Silicone that keeps going black
Mould returning within weeks of resealing usually means water is sitting behind the silicone rather than draining away, which is a membrane or fall problem, not a silicone problem.
Shower waterproofing
The shower is where most wet areas fail, so it is where we are hardest on detail
Step down, hobbed and hobless showers sealed to AS 3740 with reinforced corners, collared penetrations, verified fall to waste and a full 24 hour flood test before a single tile goes down.
Overview
Why showers fail, and what stops it
A shower is the only part of a house that is deliberately flooded every single day. Litres of warm water hit a small area of tile, soak into the grout and the tile bed, then have to find their way back to a single 50 millimetre outlet. Tiles are not waterproof and grout certainly is not. Everything depends on the membrane and the fall beneath them.
In practice, almost every leaking shower we are called to has one of four causes. The fall is wrong, so water sits in the bed instead of draining. The waste was never properly connected to the membrane with a puddle flange. A junction was coated without a bond breaker and has torn. Or a penetration was drilled through the membrane after the fact, most often for a screen or a rail, and never resealed.
None of those are product failures. They are detailing failures, and every one of them is preventable at membrane stage for a fraction of what it costs to demolish a finished shower and start again. Our process is built around eliminating all four before we coat anything.
We also handle remedial work. If your shower is leaking now, we inspect before quoting, identify whether the membrane is still intact, and give you a straight recommendation: seal from above with minimal demolition, or rebuild properly. We will not sell you a cosmetic repair on a failed membrane.
Scope of works
What a HydroForce shower job covers
Six things we check and treat on every shower, whether it is a new build or a repair.
Waste and puddle flange check
We confirm the waste is set at the right level and that a puddle flange is present and bonded. A shower waste sitting proud of the substrate will pond water no matter how good the membrane is.
Fall to waste corrected
The enclosure floor is checked with a level and a straight edge. Where the fall is flat or running the wrong way, we quote a screed correction instead of coating over a drainage fault.
Hob, step down and hobless detailing
Whether the shower has a tiled hob, a recessed step down or a fully hobless threshold, the change of plane is bond broken, bandaged and built up so it can move without tearing.
Niches and shelves sealed
Recessed niches are a hole in a wet wall. We treat every niche as its own wet area, sealing the base, the return and the junction back into the wall.
Penetrations collared individually
Mixer bodies, shower arms, rail fixings and the waste outlet are each collared and sealed so water cannot track down the outside of a pipe into the frame.
Full 24 hour flood test
The enclosure is dammed and flooded, then held for 24 hours and photographed. Only when it holds do we certify the area and release it to the tiler.
What to look for
Six signs your shower is leaking
If two or more of these are present, get the shower inspected before the damage reaches the structure.
Grout that never dries
Grout lines in the shower floor that stay dark for a day or more after use indicate the tile bed is saturated and water is not reaching the waste.
Water escaping past the hob
Damp floor tiles or wet skirting just outside the shower point to a failed hob junction or a threshold detail that was never bond broken.
Rusting door frame or screen track
Corrosion at the base of a shower screen track means water is pooling in the track and finding its way into the substrate below.
Drummy floor tiles in the enclosure
Hollow sounding tiles inside the shower mean the bond has broken down from water sitting under the tile bed.
Damp patch on the wall behind
A soft or discoloured patch on the reverse side of a shower wall means moisture is passing through the wall sheet from the wet side.
Explore more
One of four wet area services we deliver
Bathroom Waterproofing
Certified wet area systems, flood tested and documented across South East Queensland.
View service →Laundry Waterproofing
Certified wet area systems, flood tested and documented across South East Queensland.
View service →Commercial Waterproofing
Certified wet area systems, flood tested and documented across South East Queensland.
View service →Where we deliver shower waterproofing
- Brisbane
- Gold Coast
- Sunshine Coast
- Ipswich
- Logan
- Redlands
- Moreton Bay
- Toowoomba
FAQ
Shower waterproofing questions we are asked most
Can a leaking shower be fixed without removing the tiles?
Sometimes. If the membrane is intact and the failure is at the grout, silicone or waste, we can seal from above with a clear or tinted system and minimal demolition. If the membrane itself has failed, or the fall is wrong, we will tell you honestly and quote a proper rebuild rather than sell you a temporary fix.
How high do the shower walls need to be waterproofed?
AS 3740 sets minimum heights for the walls inside the enclosure, and the requirement changes depending on whether the shower is enclosed, unenclosed or hobless. We set out the actual heights for your layout during the inspection so there is no argument at certification.
Do hobless showers leak more often?
They do not have to, but they are less forgiving. A hobless or level entry shower relies entirely on correct fall, a properly set linear or point drain and precise threshold detailing. Done well, it performs beautifully. Done in a hurry, water simply walks out onto the bathroom floor.
How long is the shower out of action?
For a new build or a full renovation, the membrane stage is two visits over about three days including the flood test. For a repair to an existing shower, allow three to five days without use so the system can cure properly before water hits it.
Do you flood test every shower?
Yes, wherever the layout allows it. The test is dammed, held for 24 hours and photographed. It is the only honest way to prove the system holds before the tiler covers it up forever.
Will you coordinate with my tiler?
Happily. We will confirm the day the enclosure is released, walk your tiler through where the membrane terminations sit, and remind them not to penetrate the membrane when fixing screens or rails.
Next step
Book your free shower waterproofing quote
Call HydroForce and speak to a licensed applicator today, or request a time slot online and we will confirm your site inspection the same business day.