Welcome to www.no-curb.com - here you will find out lots of useful information and links on the art of building a no curb or barrier free shower. We also offer up amazing online shopping deals on our favourite bathroom building products and proudly promote the ACO shower drains. If I'm not writing here on my blog you can find me contributing on Houzz.com or Terry Love's Plumbing Forum. Thanks for stopping by.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Using Houzz.com - How to find your top ten designers
Finding the top ten designers on Houzz.com is not an easy task. Houzz.com is a very social place and they do a great job of staying neutral. I think this is what makes it such a wonderful place to spend time, search for design inspiration and collect pictures.
But who are the Top Ten Designers of Houzz.com?
I know who my favourites are and if helps any of you I'll share them here. Like music my tastes in bathroom design have evolved over the years and many of these designers have inspired me and my projects. This list might not be the "Official Top Ten List of Houzz.com" but it is mine.
Lets take a look at the best Houzz has to offer and look closer into who the top ten designers really are. Vanessa wrote this Ideabook a little while ago and within it is one of my favourite designers of all time. His name is Mark English and this architect is something else.
Now I'm not going to say Mark is number one on my list because that is to hard to say for sure. But he is in the top ten and his work is amazing. You can view Mark's work here: http://www.houzz.com/photos/users/marke
It's often a single design element that wins me over. I remember the first time I saw this bathroom from At-Six Architecture.
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| Top Ten Bathroom Designers on Houzz.com 2010 - 2011 - 2013 |
I know who my favourites are and if helps any of you I'll share them here. Like music my tastes in bathroom design have evolved over the years and many of these designers have inspired me and my projects. This list might not be the "Official Top Ten List of Houzz.com" but it is mine.
Lets take a look at the best Houzz has to offer and look closer into who the top ten designers really are. Vanessa wrote this Ideabook a little while ago and within it is one of my favourite designers of all time. His name is Mark English and this architect is something else.
Now I'm not going to say Mark is number one on my list because that is to hard to say for sure. But he is in the top ten and his work is amazing. You can view Mark's work here: http://www.houzz.com/photos/users/marke
It's often a single design element that wins me over. I remember the first time I saw this bathroom from At-Six Architecture.
I was sold. What a killer bathroom and the more I follow the work of this crew the more I love them.
Easily on the top ten designer list for me At-Six Architecture
As you start to use Houzz on a regular basis you will notice similar names popping up. It might be a builder or it might be a design team. The fact that you recognized the work among so many thousands helps point you towards the top people. If your lucky they live and work in your town. Some on the next designers here I repeatedly find inspiration from.
You might have noticed that I have a thing for barrier free showers and the team at Harrell Remodeling is always deleviry the goods. Classy and tasteful. A perfect blend for me between modern and traditional design.
One thing I find when looking for a designer I love is the structure's they work with or build. This might be why I love so many architect firms - a great architect can make a space fit his vision. I'm not sure if this is easier than a designer making a space work but this guy - Dick Clarke is another of my all time favourite architects. Love the corner window here.
How could I forget Holger. I love Holger's designs and hate them. Well I don't really hate them but no other designer has ever pushed me (I helped build both his last two bathroom projects) to excel to such an exacting degree. When I look at Holger's projects I always smile - one because they are done and finished and two because of Holger's attention to detail. "As long as it's plus or minus a mil John that's fine!" LOL "A mil - as in a millimetre!" Never before have I seen a designer plan out every square inch so well or should I say every cubic centimetre so well. I can not wait for the next design from Holger - rumour has it there is sun room in the planning stage!
One thing I find when looking for a designer I love is the structure's they work with or build. This might be why I love so many architect firms - a great architect can make a space fit his vision. I'm not sure if this is easier than a designer making a space work but this guy - Dick Clarke is another of my all time favourite architects. Love the corner window here.
How could I forget Holger. I love Holger's designs and hate them. Well I don't really hate them but no other designer has ever pushed me (I helped build both his last two bathroom projects) to excel to such an exacting degree. When I look at Holger's projects I always smile - one because they are done and finished and two because of Holger's attention to detail. "As long as it's plus or minus a mil John that's fine!" LOL "A mil - as in a millimetre!" Never before have I seen a designer plan out every square inch so well or should I say every cubic centimetre so well. I can not wait for the next design from Holger - rumour has it there is sun room in the planning stage!
Contemporary Bathroom by Miami Interior Designers & Decorators Pepe Calderin Design- Miami Modern Interior Design
This bathroom designed by Pepe Calderin is truly one of a kind. The glimmer and use of light outstanding. I so want to visit this bathroom and check in for a week - I wonder if they need house sitters? What a retreat. Instant top ten designer award for me.
Other designers catch my eye and I watch them - hoping to learn more tricks as the months go by Helen Scott is one of these designers. There is something about her projects I love. Her stamp on everyone.
Moroso Construction is another company on my watch list. I love the work these guys keep producing.
What a view! What I love so much about the Houzz platform is the ease of following other online. How else can a bathroom builder follow so many great designers with such ease.
Last but not least on my list is John Lum - I can't quite put my finger on why I like his work so much but feel he always delivers new twists and great design. He either works for a vary varied clientele or likes to switch things up a bit.
That rounds out my list. Creating your top ten designer list on Houzz will be a challenge since the quality of so many is so great. Looking through my list I think it's interesting that the list is so male lop sided. I had not even noticed this until just now preparing the top ten list.
Another interesting observation from this exercise is that 7 of the ten are from the West Coast. I wonder if this is coincidence or something deeper. Hmmmmm. Interesting.
This is kind of a fun exercise and might give you a glimpse into your core design style. It might even help you find a designer you love or narrow down the search.
To help you narrow the field you might start searching the Ideabooks prepared by the Houzz staff titled
"Readers Choice" - this will for sure put the work of the most popular designers in front of you. That's not to say they will be your top ten but many of mine favourites I first found via these ideabooks years ago. I've been using Houzz for years now and look forward to new projects. Sadly it's often a year or more before new work pictures go up - and then they might be missed in the sea of photos.
I hope you like this list of the top ten designers on Houzz.com - It's mine.
Top Ten Designers on Houzz.com
(in no particular order)
Hand Picked by Me
(in no particular order)
Hand Picked by Me
- Mark English
- At-Six
- Harrell Remodeling
- Dick Clarke
- Holger Hoos
- Pepe Calderin
- Helen Scott
- Moroso Construction
- Garret Werner
- John Lum
Top Bathroom Designers for 2010 (Readers Choice)
- click here to see them ranked 1-10
Garret Cord Werner - Seattle, Washington
Feldman Architecture - San Francisco, California
Mark Brand Architecture - San Francisco, California
Sulton Suzuki Architects - Mill Valley, California
Bosworth Hoedamaker Architects - Seattle, Washington
Duckham Architecture - Brookline, Massachusetts
Rise Construction - San Francisco, California
Dave Vandervort Architects - Seattle, Washington
Michael Tauber Architecture - San Francisco, California
At-Six Architecture - San Francisco, California
Amoroso Design - San Francisco, California
Doma Architects - San Rafael, California
Zieba Builders - Long Beach, California
Top Bathroom Designers for 2011 (Readers Choice)
- click here to see them ranked 1-10
Avalon Interiors - Thornhill, Ontario #1 TOP CANADIAN DESIGNER
John Lum Architecture - San Francisco, California
AMI - Designs - Huntington, New York
Prestige Custom Building & Construction - Albertson, NY
Kayron Brewer - Seattle, Wa
AMI Designs - Huntington, NY
Claudia Leccacorvi - Vancouver, BC #2 TOP CANADIAN DESIGNER
Lori Shaffer - Virginia, VA
RLH Studio - Minneapolis, MN
Gast Architects - San Francisco, CA
Robin Rigby Fisher - Portland, OR
Melissa Davis - Toronto, ON
Sullivan Design Studio - Menlo Park, CA
Amelie de Gaulle Interiors - Nashville
Helen Scott - Belfast, Great Britain
Smith & Vansant PC Architects - Norwich, VT
Normandy Remodeling Design - Hinsdale, IL
Top Bathroom Designers for 2011 (Readers Choice)
- click here to see them ranked 1-10
ID by Gwen Interiors - Mercer Island, WA
Archia Homes Design - Duxbury, MA
Alan Mascord Design Associates - Portland, OR
Chalet Interior Designers - Denver, CO
Frank Shirley Architects - Cambridge, MA
Griffin Enright Architects - Los Angeles, CA
Hanson General Contracting - Philadelphia, PA
Mike Connel Architects - San Francisco, CA
Lake Country Builders Design - Excelsior, MN
J.S. Brown & Co. Design - Columbus, OH
CANADA'S TOP BATHROOM DESIGNER'S 2010, 2011 & 2012
California "Hot Mop" - how to build and water test your new shower's waterproofing
A "Hot Mop" shower is something many people never get a chance to see. This is a specialized process of waterproofing showers very common to the state of California. One company in California that continues to lead online exposure to proper building practices is a company by the name of DK Shower Pans.
I have followed this company for quite some time now and am impressed with the level of education they extend via their various online venues. Surely this is an effort to educated and to of course drum up some new business.
If your building a shower in California you have many different options available to you - Hot Mop is one of them. This approach is tried and true and endorsed and embraced by many online. It is however not something a typical do it yourself can handle. You need special tools and training to waterproof a shower properly with this technique.
What is important and what should be specified is that you want a pre-slope under the hot mop so after the "Water Test" is preformed all the water drains away. Often a plumber will source the drain for a shower to be hot mopped and a proper drain is a must.
Here is a great California Shower Designed by TAGR Design. Looking at the drain I'm sure this is is a fine example of a California Hot Mop. Notice how the shower's pitch comes outside the shower's glass panel footprint. Smart design! There are many ways of achieving this look and the simpliest would be to have a 1.5" - 2" recess where the shower pan was. This of course needs to be planned well before the Hot Mop crew shows up.
One of the pages on DK Shower Pan's web site is a gem and it talks about being ready for the hot mop crew to do their job. Take a moment and review this page so you know what's required for you or your builder before calling the Hot Mop crew in to do their job.
One of the chief differences between a traditional drain (used for hot mopping) and the ACO version is the lack of the top flanges collar - or the lack of a mud guard. The reason or this is that the ACO linear drains and point drains have a tail piece that slips inside.
If your planning on using an ACO drain you will want your hot mop crew to understand the difference since many times a pre-existing drain's top collar can simply be flipped to accommodate a linear drain install. This is not always the case so if your plumber has installed a traditional hop mop drain you may need to raise the floor 3/4" higher than the tiles setter or plumber planned.
ACO Systems has this new gem in a powder coated cast iron clamping drain and they are a great fit for a California Hot Mop.
Here is a closer look at the clamping drain.
Like anything ACO sells this drain is very well thought out and nicely made. The cast iron has a dark black powder coating and four bolts holding the top collar down onto the base. Your hot mop specialist would bring the hot mopping between these two pieces and use the four bolts to clamp te top collar in place.
Because the drain's design has four bolts instead of three the linear drain sits a little lower than a drain with three bolts or a drain with a taller mud guard. This is as low as you can go and helps reduce the amount of dry-pack and shower prep that needs to be done building the shower after the hop mop process.
Connecting the drain (shown in my hand) to the homes waste is easy with a 2" no hub fitting. I'll mock this up shortly and update this page.
This top collar is what will look different to your hot mop crew. It's not a mistake and design like mentioned earlier for lower build up heights. Take a quick visit to my Pintrest Page here and look at a traditional hop mop clamping drain. There you will see the difference in the drain's top portion. My Hot Mop Pintrest Page is accessible here. - http://pinterest.com/johnfrwhipple/california-hot-mop-shower-waterproofing/
Nice. Besides working for California Hop Mop installs this is ideal for many government projects that often specify a metal or cast iron drain. Even many cities in Canada require the use of these type drains for everyday showers. When we build in multi family housing it's a must as is fire stopping between floors.
Ensure that the drain's weep hole locations are not plugged when installing this top collar and the dry-pack or mortar layer that follows the water test or flood test procedure.
If your looking to have your new shower Hot Mopped - why not give the boys at DK Shower's a call. There contact information is here;
I have followed this company for quite some time now and am impressed with the level of education they extend via their various online venues. Surely this is an effort to educated and to of course drum up some new business.
 |
DK Shower Pans The Hottest Pan in Town |
If your building a shower in California you have many different options available to you - Hot Mop is one of them. This approach is tried and true and endorsed and embraced by many online. It is however not something a typical do it yourself can handle. You need special tools and training to waterproof a shower properly with this technique.
What is important and what should be specified is that you want a pre-slope under the hot mop so after the "Water Test" is preformed all the water drains away. Often a plumber will source the drain for a shower to be hot mopped and a proper drain is a must.
Here is a great California Shower Designed by TAGR Design. Looking at the drain I'm sure this is is a fine example of a California Hot Mop. Notice how the shower's pitch comes outside the shower's glass panel footprint. Smart design! There are many ways of achieving this look and the simpliest would be to have a 1.5" - 2" recess where the shower pan was. This of course needs to be planned well before the Hot Mop crew shows up.
One of the pages on DK Shower Pan's web site is a gem and it talks about being ready for the hot mop crew to do their job. Take a moment and review this page so you know what's required for you or your builder before calling the Hot Mop crew in to do their job.
One of the chief differences between a traditional drain (used for hot mopping) and the ACO version is the lack of the top flanges collar - or the lack of a mud guard. The reason or this is that the ACO linear drains and point drains have a tail piece that slips inside.
If your planning on using an ACO drain you will want your hot mop crew to understand the difference since many times a pre-existing drain's top collar can simply be flipped to accommodate a linear drain install. This is not always the case so if your plumber has installed a traditional hop mop drain you may need to raise the floor 3/4" higher than the tiles setter or plumber planned.
ACO Systems has this new gem in a powder coated cast iron clamping drain and they are a great fit for a California Hot Mop.
Here is a closer look at the clamping drain.
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| ACO - Black powder coated clamping drain |
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| Lower portion of drain Notice the four bolts not three like many |
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| Bottom view. This drain connects to home's waste system with no hub coupling |
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| Low profile top for smaller build ups in shower builds |
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| This is the key The low profile drain is ideal for linear shower builds |
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| Multiple weep hole locations |
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| The ACO linear drain's 2" tail piece slides into this opening to complete the ACO linear drain system |
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| Four bolt location are better than three for many reasons. |
With this new drain you can later install one of the many linear shower drains ACO has available or one of the many square drains over top. I'll break out a few of my drains and show how these linear drains and square drains fit overtop of the ACO Cast Iron clamping drain rough in.
If your looking to have your new shower Hot Mopped - why not give the boys at DK Shower's a call. There contact information is here;
| DK Showerpans California | Toll free: 866.305.4980 Fax: 949.305.4982 |
| DK Showerpans Las Vegas | Toll free: 866.305.4980 Local: 702.293.5433 Fax: 702.293.5411 |
| Customer Service California | 949.485.1613 |
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Low cost drains for barrier free no curb showers - ACO's QuartzPlus
I finally had a chance to open up the package of my new ACO Quartz Plus linear drain today. The two new drains a welcome addition I'm sure for anyone put off by the cost of these new linear shower drain systems.
What do I think? I think it's great. It's not the same as the original "Quartz" (not Quartz Plus) drains since the grill and channel body are both different but for the price I think ACO has a winning drain here. The Quartz Plus drain (shown in these pictures) has an ABS channel body that sits a top any approved clamping drain or bonded drain system. An optional clamping drain is available in either PVC or Powder Coated Cast Iron.
I have a number of things straight off that I would like to suggest on the installation process of this new linear shower drain. I'll be posting a few tips I think you might follow to get a better installation, but for tonight I'll start with uploading some pictures of this new drain.
Here is a look at the larger linear drain from Quartz Plus by ACO
This drain comes in a factory package including the drain channel base and grate (Wavy version shown), levelling feet and drain grate lifting key. The Quartz Plus drain is designed to work with any waterproofing system and can most likely upgrade a basic rough in you may have installed.
Careful opening the package. I ripped at it but heavy duty kitchen scissors would be easier I'm sure.
The grill reminds me of water and has a gentle rhythm I think. You can get this same drain with a square hole grate. The two grill styles look like this. The grill can not be ordered by itself later so decide carefully before ordering one.
The Quartz Plus drain is made up of a few parts. You can see the stainless steel (European Made) grill inset into the ABS (Grey Plastic) channel body. This channel body is integrated with a 2" drain pipe and the drain body itself is creased to limit the amount of standing water.
The tail piece has a universal MPT fitting that will fit many common three piece clamping drains. I'll work on a list but this is simple a system of preventing mortar from falling into the clamping drains inside durning the installation process. We often omit this step and make our own flashing out of Ditra Drain, Kerdi, NobleSeal TS or the like.
In many multifamily homes and certain cities in both Canada and the USA - a cast iron clamping drain or floor drain is required. ACO makes both. This clamping drain makes up the "Primary Shower Drain" on a shower built and the liner drain top is for lack of a better term a fancy strainer.
The clamping drain is nice - I like the black powder coating. This rough in would be perfect for your Americans living in California where the process of "Hot Mopping" is common. This cast iron drain connects with the home's plumbing system via a 2" No-Hub fitting.
If you would like to look at all these pictures again but are too busy to scroll up click the video below and have a second look.
This drain is in stock and ready to ship.
What do I think? I think it's great. It's not the same as the original "Quartz" (not Quartz Plus) drains since the grill and channel body are both different but for the price I think ACO has a winning drain here. The Quartz Plus drain (shown in these pictures) has an ABS channel body that sits a top any approved clamping drain or bonded drain system. An optional clamping drain is available in either PVC or Powder Coated Cast Iron.
I have a number of things straight off that I would like to suggest on the installation process of this new linear shower drain. I'll be posting a few tips I think you might follow to get a better installation, but for tonight I'll start with uploading some pictures of this new drain.
Here is a look at the larger linear drain from Quartz Plus by ACO
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| Quartz Plus ACO Linear Shower Drain |
Careful opening the package. I ripped at it but heavy duty kitchen scissors would be easier I'm sure.
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| Wavy Grill Design - Square holes is another option |
The grill reminds me of water and has a gentle rhythm I think. You can get this same drain with a square hole grate. The two grill styles look like this. The grill can not be ordered by itself later so decide carefully before ordering one.
34.9" (886mm) Wavy Grate Shower Drain $175.00 CDN - Canadian Orders Only
Price excludes taxes but does include delivery.
This drain measures 34.9" x 2.76" x 0.78" (LxWxH)
in metric this is 1186mm x 70mm x 20mm
If you would like to buy this exact drain you can order it here.
46.7" (1186mm) Wavy Grate Shower Drain $217.00 CDN - Canadian Orders Only
Price excludes taxes but does include delivery.
This drain measures 46.7" x 2.76" x 0.78" (LxWxH)
in metric this is 1186mm x 70mm x 20mm
If you would like to buy this exact drain you can order it here.
BUY NOW
34.9" (886mm) Shower Drain $175.00 CDN - Canadian Orders Only
Price excludes taxes but does include delivery.
This drain measures 46.7" x 2.76" x 0.78" (LxWxH)
in metric this is 1186mm x 70mm x 20mm
If you would like to buy this exact drain you can order it here.
The Quartz Plus drain is made up of a few parts. You can see the stainless steel (European Made) grill inset into the ABS (Grey Plastic) channel body. This channel body is integrated with a 2" drain pipe and the drain body itself is creased to limit the amount of standing water.
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| This nut is a pressure fit and designed to mount over many three piece clamping drains. |
Here you can see the inside of the drain's channel body. This the big difference between the Quartz Plus line and the original Quartz's line that feature Oil Rubbed bronze bases or Electropolished Stainless Steel. If your less concerned with the insides and more concerned with the cost - this low cost linear drain might be a perfect fit for your shower and your budget.
In many multifamily homes and certain cities in both Canada and the USA - a cast iron clamping drain or floor drain is required. ACO makes both. This clamping drain makes up the "Primary Shower Drain" on a shower built and the liner drain top is for lack of a better term a fancy strainer.
The clamping drain is nice - I like the black powder coating. This rough in would be perfect for your Americans living in California where the process of "Hot Mopping" is common. This cast iron drain connects with the home's plumbing system via a 2" No-Hub fitting.
If you would like to look at all these pictures again but are too busy to scroll up click the video below and have a second look.
A Second Look at the Same Pictures
This drain is in stock and ready to ship.
46.7" (1186mm) Shower Drain $217.00 CDN - Canadian Orders Only
Price excludes taxes but does include delivery.
This drain measures 46.7" x 2.76" x 0.78" (LxWxH)
in metric this is 1186mm x 70mm x 20mm
If you would like to buy this exact drain you can order it here.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Installing an led light into a shower niche
Lighting is best layered in my opinion and one of the best new layers to our bathroom lighting designs has been the incorporation of LED lighting. I have been using lights and lighting for over a decade here in Vancouver in all types of installs and set ups. I have learned many wonderful tips on installing LED lighting from some of Vancouver's top builders and designers.
What I took from these prior experience is the magical effect light has on a space and how much you enjoy that space when you use it.
I'm not an electrician nor do I claim to be. What I know well is how to build showers and what I have found is that with a little effort and smart design you can incorporate lighting into these shower builds with little effort and really little added material costs.
My three secrets to a successful install is
1). Have enough light and have lots of it
2). Diffuse the light so you do not see dots of light but rather an even glow
3). Have the ability to dim the light
You do not want your bathroom to look like a disco so these lights should be on their own circuit. This way you can enjoy the colour or added light when you want it and switch it off when you don't.
One of my most popular "Private Photo Albums" is the LED lighting one I have here. You will need to sign up to view the pictures and get the password. Currently there is over 400 pictures showing various construction photo's on my building process. Access is by donation all donations over $2.00 are accepted.
LED lighting is normally a 12 volt DC power supply. That said it's not a good idea to have any power in your shower so when we design our systems they are designed to be top lit or side lit.
Here is a look at various ways of using LED lighting in your home;
Our most recent projects are heavily lit with LED lighting. A great designer here in Vancouver is a man named Holger Hoo's - much of what we have learned was with the help of this design forward thinker. Check out his bathrooms here.
This is a great shot of a side lit shower niche. You might notice as well that we side lit the shower glass. All the play by play pictures are include in my "Private Ideabook". You can gain access to these pictures by following the links in the top right corner of this page.
If you would like a price on the items needed for a light feature like this please describe what your after and send it by email to me at sales@no-curb.com. We can have a custom package made up here locally and shipped out to you anywhere in North America.
JW
What I took from these prior experience is the magical effect light has on a space and how much you enjoy that space when you use it.
I'm not an electrician nor do I claim to be. What I know well is how to build showers and what I have found is that with a little effort and smart design you can incorporate lighting into these shower builds with little effort and really little added material costs.
My three secrets to a successful install is
1). Have enough light and have lots of it
2). Diffuse the light so you do not see dots of light but rather an even glow
3). Have the ability to dim the light
You do not want your bathroom to look like a disco so these lights should be on their own circuit. This way you can enjoy the colour or added light when you want it and switch it off when you don't.
One of my most popular "Private Photo Albums" is the LED lighting one I have here. You will need to sign up to view the pictures and get the password. Currently there is over 400 pictures showing various construction photo's on my building process. Access is by donation all donations over $2.00 are accepted.
LED lighting is normally a 12 volt DC power supply. That said it's not a good idea to have any power in your shower so when we design our systems they are designed to be top lit or side lit.
Here is a look at various ways of using LED lighting in your home;
Our most recent projects are heavily lit with LED lighting. A great designer here in Vancouver is a man named Holger Hoo's - much of what we have learned was with the help of this design forward thinker. Check out his bathrooms here.
This is a great shot of a side lit shower niche. You might notice as well that we side lit the shower glass. All the play by play pictures are include in my "Private Ideabook". You can gain access to these pictures by following the links in the top right corner of this page.
If you would like a price on the items needed for a light feature like this please describe what your after and send it by email to me at sales@no-curb.com. We can have a custom package made up here locally and shipped out to you anywhere in North America.
JW
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
ANSI Shear Testing Procedures for thin-sets: Which is the best thin-set for your curbless shower?
There are many tests quoted and sited online that reference ANSI this and ANSI that. What is the best for your next barrier free shower when planning a curbless shower build? This is a great question and one that is near impossible to have answered by anybody.
The problem as I see it is that the manufactures develop products and do their own testing. Then the ANSI needs to check that they fit the parameters of the different specifications. So you can pass or fail and of course we do not see the products that fail the tests.
So how can you test your own products? I'm developing a simple test that can be rigged up anywhere. All you need is scrap building materials, a C-Clamp, some rope and time. Is that old bag of thin-set gone bad? maybe - maybe not. This test should help answer a lot of questions I have on the pros and cons of many products designed to help us build our barrier free no curb showers.
I started this concept after promising my Ardex rep that I would test out his new Ditra Adhesive AF 207. I need to know how strong my installs are before testing the AF 207 or else I have no reference to compare the data.
I prepare my floors outside the showers one of two ways.
1). I used 1/2" concrete board over the plywood
2). I use Ditra to cover the plywood subfloor
Both systems have served me well over these past twelve years building bathrooms here in Vancouver.
So I decide to use one of my favourite thin-sets as the bench mark. I used Latcicrete's 254 Platinum thin-set to start of my testing. Here is a look at the data so far.
So far we have weighted the single common brick with over 750 pounds of water. Each can weighing in at over 150 pounds. Five cans all day.
One rope failed and we left the test yesterday with 600 pounds and in the morning it is still sitting pretty.
I will expand on the method and post my findings soon. For more info on this test check out Terry Love's plumbing forum.
http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?51383-SpiderWeb-II-Review-of-Custom-Building-Products-new-Uncoupling-Mat
UPDATE: (July 4, 2013)
Received a call last week from a large government job out in Surrey looking for me to come and measure some tiles for "Pull Tests". Got a kick out of that. Looks like there might be a small market for these quality control measures.
I would bet they would not want to see the wack load of garbage cans for a testing device - or would they? I recommended they call the TTMAC or Donato Pompo for help.
The problem as I see it is that the manufactures develop products and do their own testing. Then the ANSI needs to check that they fit the parameters of the different specifications. So you can pass or fail and of course we do not see the products that fail the tests.
So how can you test your own products? I'm developing a simple test that can be rigged up anywhere. All you need is scrap building materials, a C-Clamp, some rope and time. Is that old bag of thin-set gone bad? maybe - maybe not. This test should help answer a lot of questions I have on the pros and cons of many products designed to help us build our barrier free no curb showers.
I started this concept after promising my Ardex rep that I would test out his new Ditra Adhesive AF 207. I need to know how strong my installs are before testing the AF 207 or else I have no reference to compare the data.
I prepare my floors outside the showers one of two ways.
1). I used 1/2" concrete board over the plywood
2). I use Ditra to cover the plywood subfloor
Both systems have served me well over these past twelve years building bathrooms here in Vancouver.
So I decide to use one of my favourite thin-sets as the bench mark. I used Latcicrete's 254 Platinum thin-set to start of my testing. Here is a look at the data so far.
So far we have weighted the single common brick with over 750 pounds of water. Each can weighing in at over 150 pounds. Five cans all day.
One rope failed and we left the test yesterday with 600 pounds and in the morning it is still sitting pretty.
I will expand on the method and post my findings soon. For more info on this test check out Terry Love's plumbing forum.
http://www.terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?51383-SpiderWeb-II-Review-of-Custom-Building-Products-new-Uncoupling-Mat
UPDATE: (July 4, 2013)
Received a call last week from a large government job out in Surrey looking for me to come and measure some tiles for "Pull Tests". Got a kick out of that. Looks like there might be a small market for these quality control measures.
I would bet they would not want to see the wack load of garbage cans for a testing device - or would they? I recommended they call the TTMAC or Donato Pompo for help.
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