Designer bathrooms are on the rise lately, causing many people to renovate according to their personalized needs, desires and lifestyle. While planning, there are many things to consider from the right type of tiles on the walls and floor, shower panels, and bathtubs to washbasins. But with much attention to these aspects, waterproofing of the bathroom floor shouldn’t be ignored.
The bathroom is mostly exposed to humidity, moisture, and water as a result prone to water leakages, damages and outflow in tiles and fixtures joints. Your bathroom floor needs to be perfectly waterproofed to avoid long-term problems.
Waterproofing ensures your bathroom is free of water within the shortest time possible after a few minutes of bathing while keeping it spick-and-span and shining. Are you ready to venture into various options to waterproof your bathroom floor? Join us as we dive into the importance of a waterproof bathroom alongside the methods you can achieve!
Benefits of waterproofing your bathroom floor
For a start, it aids in preventing water leakages which in turn guards the walls and ceilings, among other fittings, from damage.
Secondly, bathroom floor waterproofing effectively prevents unwanted microbes growth such as the nucleus and ugly bacteria due to frequent dampness.
Thirdly, waterproofing enhances the insulation levels of your entire house by trapping heat on the inside.
Fourthly, it adds value to your property additional as the visual effect it will bring to potential investors.
Finally, you can cut down on the high water bills brought by a lot of water leakage.
Ways to Waterproof Your Bathroom Floor
Despite the several methods to waterproof your bathroom floor, they all have one aim-to make a robust barrier below or above the floor surface to prevent water from passing through the surface.
Therefore, when waterproofing is done correctly, humidity and wetness issues preclude flooding and moisture in the baths areas is minimized. Although the methods available are many, we shall list the top two trending in today’s market. These are:
- Hot Mop
- RedGard
Table of Contents
Hot Mop Vs RedGard
Hot Mop
Hot Mopping is a waterproofing method on tiles, shower panels, and floors using several hot asphalts and felt paper layers. It is a highly effective, viable, and feasible way to shower, floors, and other bathroom areas.
With hot Mopping, you are secure from a leaking floor that causes bacteria, and mildew, resulting in costly water damage. You’re assured of long-term protection against tile breakages and water leakages through a designed hot mopping application.
Pros
- Hot Mop is excellent in tile insulation and protects your property against water damage in the future.
- It lessens the bathroom’s inner humidity and prevents other fixtures and appliances from water damage.
- Hot Mop is produced from a high-quality liquid heated tar plus three-layered roofing felt, making it more durable than other waterproofing methods.
- When you apply the heated tar on the shower pans and floor, you can enjoy a fully sealed, protected and highly waterproof bathroom.
- All layers are built at once
RedGard
Are you looking for a versatile waterproof membrane for both indoors and outdoors? Then RedGrad is the excellent waterproof barrier for everything from showers to outdoor pools and water features.
It is a ready–to–use, elastomeric, waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane for residential and commercial tile and stone applications.
Pros
- You can effortlessly apply RedGard by using a roller, sprayer, or trowel.
- RedGrad meets IAPMO specifications for use as a shower pan liner.
- Suited for interior and exterior substrates
- Reduces crack transmission in tiles and stone floors
- It offers a consistent waterproof membrane barrier with a distinct adhesion
- It is resistant to mold and mildew growth because of the MoldGard Technology
- It can be used as a slab-on-grade moisture vapor protector in all floor coverings
- It directly bonds to clean metal drains, stainless steel, PVC, and ABS drain assemblies.
Similarities
The two waterproofing methods share a single main objective of offering to waterproof the showers, beneath washbasins, or bathroom floors.
Hot Mop vs. RedGard Differences
Application method
Hot Mop entails hot asphalt and layers of felt with insulation in between. When installing, it is highly prone to error and blisters if water gets into water contact.
RedGard membrane is applied using a roller and brush, a trowel or an airless sprayer making the procedure simpler and less error prone.
Durability
When properly applied, hot Mopping gives a multilayered, high-traffic surface. It is considered more effective and feasible.
RedGard is considered to last for a lifetime, thus qualifying for a lifelong warranty.
Pricing
Hot Mopping is more costly for it can cost $200-$500 than RedGard, which costs $74. With Hot Mop, you require the use of a professional, while RedGard can be done by yourself.
Bonding Aspects
In the case of Hot Mop, sometimes felts don’t bond properly. On the other hand, RedGard bonds straightaway with stainless steel, metals, PVC, and ABS drain assemblies as it isolates existing cracks.
That is to say, RedGard is the winner when it comes to bonding on various surfaces.
Uses
Hot Mop is the best waterproof for sealing bathroom floors. That is not to say it cannot be versatilely used. It is used in other areas like roofs, decks, etc. Hot Mopping is most applied in shower pans because tiles can absorb water spreading a damp, mildewed smell despite having a good drainage system.
RedGard acts as waterproof and prevents cracks. It is suitable for commercial and residential use, interior and exterior use, and works on concrete, exterior decks, backer boards and grade plywood.
Most importantly, upon tile cracking, RedGard waterproofing being a crack-prevention membrane, offers an extra protective layer, eventually lessening the risk of cracks appearing on the surface.
From the article, you can see a clear picture of both products with their constructive dissimilarities. Both products exhibit great qualities, but you have to purchase the preferable one for your shower.
In a nutshell, Hot Mopping lasts longer compared to other waterproofing products. Still, RedGard takes the lead for it is cheap, easy to install, you can DIY, and above all, it is extremely durable and tear-resistant, thus a perfect choice for any bathroom. So we can say, RedGard is a better choice.