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How long to waterproof typical shower with kerdi.

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Spencer

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Took me a full day and I'm wondering if I'm slow. I haven't done a tile shower since last summer and was thinking I could bust out the waterproofing in a strong half day. Way wrong.

36"x48" shower using kerdi system. One large niche and one corner seat. Everything was ready to go beginning of day today.

Would you allot a whole day to waterproofing for one guy?

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#3 ·
If I remember right this one took me about 6-7 hours...one niche, 3'x3'. That included setting the foam base.

I did have a small corner shelf I added later that took about 45 min to attach and Kerdi.

Curious where others fall timing wise because I too feel a little slow.
 

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#4 ·
I think I'm usually around a day as well. Depends on the scope but also depends on if that's all I'm doing which is rarely the case.

We do such variety that some days I'm there by myself or with one person and other days it's at a whole house remodel and I'm managing several guys so obviously that would take longer.

I certainly prefer the Kerdi board to drywall with Kerdi on top. It's an overall faster process.

I also feel slow when doing it but I'd guess I do 4-6 a year right now so it's nothing I will blow you away with. After attending the Schluter workshop's, I was going a good bit faster just because of help with technique.
 
#8 ·
This thread makes me feel better. A clean job seems to take the better part of a day when there are niches and whatnot. I finally did a kerdi board shower though and it is faster, especially if you factor in savings on hanging drywall. The corners are super sharp too if you break the boards elsewhere.
 
#10 ·
TNTSERVICES said:
Can't seem to justify the expense of kerdi board. $50 for a 4x4 sheet is ridiculous.
Click to expand...
Full sheets are a little better and the install will have fewer seams.


Sure it's ~$3/sf, but I can haul a whole shower's worth with one hand in one trip, install, and get a good start on tiling in a one day. Kerdi membrane over drywall is almost the same cost but takes longer to install.

It's also cool, you can spot adhere it to the old substrate, or drywall, to make walls perfectly flat with no sistering studs, shaving and shimming.

I used to do all liquid but I got tired of cement board and the added steps.

It'd be interesting to do a cost comparison factoring in time and materials.
 
#12 ·
Golden view said:
This thread makes me feel better. A clean job seems to take the better part of a day when there are niches and whatnot. I finally did a kerdi board shower though and it is faster, especially if you factor in savings on hanging drywall. The corners are super sharp too if you break the boards elsewhere.
Click to expand...

When you say break the boards elsewhere, are you getting at cutting through one side and breaking the board but not cutting the other face and having a flat seam vs a corner?

Or to put it differently, are you wrapping the corner with Kerdi board?
 
#13 ·
Xtrememtnbiker said:
When you say break the boards elsewhere, are you getting at cutting through one side and breaking the board but not cutting the other face and having a flat seam vs a corner?

Or to put it differently, are you wrapping the corner with Kerdi board?
Click to expand...
Yes, wrapping the corner with Kerdi board. The seams fall on a stud not in the corner, at least if it's convenient to do it that way.
 
#14 ·
I factor in a day for any waterproofing of a shower. They almost all have a niche, so framing that in and whatnot it takes times.
I also prefer the Kerdi-board over the membrane. The speed and ease of installing it is too good to pass up. A nice trick I picked up when tiling up to an existing drywall ceiling is to squeeze Kerdi fix along the top edge of the board before you hang it. If you're careful when you put it on, it creates a nice seal between the ceiling and wall.
 
#16 ·
tjbnwi said:
An 8-9 hour day for a 3x4 shower with Kerdi, 4-5 hours with Kerdi board.

I do not find Wedi any faster, you have to rabbet joints and seal all the corners, seams and penetrations.

Tom
Click to expand...


Are you gluing your kerdi board on or using fasteners?



If you are using fasteners, all the treatments to seams penetrations and joints are similar. I find that it is quicker to run a bead of sealant than it is to use kerdi band, plus not as much buildup at the schluter pan, wall, curb connection.



It goes really quick with a cordless sausage gun. You also don't have to glue the drain to the pvc (on a remodel), and you don't have to waterproof the pan with kerdi membrane. The only rabbet you cut is the pan to wall connection, and pan extensions.



I also hate cutting the kerdi band for the fasteners.



Each individual is different in their preferences and speed. I just like the Wedi better overall if I have a choice. Most of the work I have been doing lately is just labor only for a builder. He supplies the materials and loves Schluter
 
#17 ·
jengebretson said:
Are you gluing your kerdi board on or using fasteners?



If you are using fasteners, all the treatments to seams penetrations and joints are similar. I find that it is quicker to run a bead of sealant than it is to use kerdi band, plus not as much buildup at the schluter pan, wall, curb connection.



It goes really quick with a cordless sausage gun. You also don't have to glue the drain to the pvc (on a remodel), and you don't have to waterproof the pan with kerdi membrane. The only rabbet you cut is the pan to wall connection, and pan extensions.



I also hate cutting the kerdi band for the fasteners.



Each individual is different in their preferences and speed. I just like the Wedi better overall if I have a choice. Most of the work I have been doing lately is just labor only for a builder. He supplies the materials and loves Schluter
Click to expand...

I was told at the last class that sometime in the near future, the pans and curbs with come with Kerdi already on them. That will speed things up a bit.

Also, when cutting Kerdi band for the patches, wrap it around your hand like toilet paper (not that I wrap toilet paper around my hand like this but that's how it was described) and then take scissors and make two cuts and you get a bunch of patches.
 
#18 ·
jengebretson said:
Are you gluing your kerdi board on or using fasteners?



If you are using fasteners, all the treatments to seams penetrations and joints are similar. I find that it is quicker to run a bead of sealant than it is to use kerdi band, plus not as much buildup at the schluter pan, wall, curb connection.



It goes really quick with a cordless sausage gun. You also don't have to glue the drain to the pvc (on a remodel), and you don't have to waterproof the pan with kerdi membrane. The only rabbet you cut is the pan to wall connection, and pan extensions.



I also hate cutting the kerdi band for the fasteners.



Each individual is different in their preferences and speed. I just like the Wedi better overall if I have a choice. Most of the work I have been doing lately is just labor only for a builder. He supplies the materials and loves Schluter
Click to expand...
Fasteners with the washer. I prefer the Kerdi band to the caulk. Find it a pain to tool the caulk, just a gooy mess for me.

I've heard the build up complaint before, not a problem I have when installing the bands. Regular Kerdi band is 0.004" thick, at the corners with the build you might be 0.012" thick. There are tricks to getting the band installed correctly, I use 2 6" broad knifes.

Cutting the band with scissors is really easy.

I've used the Oakley drains, the no-caulk feature is nice. Never had an issue with glueing the Schluter drain.

I agree it all comes down to what we're used to using.

Tom
 
#19 ·
USG is coming out with a product that's a foamboard at a much more user friendly price point. The seams get taped like Kerdi. No washers needed. I don't know if they have a floor/drain setup yet.

I use foamboard glue behind wedi in some spots to level or add strength while reducing fasteners, like at a niche.

I still use which ever product is right for a particular job. Wedi-like products really reduce the mess in a room, less worry about carrying stuff upstairs and scratching something and instant waterproofing.
 
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