A brief account of bathroom waterproofing | Waterproofing Perth
While ‘water resistant’ materials restrict the movement and accumulation of moisture, ‘waterproof’ materials are the ones that do not allow moisture to pass through a surface at all.
In the wet areas of your property, waterproofing is carried out by the application of a suitable membrane product that ensures no moisture content is able to escape from the wet areas into the other parts of your property.
Wet areas in a building are generally the spaces that contain sanitary fixtures as well as appliances that are subject to high levels of moisture resulting from direct wetting, perpetual high levels of humidity and condensation.
Waterproofing is generally required wherever there is a water outlet. Bathrooms, more so the showers and baths in particular, and laundries and even the kitchen are the wet areas that need waterproofing.
Let us discuss on this page, the few aspects of bathroom waterproofing in Perth. Let us at first start with the regulations in regards to waterproofing in Australia.
What are the waterproofing regulations in place in Australia?
Waterproofing regulations vary from one state to another in Australia, but there are certain rules in regards to waterproofing, which have to be maintained by every property holder staying anywhere in Australia. They have to follow the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and the Australian Standards (AS 3740-1994). These two codes have stipulated the following regulations that are maintained by the waterproofing contractors in Perth and the homeowners alike.
- Shower floors have to be entirely waterproofed and the shower walls have to be waterproofed up to a height of 1,800 mm from the floor.
- Walls of the bathroom have to be waterproofed up to a height of 150 mm from the floor.
- The steps down from the shower area to the rest of your bathroom flooring have to be waterproofed to a height of at a minimum of 100 mm.
- In case the bathroom is not located on the ground floor, the entire bathroom floor has to be adequately waterproofed.
- If the bathroom floor is made up of wood or has any wooden part, the entire bathroom floor has to be waterproofed.
What are the different types of waterproofing?
Waterproofing membrane products that are available in the market come in a wide variety of styles. While some of them come in the form of rubber sheets that can be rolled out and attached to the surface, other waterproofing products come in liquid form that can be applied with a brush or a roller. However, the most popular type of waterproofing product that is used in bathrooms at present times is a liquid membrane. This membrane is extremely flexible and is relatively easy as well as cost effective to install.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Government – CSIRO has classified the waterproofing membranes on the basis of their ability to stretch before breaking. The classifications are as follows:
- Class 1 – Materials under class 1 stretch to a length that is 65% more than their original length. Fibreglass, metals and various water based epoxies fall under this category.
- Class 2 – Materials under this category stretch between 65% and 200% more than their original length. Materials under this category include acrylic and bitumen based membranes.
- Class 3 – Materials under this category will stretch more than 200% more than their original length. Various water based polyurethane, PVC sheet membranes, solvent based polyurethane, sheet rubber, fall under this category.
For further details you must hire the best waterproofing experts. What better name can you opt for than Waterproofing Perth if you are in Perth? Call us at 0893757948 or write to us at info@waterproofingperth.com.au to get an online quote.