Kerdi to Flange Detail

[Airborne]

I've got a whirlpool surround to tile which I plan to Kerdi over drywall. The clients will have a showerhead, so we've got to make a connection between wall moisture barrier and the whirlpool's field-installed tiling flange. I've not had a situation where I've Kerdi'ed down to a receptor or tub with tile flange before, as I've only used Kerdi for Kerdi-Drained showers.

How do I detail the transition from Kerdi to tub so as to protect the drywall and not create a wicking situation? I fear the answer is painfully obvious, but it still escapes me.

[MHI]

Hi Art,

I never liked those kind of tubs in a shower situation.

I also think the tile bead kit is a waste of money.

What I would do is run a bead of silicone around the tub to act as a damm, or flange to keep water from spilling into the wall. Then overlap the Kerdi past the drywall down to the tub. The Kerdi protects the drywall, and any water that gets behind the tile will be diverted toward the tub by the silicone bead.

[jgleason]

Schluter makes a product for just such a situation. Here's the link to the Dilex-AS Technical Data . and here are a couple of photos for those that don't want to schlep out to Schluter's site...

[Taylor]

The Dilex is assuming DW all the way to the ground. I think Steve Hauser spoke to Schluter aeons ago about how to handle where the DW stops above the tub deck.

One thing I don't like about Dilex is that it seems to leave a lot of PVC exposed. I know from my waste pipes that exposed PVC gets pretty ratty looking real fast....

[John Bridge]

I haven't done it with a tub like that. I agree with the silicone instead of the pasted on tiling flange. Those things are worthless. A good solid bead of silicone around the tub under the drywall. Keep the drywall up a half inch or so to allow for silicone. Let the silicone set. Then let the Kerdi come down all the way and let it actually bend onto the horizontal just a quarter-inch or so. Cement it to the top of the tub with modified thin set. (No you won't find this on the Schluter site. ).

I do it all the time with regular tubs. I bond the Kerdi to the tub flange. Will it stick? Yep. Why will it stick? 'Cause the material is flexible and will not counteract the expansion/contraction of the tub. And how many times have you tried to get thin set off an enameled tub after it's been there overnight?

The tile, of course, conceals all this. Finish off with caulking between the tile and tub. Here's a pic of Kerdi bonded to a regular tub. It'll work on any tub.

[jgleason]

Right Taylor, missed that the DW wasn't run below the tub lip.

John, as usual shows off a pretty picher and backs it up with nicely detailed instructions to get the job done nicely!

[John Bridge]

It's just that tub showers take the same beating that full showers do, and the tile to tub juncture is always a problem. I figure if you can make the waterproofing monolithic-like, you'll beat the system. I've only been doing it a couple years, but I'm confident it works. You could do it with Redgard or something else, too, but Kerdi has that very secure feel to it.

I truly hate it when someone uses a tub with no flange for a shower. It's asking for trouble. We need to educate architects and other specifiers. 'Course you have Kohler and Am. Standard "techs" out there telling everyone it's cool

[Airborne]

Great, I've got a warmer/fuzzier now.

I did everything I could to try to get the flangeless tub swapped out, but the plumbing supply house folks kept telling the client that I'm just whinning....

I'll take a shot of it tomorrow, but everyone is spot on about the field-applied flange being worthless! What a crock! ....and the plumber who insisited on installing it ("or else I won't warranty the whirlpool") didn't exactly create a watertight dam....

John, are you comfortable with thinset for the kerdi-to-whirlpool connection even though it is a fiberglass rather than enamel surface? I'm hearing the Dilex is not necessarily the first choice....

Thanks for the quick replies everybody.

[MHI]

You could silicone the Kerdi to the tub, the same way you would seal around pipes ect.

[Airborne]

Thanks, one and all.

[John Bridge]

I'm confident in the thin set. Silicone will probably work, but it doesn't breathe. Don't really know if it matters. I'll stick with the thin set. Silicone is good for the tile/tub connection.

[Ashvin]

when you say bond the Kerdi to the tile flange with thinset does that mean you did not overlap the sheetrock on top of the tiling flange? so you stopped the drywall right above the flange right? and then just filled the difference of how far the drywall protrudes out on top of the flange with thinset and then Kerdi it? Some people like CX would be very upset about this!
Can I do what i just asked or should I fur out the studs and have the sheetrock come done on the flange face? If the Kerdi is gonna be bonded to the horizontal like John did then the drywall can stop right on top of the flange without overlapping it right?

[HS345]

Schluter actually recommends making the Kerdi/tub connection with Kerdi Fix sealant. Scroll down to page 16.

[cx]

Nope, even CX doesn't get upset about stopping the sheetrock above the tile flange and pewtin' Kerdi over the flange and bonding it there, preferably with some nice KerdiFix. That'll work just fine.

He does get upset, though, when peoples dredge up four or five year old threads 'steada axin' their question on their own project thread so's peoples could see what they're workin' on and get a better context for their questions or comments.

'Course, don't nobody never pay no nevermind about what upsets him, nohow.

[HS345]

Oops,
Sorry CX, I didn't even realize it was such an old thread. If I had, I prolly woulda posted anyways just to get on yer nerves.