A Product Review of the Everbuild Aquaseal Wet Room Kit

We tested the Butyl backed fleece expansion tape for it’s ability to move with the expansion and contraction of the walls and floors. We tested the Aquaseal primer for it’s ability to soak into, and provide a protective covering to, the walls and floor of the bathroom. We also tested the Aquaseal waterproof drain mat to ensure it provided enough flexibility to move with the floors and walls around drain pipes, waste pipes and inlet and outlet pipes in the walls. Finally we tested the waterproof rubber membrane compound for application, coverage and flexibility.

How to Use the Aquaseal Wet Room and Tanking System From Everbuild

As the video shows, we first made sure that the floor and walls did not have anything loose on them and swept the areas to be covered thoroughly.

Then we applied the Aquaseal primer with a 3 inch brush to the floor and the walls. This could be done with a bigger brush or even a fleece roller.

We then sealed the joints between the walls and the floor with the Aquaseal Butyl backed expansion tape. If the floor had been a timber floor, we would certainly have use the expansion tape on any joints in the floorboards. It is vital, in the case of a timber floor, that every joint is screwed down as much as possible to limit any floor movement to an absolute minimum.

Then the vertical joints in the wall were sealed and all tape was pressed down thoroughly with the roller that is supplied with the wet room kit.

The flexible drain mat was then applied around the floor drain. This mat can also be applied around any inlet and outlet pipes in the walls and floors and allows for any expansion and contraction in the hot and cold water as it flows through the pipes of down the drains.

Having primed and taped all surfaces and joints we then applied two coats of the Aquaseal rubber membrane. The first coat is applied at approximately 0.5mm thick in a vertical direction finishing of with all vertical brush strokes. This was left for 6 hours as per the instructions.

Then we applied the second coat of the membrane making sure we finished off with horizontal strokes with the 3 inch brush which is supplied with the kit.

What is in the Standard Size Aquaseal Wet Room and Tanking Kit From Everbuild?

• A 5m roll of Aquaseal self adhesive tanking tape which is totally waterproof and remains permanently flexible through the use of a butyl backed fleece. It is backed with a removable pre-cut release liner
• A self adhesive drain mat which is backed with the same pre-cut removable backing. The mat is large enough for pipes and drains in most bathrooms, shower rooms and wet room
• 1 litre of liquid tanking primer (Styrene Acrylic based polymer) with a drying time of 1 – 2 hours depending on temperature of bathroom or wet room. For very porous surfaces, such as plasterboard, two coats will be required
• Tanking membrane suitable for 4.5 square metres of wall and floor. This is a liquid waterproofing compound that is applied in two coats. The second coat can be applied 6 – 12 hours after the first then after 24 hours the tiling can commence

DIY Doctors Opinion of the Aquaseal Wet Room Tanking System From Everbuild

We think this product does exactly what it says on the tin! The primer is very easy to apply and with a porous surface like plasterboard you can feel the primer being soaked up by the board rather than just forming a skin over the top like so many other primers. This means that the primer becomes part of the surface of the wall and everything that is stuck to it, will stay stuck.

The split tape that backs up the drain mat and the expansion tape was very easy to remove and reposition. Although working with sticky tape of any kind is a very fiddly job this was relatively easy and when the tape and drain mat were rolled into position and pressed down firmly it is plain to see that it will tolerate a great deal of movement.

Also, at this point it is worth noting that Everbuild’s Aquaseal Tanking Systems, both standard (4.5 square metres) and large (7.5 square metres) come with a paint brush and a roller. Our only criticism of the entire kit is that 2 brushes may well have been better.

The membrane itself, despite being very thin (which allows it to flow onto the wall easily) is incredibly flexible as you would expect from any tanking system put into a high humidity area.

With just a 1mm thick, 2-cost system we were left in no doubt that this system is not only waterproof, but will remain waterproof even after the movement brought about in bathrooms through the extreme variance in temperatures.