A modern building now has to excel in performance — reducing its environmental impact, being more energy efficient, aesthetically pleasing and meeting the requirements of the ever-more critical end user.
Insulation is at the centre of sustainable energy and is extremely important to incorporate into any project. Bathrooms are one of the most complex rooms in buildings and even tiny errors in planning and execution can cause unwanted problems that potentially affect the building’s structure as well as the life quality of its inhabitants.
wedi system solutions provide a comprehensive system for insulation in bathroom and wet room projects. wedi‘s directly tileable sub-construction elements are 100% waterproof to the core, decoupling, have the best thermal (0.036WmK) and vertical weight load (133 kg/m²) capabilities amongst common tile backers and require no additional waterproofing or heat insulation. They are suitable for direct tiling and can also be plastered then painted.
Current trend shows increased popularity of walk-in showers but when it comes to suspended timber floors, it is imperative to evaluate between different brands in order to select the best solution that ticks all boxes.
wedi products are developed with practicality, versatility and functionality in mind; uniquely, all wedi Fundo shower elements have a sealing set developed especially for the all-round sealing of their perimeters and a 360˚ dry-fit drain technology that offers reassurance of their use in/on wooden floors. For many years, wedi’s Fundo Ligno shower element with point drainage was the ultimate solution for installing walk-in shower areas in timber floors. In 2020, to answer market demand wedi introduced a new shower solution with linear drainage for suspended timber structures. Both these shower elements fit and sit flush in the wooden flooring, without having to cut into floor joists or build up further floor height. With their outer edges of just 20mm and 25mm respectively, keeping safety in focus above everything else, both shower trays are fitted with a support plate on the underside reinforcing the area around the drain opening to provide unrivalled peace of mind within the moisture sensitive and ever moving timber floor. Furthermore, to eliminate any possibility of failure, wedi offers a drain-substructure element for wooden floor installations that guarantees reliable support and accurate aligning of the drain.
Sufficient insulation of bathroom floor and wall surfaces is imperative especially in wooden structures that can be particularly at risk from hidden plumbing leaks and condensation behind fitted units.
wedi building boards are famous for their suitability to be directly bonded onto timber or metal stud frames without the need for mechanical fixing; with the elimination of laborious sealing measures over penetrations, they save time and offer further safety. Complementing its tilebacker portfolio, wedi also offers a range of membranes for sealing, decoupling and sound insulation providing a floor-to-ceiling system solution and unrivalled peace of mind. The wedi Subliner range, as a complement to wedi building boards, is renowned for its reliability in waterproofing and decoupling of bathroom walls and floors. Coupling wedi Fundo shower solutions with wedi building boards and/or wedi Subliner Dry & Flex membranes, would not only result in a CE marked walk-in shower area but also would be awarded with a full wedi system guarantee.
The new wedi Nonstep ProS sound insulation fleece easily covers any unevenness in the floor, is tension reducing, moisture and rot-resistant, prevents mould growth and is recyclable. Construction heights, including a Fundo shower element with horizontal drainage and the 9mm thick Nonstep ProS acoustic solution, range from 74mm to 138mm to suit site requirements. Together, they provide 28dB sound reduction thus enhance water impact sound measurements to as low as 13dB. Soundproofed showering guaranteed.
The simplest and most economical way to reduce heat loss, besides using building materials with high U-values, is to choose tiles or use a panel type finish with low heat-conductivity.
wedi now offers seamless design surfaces that keep grout lines to the minimum thus promote hygiene around the bathroom. The wedi Top Line boasts wall panelling (wedi Top Wall), pre-formed shower tray finishes (wedi Fundo Top) and pre-formed Top solutions for cladding of shower seats (wedi Sanoasa Top), niches (wedi Sanwell Top) and toilet cistern cladding for wall hung toilets (wedi I-Board Top). Their characteristics such as their antibacterial surface, low heat-conductivity, excellent slip resistance (R11) along with their natural, warm feel makes them a perfect complement to use on top of wedi sub construction elements.
Up-coming for November: online wetroom/shower system training including how to specify, design considerations and practical installation for timber & concrete substrates. Please email training(Replace this parenthesis with the @ sign)wedi.co.uk to register your interest and sign up for updates.