Floor Tile and Waterproof Testing

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Author Message Lisa Goodwin Robbins, RA, CCS, LEED ap Senior Member Username: lgoodrob Post Number: 423 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, July 24, 2023 - 09:54 am:    Do you test the waterproofing membrane before installing interior floor tile? If so, how frequently do you test? Everywhere or just a representative number? And how do you test? For years, we've been writing this (and no one has questioned it): "Do not install tile over membrane until membrane has cured and been tested to determine that it is watertight." MasterSpec has a part 3 article for water testing. Does anyone require that? - John Bunzick Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1922 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, July 24, 2023 - 02:32 pm:    Lisa, are you talking about moisture mitigation membranes? or are you talking about negative side waterproofing on a slab? (Or am I out-of-date on my understanding of systems now?) Lisa Goodwin Robbins, RA, CCS, LEED ap Senior Member Username: lgoodrob Post Number: 424 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, July 24, 2023 - 02:51 pm:    John, Just plain old boring waterproofing membrane under your bathroom tile floor. - ken hercenberg Senior Member Username: khercenberg Post Number: 1582 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Monday, July 24, 2023 - 04:28 pm:    Lisa, this was what I received from a waterproofing/tile setting rep. Two inches may be a bit more than your structural engineer would like to see. I would start at the top floor. As with most testing my guess is that a representative number of locations should suggest quality of overall work. If you test 10 percent of the spaces and 10 percent of those fail, I'd test all of them. A. Install waterproof membrane to comply with ANSI A108.13 and manufacturer's written instructions to produce waterproof membrane of uniform thickness that is bonded securely to substrate. B. Allow waterproof membrane to cure. C. Verify watertight installation by testing membrane in accordance with Code; ensure that membrane is watertight before installing tile or setting materials over it. 1. Close drain and build temporary dam to hold water, typically to depth of 2 inches or more. 2. Introduce water from secondary source. 3. Allow water to stand minimum 24 hours. Check water level for changes and observe areas below test area to ensure that no leakage is observed. 4. In the event of leaks, find and fix leaks and retest until no leakage is found 5. Submit test reports to Architect as Informational Submittal. Paul Sweet (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 04:25 pm:    Two inches of water is only 10 PSF or so, which is a lot less than the design live load. John Bunzick Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1923 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 - 04:57 pm:    I honestly doubt any defects would ever be found with a water test. If there is a minor leak, the concrete structure can absorb so much moisture you'd likely never see it come through anywhere. If it's a significant leak, you could probably find the problem without the test by careful visual inspection, probing seams etc. And, ten PSF of water pressure when checking a leak is entirely unrelated to the live load capacity of the structure.