After a very tiring day at the office, you come home, and the first place you go is to your bathroom to take off all the stresses from your body. But what happened to the shower?
Damn! It’s happening again. The shower pan gets a water leakage. After all your efforts in waterproofing the shower, it’s all gone in vain!
So, the next step should be waterproofing, of course, but which one is the best between shower pan hot mop vs membrane?
Well, if you are struggling to choose between hot mop and membrane to waterproof your shower pan, you have landed in the perfect place. We will make sure you get your hands on the right one to fix your bummers within no time; stay tuned!
Hot Mop Setup
For the setup, you must know how the hot mop is constructed. Four layers of hot tar along with 15 pounds pierced felt (3 layers) form a sandwich shape in which the pierced felt paper is used for the layers.
Then, one-fourth of the mortar mix cement per foot should be pre-pitched by a trained professional before mopping in your shower pan. This is required because it will allow the water to flow directly into the weep holes over the hot mop if it penetrates through the tiles.
Next, you can either select cast iron or a plastic-made shower drain that includes a test stopper to stop the water. The number of shower drains must be 2 pieces that have a drain flush set up.
Note: For an existing shower drain, it’s better to check the hot mop from the 2 ribs.
To support the mop paper 2 times, it’s a must to use 10 blocking against the wall studs. Before covering the benches and seats with plywood, you have to make sure that it has a strong build quality.
To support the mop paper 2 times, it’s a must to use 10 blocking against the wall studs.
After that, you’ll have to add a specific amount of glue to the paper and mop on the face of the bench by just following the flat surface.
Now, your duty is to stack a minimum curb and extend the mop around 3 feet of height above the shower pan. What’s next? You’re done, and from now on, you can use your shower for years and years at a stretch.
Membrane Basics
The shower membrane basically solved all the previous problems by placing a waterproofing layer directly under the tile layer and combining it with relaxation.
As the shower floor and shower walls are exposed to a lot of moisture and large temperature changes, in a place like that, the grout line can break also.
Without the release membrane, the bottom plate can expand and contract at a different speed than the top layer of the tile, which causes the grouting line to crack.
Uncoupling is achieved by not attaching the mortar to the foil itself but only to the non-woven fibers (small plastic hairs) on each side of the foil. This creates a small opening in the underside of the fleece on both sides of the membrane.
Sheet membrane systems use a precast/shaped membrane element to seal the corners of the spacious shower. Paint or adhere these parts to the membrane in a similar manner.
A liquid waterproofing membrane can be considered as a waterproof coating for your shower, as the most common method of application is using a paint roller. You can also spray it with a spray gun. It acts like a rubber layer that remains flexible even after drying.
It is the cheapest and easiest way to waterproof the walls and floors of a shower and, in most cases, provides good protection when used correctly.
The crack isolation membrane cavity minimizes the risk of rewinding almost every nozzle and tube of lead in the fleece.
So, What Are the Differences?
As we can see, both are suitable and can be a great option for waterproofing your shower pan.
Talking about the drying period, the hot mop takes a pretty long time compared to the membrane. But the bonding it creates is super-duper, and of course, it’s far durable than most of the membranes.
The applying process might be a bit different as well. Unlike the hot mop, the membrane can be applied through sprays, spray guns, paint rollers, or such things to make the job done. In that case, it’s more user-friendly and compatible with all types of users.
Speaking of the price range, the hot mop is a bit steep. So, if you’re unable to break your bank, the membrane is what you need to consider in terms of waterproofing your shower pan.
Final Thoughts
That was all about the shower pan hot mop vs membrane from us. Now that you know all the information about these waterproofing types, choosing a single one depends on your choice, budget, and requirement; the ball is in your court!
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