It is not unusual for tile and stone protection expert, Schlüter-Systems, to be called upon when a bathroom or wetroom installation fails. If the preparation has not been executed to the appropriate standard, it will likely lead to failure later down the line. Recognising and rectifying this before any further work is carried out is the best course of action. Just recently, a residential property in Lancashire saw a variety of Schlüter-KERDI products aid in the correction of a previous installation; the result is a stunning high-end steam room ensuite.
Although the task at hand was a challenging one, Steve Wagstaff of Pro-Tilers UK was not deterred. Initially brought in to finish off the project with beautiful tiles, he saw that the original work was not up to scratch. Having previously attended one of Schlüter’s popular training courses, Steve became well versed in all things orange. He comments, “After seeing what the client was left with, it became clear that we needed a reliable solution to get it right this time around – Schlüter products have always worked well for us especially in this type of area, so it was the perfect fit.”
Steve installed Schlüter products within the shower/steam area of the en-suite. He created two benches using the popular tile backerboard Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD, which became a prominent and beautiful feature within the room once finished. This process was simplified using Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD-ZB, a U-shaped stainless-steel profile, which specifically connects structures made from panels of Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD. The steam room section, which was separated by a glass screen, was waterproofed using Schlüter-KERDI-DS along with Schlüter-KERDI-COLL-L and sealing band Schlüter-KERDI-FLEX giving a reliable and long-lasting waterproof solution. To finish off the steam area, a frameless Schluter-KERDI-LINE-DRAIN was installed, nestled between the benches for a seamless and attractive tiled finish.
As a piped, water-fed, underfloor heating system had already been installed, it made sense to add the uncoupling membrane Schlüter-DITRA-25 on top of it to ensure that the tiles could be installed without any issues of cracking later down the line. Steve concludes, “The team at Schlüter was on hand to provide advice and support throughout this entire process. They suggested innovative ideas for the space and were quick to come back with the perfect Schlüter solution. We were thrilled to see how pleased the client was with the finished steam room that they could finally enjoy using.” Illustrating the importance of sub-surface preparation using a variety of Schlüter products and solutions, the stunning steam room has given the homeowner a calming and relaxing space within their home to enjoy for many years to come. www.schluter.co.uk