Tanking Kits made compulsory in latest British Standard

Earlier this year, BSI made important updates to British Standard 5385-1:2018 Design and installation of ceramic, natural stone and mosaic wall tiling in normal conditions – code of practice. Changes included the exclusion of plywood as a suitable background material for fixing tiles to walls as well as guidance on fixing and grouting large format tiles.

The newly published British Standard also recommends the use of a tanking kit in areas subject to wetting, such as showers, wetrooms and steam rooms. In clause 6.1.1.3, the standard states that ‘In wet areas … substrates should be protected with a suitable proprietary tanking membrane system’. It further declares that ‘the weight capacity of the tanking system should be capable of carrying the load of the tiles and adhesive’.

To ensure best practice, it is vital that everyone working in the tiling industry understands and implements this important change and choose materials that are fit for purpose. Working outside of the British Standard could have disastrous consequences for the project and the reputation of your business.

UltraTileFix have always prided themselves on listening to the needs of their customers and providing solutions for today’s tiling challenges. Their range of high performance tiling products includes ProShield, a tanking kit designed to provide complete protection from moisture in wetrooms, domestic bathrooms, kitchens and showers – the perfect product for guaranteeing your tiling installation complies to the latest British Standard.

Suitable for internal walls and floors prior to tiling, ProShield tanking kit is flexible, easy to use, compatible with underfloor heating and can be  tiled after just 24 hours, allowing you to move on to another part of the project quickly.

Each 8kg bucket of ProShield boasts a coverage of 8sqm and includes flexible waterproof coating and membrane tape. This membrane tape is also available to purchase separately from UltraTileFix, saving you money.

For further information on ProShield and for advice on the revised British Standard, please contact Alan Collins, UltraTileFix’s Technical Field Support and Training Manager, by calling 07825 427654 or emailing ultratilefix@instarmac.co.uk.