Shower waterproofing and curbless showers

The Tile Council of North America lists several approved methods. The two most common are:

• Surface waterproofing: a sheet membrane or a roll-on waterproofing applied directly to the surface the tile is set on. The shower dries out fastest after use.
• A vapor barrier behind the tile backer. This works well too, but the shower takes longer to dry between uses.

Both are time tested. We choose based on your tile, the room and your budget, and we flood test the shower pan before any tile goes down.

Barrier-free showers look great and are getting more popular with homeowners and designers. A few things to know:

• Easier to clean. No curb means one less corner to collect grime and soap scum.
• The floor has to be lowered. On a concrete slab, which most Pinellas County homes have, that can mean cutting out and re-pouring the concrete in the shower area. On a wood subfloor, the framing can be dropped. Where neither is possible, we can raise the floor outside the shower instead.
• Drain choice matters. A linear drain at the entrance or along the back wall, or a center drain where the floor allows it.
• Consider a wet room. Waterproofing the whole bathroom floor gives you peace of mind, especially upstairs or in small bathrooms.
• Plan for the future. A curbless shower is easy to roll or walk into, and we recommend adding backing in the walls now for grab bars later.