# Forum Home Renovation Bathrooms  shower hob or not

## barney118

I am looking at not using a shower hob on installing a shower. So is it ok to install villaboard on the walls to the concrete floor seal with waterproofing silastic and then waterproof before tiling? is this how its done?

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## Oldsaltoz

> I am looking at not using a shower hob on installing a shower. So is it ok to install villaboard on the walls to the concrete floor seal with waterproofing silastic and then waterproof before tiling? is this how its done?

  Hi Barney, 
Your idea will mean little or no fall to the drain and nothing to stop the water running all over the bathroom. 
You could create a recess in the existing floor to give you the 1 in 100 fall needed for a shower. 
Or, rather than install the old fashioned Hob, you could install a 40 or 50 mm angle that the shower screen sits just inside of. 
If you install a screen you only need to waterproof the area inside the screen and the wall to floor around the room. 
If no screen, then you need to waterproof as above plus 2.50 metres out from the shower outlet over the floor. 
I used to install up to 50 metres of Hebel stone hobs to showers every month, now I would be hard pressed to use 3 metres and that would be on a renovation, not a new home. 
The angles look very good, are easy to keep clean and reduce tiling cost. 
Good luck. :Smilie:

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## barney118

I have a recessed section in the floor from the old shower about inch drop and a fall to the waste. I was concerned that just a villaboard join to the concrete then waterproof/silicon was maybe not enough. but the existing one had none and lasted 30 odd years (with damage to wall stud/bottom plate).
I havent bought the shower yet and was considering frameless or semi framless join to the floor by silicon, Ill have a look around for this angle too.

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## Oldsaltoz

The only angle you need to look for should be at the outer edge away from the walls, it should be located between the floor tiles and shower tiles, most are around 15 mm high. 
The primary reason for installing them is to prevent water running under the tiles outside the shower base. 
If it's not there you have to install one and waterproof up to it. 
If you go a screen, flameless of not, have it made to measure, but do this only After the tiles have been laid and make sure none of the angle is inside the screen. 
Good luck. :Smilie:

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## pellicle

Hi 
I have a question for you if I may:   

> The primary reason for installing them is to prevent water running under the tiles outside the shower base. 
> If it's not there you have to install one and waterproof up to it. 
> If you go a screen, flameless of not, have it made to measure, but do this only After the tiles have been laid and make sure none of the angle is inside the screen.

  so far everyone has said to put down the concrete base and then put in the shower screen and tile around that. You are saying tile first, put the shower screen ontop of that. 
I guess that this means you then have to drill into the tile and mount the screen atop the tile. Does this not make for a better way for water to get in than putting it onto the concrete and tile around it? 
Perhaps I misunderstand how much water gets through the tiles and grout and into the concrete bed.

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## Oldsaltoz

so far everyone has said to put down the concrete base and then put in  the shower screen and tile around that. You are saying tile first, put  the shower screen on top of that. 
Reply: Yes. 
I guess that this means you then have to drill into the tile and mount  the screen atop the tile. Does this not make for a better way for water  to get in than putting it onto the concrete and tile around it? 
Reply: The screen is placed inside or on the 'water stop' angle. 
Perhaps I misunderstand how much water gets through the tiles and grout and into the concrete bed. 
Tiles and grout can both allow water to pass through them, and even when epoxy grout is used it can still leak, it only needs a pin hole. 
By the way, I have yet see a shower with screen sitting in the bedding and tiles butted up to it, 
Good luck. :Smilie:

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## pellicle

Hi 
thanks for the reply.   

> so far everyone has said to put down the concrete base and then put in  the shower screen and tile around that. You are saying tile first, put  the shower screen on top of that. 
> Reply: Yes.

  bewdy ...    

> I guess that this means you then have to drill into the tile and mount  the screen atop the tile. Does this not make for a better way for water  to get in than putting it onto the concrete and tile around it? 
> Reply: The screen is placed inside or on the 'water stop' angle.

  ok ... we were thinking of having the floor shaped to have a run to the middle of the floor and one in the middle of the shower. I was thinking of having a shower hob but my wife is more inclined to keep the floor "even" (having only falls) 
The layout is something like this quick plan:  bathroom by aquinas_56 
with the door on the bottom and the shower area on the top right. 
The floor would thus have two falls, one to the center another in the middle of the shower area. Was thinking of a single glass panel between the shower and the basin (the blue oval, the dunny is in top left)   

> Perhaps I misunderstand how much water gets through the tiles and grout and into the concrete bed. 
> Tiles and grout can both allow water to pass through them, and even when epoxy grout is used it can still leak, it only needs a pin hole. 
> By the way, I have yet see a shower with screen sitting in the bedding and tiles butted up to it,

  ok ... I'll have to look more carefully, I thought the neighbours place was done such a way ... I'll look again tonight and get back to you with an image if I'm unclear. 
thanks for your inputs.

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## Pomm

Hi Barney 
Your best bet is to do a Google search for 'AS3740 Waterproofing of domestic wet areas'. This will show you the correct way to install both hobbed and hobless showers. 
As long as the procedures are followed correctly then you will have no issues with leakage no matter which system you decide to go for.  
Steve 
The only stupid question is the one you dont ask.....

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## Oldsaltoz

See the link below, scroll down to page 5.  http://www.jameshardie.com.au/home/a...uction0906.pdf

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