# Forum Home Renovation Waterproofing  Toilet waterproofing

## Capelli84

Hi All,  
What are the requirements/recommendations for waterproofing of toilet floors/walls? 
Part of an extension - Scyon floor with aquachek for the lower sheets on the walls.  
If it should be waterproofed, should it be under or over screed? I have seen conflicting advice on this. I would have thought over the screed and hence avoid the whole issue of stinky/moist screed (though not really an issue for a toilet).  
Cheers

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## wspivak

Hi Capelli84, 
Unless the toilet is inside a bathroom, then there is currently no requirement in the AS3740 or the NCC/BCA to waterproof the toilet.  You should however make sure that the perimeter floor/wall junctions are fully caulked with a good quality SMX or polyurethane caulk.

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## Capelli84

thanks for that.  
Out of interest, if it were your house, would you waterproof it anyway? Or is that overkill to the point of silliness?

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## wspivak

Depends on how many times you expect your toilet to leak and/or flood.  Personally I wouldn't bother.

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## Capelli84

Fair enough, although in my younger days i did hose down the walls of a toilet the morning after one of my mates had a few too many ales. I think/hope i am past that now!

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## commodorenut

I personally don't believe it's overkill.  Last time I did a separate toilet I waterproofed the whole floor, and about 75mm up the walls.  Because it didn't have to be certified, I did it myself.  Waterproofer said he'd do it, but he'd have to charge.  He ended up just over-ordering materials (that I paid for).
As it had a floor drain (going outside) I also did the puddle flange as you would for a bathroom, but I couldn't do the sewer pipe as it needed to have the seal ring put over it - so I went up to it. 
I figure if a cistern is going to leak (have had a stop-cock begin to leak a bit more than a constant drip before) then I want it all to go outside via the floor drain, and not soak in.
When I recover from the recent surgery I had, I'll be starting the toilet in our current house, and will be doing the same again. 
The other thing I think about is the weekly mopping of the floors.  Yes, the tiles & grout are water-tight, but that's 52 times a year that they have water against them, and if something fails, I want the extra protection - it's a small cost at the time, for a good amount of insurance.

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## wspivak

If you do have a floor waste in the toilet room, then you do need to waterproof.  Make sure that there's a leak control flange installed if that is the case.

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## PhilScar

Hi Capelli84,
I would recommend waterproofing even if it is not legally required.  It is much better to take the time now and get it right, then regret not doing it later on down the track.
I would also suggest putting the screed over the top of the membrane, I have found that to be the better option. 
The products I would use (and in this order) for the Waterproofing are;
-Gripset OP primer (Straight onto the scyon flooring)
-Gripest Elastoproof B50 joint band and corners (For the wall junctions and corners)
-Gripset 38 Fast Cure membrane (Over the top of the elastoproof and primer)
-I would then put Gripset 11Y in the screed mixture to increase adhesion and waterproof properties. 
This will give you a flawless waterproofing system in your bathroom.
You can purchase these products at  Gripset Industries 
Hope this helps,
All the best for the job!

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## phild01

> I would also suggest putting the screed over the top of the membrane, I have found that to be the better option.

  Why better?

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## PhilScar

Putting the screed over the top just gives the membrane an extra layer of protection.

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## phild01

> Putting the screed over the top just gives the membrane an extra layer of protection.

   Putting it over the screed gives the equivalent protection and the screed doesn't become dank and smelly.  Also the waterproofing does it's job better because the screed has fall, which means better moisture flow, as opposed to trapping moisture on a flat sub-screed area.

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## Capelli84

I think PhilScar means that the screed protects the membrane from foot traffic/tools etc during tiling.  
I agree that membrane over the screed has benefits in terms of fall, but i think the problem is how to make the membrane continuous down into the flange, as it is sitting 25mm + lower than the surrounding screed level. I gather there are ways around that though.

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## autogenous

If you have the money, and want to do it, it is cheap insurance.  If you are upstairs, do it because if you have a leak, or an overflow, its very cheap insurance. Waterproofing is generally for more higher water areas such as the shower. 
Grout was traditionally the water-proofer, but it only takes a pin hole to cause issues.  Something someone mentioned to me the other day, is that contemporary bathroom cleaners, well some of them have become quite corrosive, much more than traditional cleaners.  I think contemporary cleaners tend to corrode traditional grouts faster, and there is the risk of leak via capillary action. 
It changed the way I think about what might cause a leak. 
Anything upstairs waterproofed, could save you considerable grief down stairs in the event of a flood.

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