Confused with Aqua Panel

[leevis]

Hi All
I've had a shower leak and need to rebuild. I've purchased some Aqua Panel boards from Wickes (cement board) which I will be putting on the inside of the cubicle when I get to install that.

What my questions are, I understand that I have to put tape over the seams (I have bought some of the Knauf stuff to do this), what do I use to put in the tape? The Knauf website recommends some expensive stuff, would normal tile adhesive work here?

Second question is about tanking, I really (REALLY) do not want this to leak again. I will be putting the Knauf tape over the same joints that I would normally put the tanking tape, would I use the tanking tape instead?

Third (and final) question, I am planning to put some mastic behind the tray and leave 2-3mm gap between the tiles and the tray for more mastic. Should I use the tanking tape to tank the aqua panel to the tray?

Help

 

[foxhole]

I would fit shower panels, have seen too many failed tiled enclosures.

 

[leevis]

I have been looking at those, I can buy them at 900 width which is great, but these things seem to need to up to the ceiling, in my case this shower is in the loft and there is an angle which would need to be cut out which could be painful. I could however cut it square and not have it going all the way to the ceiling and just plaster on top of the gap between the panel and the ceiling.

I was thinking of building a recess in the shower (since I have the gaps in the stud at the moment, not too sure if you can do this with panels.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Is the tape really that expensive? Why would you not use the tape/system that's designed for the job?

As an aside I don't understand the cutting the shower panels bit, why would it be painful? Just understand how to cut it properly and then cut it properly.

 

[foxhole]

I have been looking at those, I can buy them at 900 width which is great, but these things seem to need to up to the ceiling, in my case this shower is in the loft and there is an angle which would need to be cut out which could be painful. I could however cut it square and not have it going all the way to the ceiling and just plaster on top of the gap between the panel and the ceiling.

I was thinking of building a recess in the shower (since I have the gaps in the stud at the moment, not too sure if you can do this with panels.

It cuts easily with a fine tooth hand saw. Recess tends to cause leaks if you are inexperienced.

 

[leevis]

I'll look into the panels

The tape - I have this, its the paste that is expensive (around 80 a tub I think) if its behind a panel I guess it doesn't matter so much though

Just as an aside on this one, with the panels, I'm assuming they come with a corner part and a bottom part that the panels slot into so that the water just flows down into the tray?

 

[Koolpc]

Those parts are available to buy..

 

[nickjb]

The panels are great. Ours are a waterproof MDF based material and easy to cut. I used a corner trim they slotted into and some special trims for the bottom that overlap the tray. Much better than tiles. Easy to clean, too. Can't see me ever tiling a shower again.

 

[robinbanks]

need to be cut out which could be painful

Make a template using cardboard; place the sheet on the wall, use a fat pen rubbed along the ceiling drawing on the card, that line is the exact profile of the ceiling, cut it out, offer it up, scribe it again if it's no good

If your shape is very complex you may need to roughly roughly cut the card first, and scribe several times to get an exact fit, no worries, just keep at it. You may find it beneficial to make your pen artificially fatter by taping something to it. (If you've roughly cut your cardboard and offered it up and the biggest gap you have is 20mm you need a pen that is fatter by at least 20mm on the side you rub along the ceiling)

Then measure up to the points where the cardboard touches, 900 wide, mark those measures on your panel, place the cardboard on like a ruler, and draw along its edge

The panel is now profiled to the ceiling

 

[leevis]

One last question, I have the hot and cold shower tails sticking out to add more aggro to this one. Looking at the videos for installing these (panels) they seem to be shifted over sideways and into the corner, this is going to be difficult with these in place. On mine it looks like there are extenders added to change the thread size, how does one get around this? Make the holes bigger?

 

[robinbanks]

Can you attach a picture?

 

[leevis]

Here are some photos, they stick out about 70mm

 

[johnny2007]

I've always used tile adhesive for the tape on aquapanel joints and my showers last 30+ years.
For the holes, you need to cut 30mm holes and slide the tiles in.
Again, you can use a tick cardboard to make a template or if you're good with tape measure, just...measure.

 

[leevis]

From what I can see, and I will need to measure this, the holes for the pipes need to be the diameter plus 4-6mm. I am guessing that this is likely to hopefully give enough lateral movement to push the panel into the corner part?

 

[aveatry]

I wouldn't add a recess I think it's just a shelf for water to sit on.
I have mira flight tray that has 4 up stands and the enclosure sits inside and the tiles also overlap the upstand and Finnish 5mm above which is filled with silicone