Moray Anderson is Technical Services Representative from Ardex UK. He is an expert in everything tiling, and offers his advice on the common tiling queries he receives.
Q: Why is it essential to waterproof wet areas such as bathrooms and wet rooms?
A: Despite common misconceptions, it is important to remember that cement based tile adhesives and grouts do not form a waterproof layer.
Cement based tile adhesives and grouts may be water resistant, but they are not waterproof. As a result, water can slowly penetrate through to moisture sensitive wall and floor backgrounds, which can result in a loss of adhesion 
between the tiles and the surface to which they are fixed.
In the worst cases, water could even leave the wet area and damage substrate or backgrounds of adjacent rooms, or even affect electrics.
In order to waterproof a new wet area such as an en-suite shower, wet room or bathroom, I always recommend that a waterproof protection coat in applied prior to tiling.
With a waterproof protection coat in place it will protect the fabric of a building from any possible water damage and give you and your customer piece of mind. It’s easy to do, doesn’t take long and guarantees your work for years.
Ardex WPC – Waterproof Protection System creates a waterproof protective coating which guarantees the prevention of water damage to floors and walls. You can also commence tiling after just 90 minutes.
Use prior to tiling, it’s perfect for:
• Wet rooms
• Power showers and bathrooms
• Kitchens
2-in-1
Another handy feature with Ardex WPC is that you can mix it to a thicker consistency and use it to fill gaps around pipes, plumbing fixings, junctions and gaps in-between plasterboard sheets.
