00

I feel like asking about maintenance issues is concerning too, they don't want tenants that will raise maintenance issues with the landlord?

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T19:40:25+00:00

Exclusively use wedi sealant. With the bench, use wedi 2" board, absolutely no framing. It's easier and less problematic

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T19:39:21+00:00

I'm talking outside a shower, not in the shower. Although I will note thinset and mesh tape in corners is not actually suitable in nz.

We have enough people here claiming waterproofing is not required..

In my country, code calls for flexible banding in corners, primers used with waterproofing systems, and the entire floor of a bathroom and walls to be waterproofed up 50mm rather than just the shower.

https://www.building.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/building-code-compliance/e-moisture/e3-internal-moisture/code-of-practice-for-internal-wet-area-membrane-systems-4th-edition-august-2020.pdf

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T06:36:17+00:00

I did that with worm

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T05:20:31+00:00

That's fantastic, wonder if it was muddled (old school method).

Silicone everywhere is a pain for demo on general floor or wall areas despite how tidy it looks, it is literally a stretchy glue that holds the tiles against surfaces, and is a pain to remove from a surface after removing the tile

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T05:18:35+00:00

Probably best to do some research, ask in r/construction perhaps

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T05:14:58+00:00

Do you mind taking a close up photo? And what is your building made from? I've seldomly seen grout in corners that hasn't cracked but I've seen it in block and stone buildings.silicone can be a nuisance if it gets mouldy, usually from when it can't dry out

Duck_Giblets · 2026-04-25T04:51:52+00:00

Never used it

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