# Forum Home Renovation Tiling  Waterproofing

## Prospector

So I'm re-doing the laundry, toilet, bathroom. I've got a copy of Allan Staines 'House Building Manual' which details what needs to be waterproofed. Eg. Toilet and Laundry need to be water resistant floors with water proofing around the wall to floor junction. 
I've also read on here that if you have a timber floor you need to waterproof the whole thing. I've got partly cypress floorboards, partly yellow tounge, with 6mm Hardiflex on top as a tile underlay. So do I still need to waterproof the whole thing? Or only the specific sections?
Thanks. :Biggrin:

----------


## SilentButDeadly

Yes.   
Grab the James Hardie Wet Area Technical Manual for the latest Building Code requirements regarding waterproofing

----------


## Oldsaltoz

The Oz Standards for waterproofing say that all timber floors in wet areas, (bathroom, en suite, vanity, toilet and laundry) must have full floor and wall to floor treated/ 
It also states that any through floor fittings and pipes must be sealed and any floor wastes must have a puddle flange installed. 
Might be a good idea to install one in the laundry, the insurance company most claim list has this down as the most common cause of internal flooding. 
By the way, many insurance companies will now ask you for a certificate to prove waterproofing was done by a recognised professional or no claim. 
Good luck. :Smilie:  
See the website below for more details.

----------


## Prospector

Thanks guys. Better to be safe than sorry anyway, and in this case, legal.

----------


## Prospector

One more thing... what am I supposed to do under the bath? If I develop a leak around the bath I don't want the water to wreck the floor. There will still be hardiflex anyway, but should I waterproof it? And if water does get under there, how will it get away? Or should I just make really doubly sure that it WON'T get under there? Thanks!

----------


## Hoppy

The agree with the advice so far received about waterproofing the entire floor. The Building Code or Australian Standards do not require the area beneath the bath to be water proofed because they are not desinged for plumbing leaks. You are required to waterproof around the perimeter of the bath at all wall floor junctions. Good Luck.

----------


## Oldsaltoz

For what it's worth after seeing hundreds of timber floor bathroom renovations, I have yet to see one that leaked under the bath. 
Just take care sealing the bath to wall joint and the tap penetrations and any sheet joins with a good sealant like Sicaflex 11FC. The FC stands for Fast Cure so do one area/end/side at a time. 
Good luck. :Smilie:

----------


## Prospector

Funny you should say that, cause our 30yo bath is leaking under it. The wall to bath seal is gone and it's been leaking down the wall and onto the bearer for some time. But the whole bathroom, and house for that matter is in such a state of disrepair that it's only consistent with the rest of the house! Thanks guys.

----------


## sundancewfs

> By the way, many insurance companies will now ask you for a certificate to prove waterproofing was done by a recognised professional or no claim. 
> Good luck. 
> See the website below for more details.

  What is this elusive "certificate" ???
Seems everyone I ask to quote on tiling and water-proofing in very flip about this, saying "if it meets Australian standards its ok"
If a tiler does the water-proofing as well I would assume they would offer a/the "certificate" As they all seem to use different brand products is there a different certificate for every brand? or is this a "Weetie's packet Certificate" senario where everyone just makes up there own? 
It seems also that the tilers like to tile over their own waterproofing....... So what place does a dedicated water-proofing firm have in this mix? Its is hard enough to get a tiler to quote, let alone tile over someone else's water-proofing. 
These are issues that are directly affecting the progress of my project at the moment. Any thoughts would be appreciated

----------


## Oldsaltoz

> Funny you should say that, cause our 30yo bath is leaking under it. The wall to bath seal is gone and it's been leaking down the wall and onto the bearer for some time. But the whole bathroom, and house for that matter is in such a state of disrepair that it's only consistent with the rest of the house! Thanks guys.

  Hmm, this makes your bathroom a bit of a hazard, :Yikes2:  the average is 15 years between bath room renovations so you are well overdue. 
Good luck. :Smilie:

----------


## Oldsaltoz

> What is this elusive "certificate" ???  The certificate and a form 16 should be handed to you when the waterproofing has been completed, the certificate also shows the warranty period, the form 16 is for council, it shows the waterproofing was done by a qualified/certified waterproofer. 
> Seems everyone I ask to quote on tiling and water-proofing in very flip about this, saying "if it meets Australian standards its ok"  But are they offering a certificate and written warranty and a form 16? 
> If a tiler does the water-proofing as well I would assume they would offer a/the "certificate" As they all seem to use different brand products is there a different certificate for every brand? or is this a "Weetie's packet Certificate" senario where everyone just makes up there own?  Only a Qualified waterproofer can issue a certificate and form 16 and a warranty, all acceptable to insurance companies and local council and building authorities. 
> It seems also that the tilers like to tile over their own waterproofing....... So what place does a dedicated water-proofing firm have in this mix? Its is hard enough to get a tiler to quote, let alone tile over someone else's water-proofing.  Many tilers have worked out that can make more money in less time by having a professional do the waterproofing, note, this also gets him out of providing a certificate and warranty on waterproofing. 
> These are issues that are directly affecting the progress of my project at the moment. Any thoughts would be appreciated

  You could call 1800 025 081 and get some free advice and an obligation free estimate, they might even know a tiler or two. Because I do a bit of work for tilers I often return the favour by letting them know of other work. 
Good luck. :Smilie:

----------


## sundancewfs

I rang our insurance company...
Their reply to what forms/certificates that are required. 
As long the waterproofing meets all relevant Australian standards there is no certificate they need. 
As far as the local council goes.... 
There is nothing in the planning or building documentation that requires any sort of inspection of waterproofing. other than all works (in general) must be to Australian standards. 
So......
I wonder if requirements vary from state to state and from municipality to municipality.....

----------


## Master Splinter

Yes, the requirements vary. 
The 'master' is the Australian Standard, but this is just a standard and has no force in law until the state building regulators (or electricity regulators or plumbing dudes or whoever is relevant) reference it into their legislation - and then they can pick and choose what to implement depending on their perceptions of problems in their area (ie for many years the ACT didn't have termite regs - ACT buiding control seemed to believe that termites were stopped by the rail tracks at the NSW/ACT border).

----------


## jago

My DA specifies that to gain my certificate of completion I must furnish the certifying authority with certification that the waterproofing has been done, and I quote:  _"A certificate from a licensed builder, owner/builder or person waterproofing the wall floor junction and joints of wet areas must be produced to the Principal Certifying Authority (council) prior to the completion certificate, verifying that the manufacturer's recommendations have been followed,prior to the tiles being fixed. Wall sheeting joints and penetrations with the shower recess are to be similarly treated and sealed."_  
Note no mention of the Standards or the bloomin BCA! 
I called my insurers and was told that as long as the work is completed to the Australian standards and certified (which as an OB I can do) then the insurance requirements had been met. 
Now having said that I will get the pros in as I have a multi storey house and cannot afford the smallest of leaks! :2thumbsup:

----------


## Tools

> I rang our insurance company...
> Their reply to what forms/certificates that are required. 
> As long the waterproofing meets all relevant Australian standards there is no certificate they need. 
> As far as the local council goes.... 
> There is nothing in the planning or building documentation that requires any sort of inspection of waterproofing. other than all works (in general) must be to Australian standards. 
> So......
> I wonder if requirements vary from state to state and from municipality to municipality.....

  There is no such certificate in Victoria. Much of the certification is self certification these days which makes a mockery of the whole thing. The building surveyor may ask for things like a glazing certificate or an insulation certificate, but these things are just something that either the contractor or you yourself write. There is no standard form. 
Tools

----------


## sundancewfs

> There is no such certificate in Victoria. Much of the certification is self certification these days which makes a mockery of the whole thing. The building surveyor may ask for things like a glazing certificate or an insulation certificate, but these things are just something that either the contractor or you yourself write. There is no standard form. 
> Tools

  And therein lies the answer to my questions.... Thanks Tools... 
I can see it is important to check you local regs now. Even though for the most part, Forum Members are based in Australia, there is a vast difference as to what is required from state to state....
I'll be doing my own waterproofing now...

----------


## andy the pm

> And therein lies the answer to my questions.... Thanks Tools... 
> I can see it is important to check you local regs now. Even though for the most part, Forum Members are based in Australia, there is a vast difference as to what is required from state to state....
> I'll be doing my own waterproofing now...

   I'm going to do ours, our local council just requires it is done to the AS.
Just need to figure out if the screed gos in before or after the waterproofing...

----------


## jago

> I'm going to do ours, our local council just requires it is done to the AS.
> Just need to figure out if the screed gos in before or after the waterproofing...

  before ...

----------


## andy the pm

> before ...

  My thinking was that you waterproof first, that way you have a continuous perimeter flashing that goes 25mm above finished floor level as well as the waterstop across the doorway is waterproofed into the flashing as well...

----------


## Oldsaltoz

> And therein lies the answer to my questions.... Thanks Tools... 
> I can see it is important to check you local regs now. Even though for the most part, Forum Members are based in Australia, there is a vast difference as to what is required from state to state....
> I'll be doing my own waterproofing now...

  Queensland is the only state that issues a form 16 (required by local council) 
Waterproofing Certificates can only be issued by licensed applicators in all states. They are available from the department of fair trading. 
Hope this helps.

----------


## Tools

> Waterproofing Certificates can only be issued by licensed applicators in all states. They are available from the department of fair trading.

  Not sure what you are referring to as a "waterproofing certificate". In Vic if the building rejector asks for anything all he will ask for is a letter to state that waterproofing has been done to ASxxxx, and you can write that yourself. 
Tools

----------

