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11 replies
26k views
11 replies
Does the floor need to slope in a laundry room?
Hello!
I am about to pour a slab for a storage room that will also house a laundry room. In the laundry room, I will have a floor drain, washing machine, and sink. The plan is to install a plastic floor covering with an upturn and no slope.
I am very concerned about what the rules are regarding whether I MUST have a slope in the laundry room floor or not.
Here is the information I have found:
2006-12-21 Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's Building Regulations, BBR 06 – SOME IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS/ADVICE FOR WET ROOMS
4. BBR's requirement on slope towards the floor drain: In areas with floor drains, the floor and its waterproof membrane must have a slope towards the drain in parts of the area that are regularly exposed to water splashing or spillage. Backflow must not occur in any part of the area. (6:5335)
...Other floor areas should slope towards the floor drain..... (6:5335)
However, this is from 2006.
On the TräGuiden website, I found:
The industry regulations state the following: "The floor slope should be at least 1:100 (approximately 0.6º). However, on floor areas under bathtubs and around floor drains, the slope should be at least 1:50 (approximately 1.1º). Special constructions can be agreed upon for fixed installations, such as shower walls. The industry regulations' requirement for floor slope is a tightening of the requirements in BBR (The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's building regulations)."
Note that the industry regulations place the requirement on the slope at the waterproof membrane level.
I am just as unsure as before I started looking. I actually can't find it stated word for word whether I must have a slope or not. The first text pasted above says I don't have to.
According to TräGuiden, it states that the industry regulations are a tightening of the requirements in BBR.
But what is the actual requirement? Do I have to have a slope or not? I need to know since I'd prefer to avoid the work of pouring and considering a slope in the future laundry room part.
Regards, Henke
I am about to pour a slab for a storage room that will also house a laundry room. In the laundry room, I will have a floor drain, washing machine, and sink. The plan is to install a plastic floor covering with an upturn and no slope.
I am very concerned about what the rules are regarding whether I MUST have a slope in the laundry room floor or not.
Here is the information I have found:
2006-12-21 Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's Building Regulations, BBR 06 – SOME IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS/ADVICE FOR WET ROOMS
4. BBR's requirement on slope towards the floor drain: In areas with floor drains, the floor and its waterproof membrane must have a slope towards the drain in parts of the area that are regularly exposed to water splashing or spillage. Backflow must not occur in any part of the area. (6:5335)
...Other floor areas should slope towards the floor drain..... (6:5335)
However, this is from 2006.
On the TräGuiden website, I found:
The industry regulations state the following: "The floor slope should be at least 1:100 (approximately 0.6º). However, on floor areas under bathtubs and around floor drains, the slope should be at least 1:50 (approximately 1.1º). Special constructions can be agreed upon for fixed installations, such as shower walls. The industry regulations' requirement for floor slope is a tightening of the requirements in BBR (The Swedish National Board of Housing, Building and Planning's building regulations)."
Note that the industry regulations place the requirement on the slope at the waterproof membrane level.
I am just as unsure as before I started looking. I actually can't find it stated word for word whether I must have a slope or not. The first text pasted above says I don't have to.
According to TräGuiden, it states that the industry regulations are a tightening of the requirements in BBR.
But what is the actual requirement? Do I have to have a slope or not? I need to know since I'd prefer to avoid the work of pouring and considering a slope in the future laundry room part.
Regards, Henke
The plastic mat should follow GVK, http://www.gvk.se/upload/SakraVatrum2011Februari.pdf page 9 "slope towards the drain in the parts of the space that are regularly exposed to water sprinkling or water spills" then a few lines below "Other surfaces in the wet room should have a slope towards the floor drain within the range of 1:500 –1:100 (2 – 10 mm/m)." laugh or cry ??! what are they thinking? does "should" mean "should" or do they mean "ought to" ? The first paragraph is color-coded so I would go with that. The plastic mat and its seams/upturns provide a waterproof floor. A slope of 2 mm/m hardly makes the water flow towards the drain so I don't understand what such a floor slope would matter for Maybe someone else can make an interpretation?
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I laid my laundry room without slope except for 1m around the floor drain, I regret this, water ends up in places where you'd think it's flat. Partly because "without slope" means it should be completely flat elsewhere, which it rarely is, instead it means you don't know where it slopes, in the worst case towards the threshold.
So regardless of the rules, I would have checked the slope, and the easiest way is to create a slight slope towards the floor drain over the entire surface. Whether you do this in the casting or with leveling compound afterwards, I don't know what is best. It's such a little extra work, so why not do it right from the start.
So regardless of the rules, I would have checked the slope, and the easiest way is to create a slight slope towards the floor drain over the entire surface. Whether you do this in the casting or with leveling compound afterwards, I don't know what is best. It's such a little extra work, so why not do it right from the start.
Now I'm even more puzzled... reading in the link above:
2.1. PIPE PENETRATIONS
Apart from sewage pipes and floor drains, no other pipe penetrations are allowed
to break the floor's waterproofing layer.
I have incoming 32mm water in the laundry room. Should I place it in the wall? I would have to put 90-degree angles in the wall, and I really don't want to do that. How the heck am I supposed to get my water in if I don't go through the floor? Or does this only apply to bathrooms?
Regards, Henke
2.1. PIPE PENETRATIONS
Apart from sewage pipes and floor drains, no other pipe penetrations are allowed
to break the floor's waterproofing layer.
I have incoming 32mm water in the laundry room. Should I place it in the wall? I would have to put 90-degree angles in the wall, and I really don't want to do that. How the heck am I supposed to get my water in if I don't go through the floor? Or does this only apply to bathrooms?
Regards, Henke
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According to my interpretation of the rules, the entire floor in the laundry room should be considered essentially as wet zone 1 according to BBV 10:1 and must therefore have a slope towards the floor drain as well as a waterproofing layer or moisture-proof vinyl flooring on the floor. The only penetrations of the waterproofing layer may be the floor drain or drain pipe. If you wish to follow these rules, you must lay the water in the wall.
Here you can read the rules:
http://www.bkr.se/fileArchive/branschregler/Branschregler_web_2010.pdf
Here is the rule:
"2.4 Other spaces
In toilets, laundry rooms, and spaces with
water heaters, the floor must be provided with
a folio-type waterproofing system (VTgF) or other
approved waterproofing system (VTg). The waterproofing
must be extended up the wall a minimum of 50 mm."
Here you can read the rules:
http://www.bkr.se/fileArchive/branschregler/Branschregler_web_2010.pdf
Here is the rule:
"2.4 Other spaces
In toilets, laundry rooms, and spaces with
water heaters, the floor must be provided with
a folio-type waterproofing system (VTgF) or other
approved waterproofing system (VTg). The waterproofing
must be extended up the wall a minimum of 50 mm."
You can make exceptions. Run the water through the floor. You have a concrete slab underneath, which means it doesn't matter if water leaks down there at any point during the house's lifetime. The mat is welded and sealed around the pipe. No problem.
If you have a large laundry room (mine is 7.5x3.5 = 26 m2), it's quite difficult to achieve an even slope across the entire floor. It's better to do it where needed (shower, sinks, water heater perhaps, etc.), at least that's what I think.
Then busgraab will lay a plastic mat, so do not involve BKR, which is used for ceramic layers. GVK is applicable (see post 2). You can also follow secure water guidelines concerning piping, but if it's impractical and doesn't offer increased safety, you can disregard it (for example, incoming from the floor is much better than in the wall (angles in the wall can leak, which is much worse than a leak on the floor).
If you have a large laundry room (mine is 7.5x3.5 = 26 m2), it's quite difficult to achieve an even slope across the entire floor. It's better to do it where needed (shower, sinks, water heater perhaps, etc.), at least that's what I think.
Then busgraab will lay a plastic mat, so do not involve BKR, which is used for ceramic layers. GVK is applicable (see post 2). You can also follow secure water guidelines concerning piping, but if it's impractical and doesn't offer increased safety, you can disregard it (for example, incoming from the floor is much better than in the wall (angles in the wall can leak, which is much worse than a leak on the floor).
Hello
I just spoke with the person responsible for this at Boverket.
He said, just as it states in (6:5335), if the floor is not intended for rinsing, etc., then a slope is NOT needed, even if you have a floor drain. So, it is okay to skip the slope.
Regarding incoming water on the floor, this applied to bathrooms, meaning zones exposed to water spray. It did not apply to laundry rooms.
Best regards, Henke
I just spoke with the person responsible for this at Boverket.
He said, just as it states in (6:5335), if the floor is not intended for rinsing, etc., then a slope is NOT needed, even if you have a floor drain. So, it is okay to skip the slope.
Regarding incoming water on the floor, this applied to bathrooms, meaning zones exposed to water spray. It did not apply to laundry rooms.
Best regards, Henke
If they were in charge, the laundry room would withstand a water-bombing helicopter... 
Joking aside, I've talked to them, and they don't seem to be very clear, I'd rather build according to the rules I follow, even if the insurance company's recommendations are higher. Silly, yes maybe, but if I've followed the rules, then I have, and I'll have to take that discussion if necessary (hope I won't have to).
Best regards, Henke
Joking aside, I've talked to them, and they don't seem to be very clear, I'd rather build according to the rules I follow, even if the insurance company's recommendations are higher. Silly, yes maybe, but if I've followed the rules, then I have, and I'll have to take that discussion if necessary (hope I won't have to).
Best regards, Henke
Luck?! That sounds very pessimistic. Luck is in love and gambling 
In this case, if you follow common sense, regulations, no hidden pipe joints, good building materials, etc., you would have tremendously bad luck if there is ever any damage where you need help from the insurance company.
In this case, if you follow common sense, regulations, no hidden pipe joints, good building materials, etc., you would have tremendously bad luck if there is ever any damage where you need help from the insurance company.
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