Laying wet room mat yourself in laundry closet

[Lattjo-Snickaren]

Hello. I just asked this question in another thread but then realized that the discussion was 8 years old, so I'm posting it here as well for more visibility.

I'm planning to lay a wet room mat myself in a utility closet where I'll have a washing machine, so hopefully, there won't ever be any running water on the floor, which is why I dare to try it myself.

Before laying the mat, I'll also build the utility closet itself, which will be about 65x102 cm on the inside. I was thinking of securing the floor joists and then, before building upward, laying the moisture barrier/wet room mat on this small area – it feels like it will be easy to access then. Above the floor and a 1-2 cm edge of the wet room mat sticking up, there will only be simple wooden panels or OSB board or the like. As mentioned, it’s just going to be a utility closet. Next to it is a closet, so I wasn't planning on a real wall either.

My utility closet will house a washing machine and a water heater, as well as incoming water (I've just installed this with the help of plumbing). There's a concrete floor right now, and tomorrow I'll be cementing up the hole for the incoming water and the floor drain (Purus).

What do you think about my plan to lay the wet room mat myself in this small space this way?

When you have the opportunity to, so to speak, build the wet area from scratch as I am now doing, are there any clever preparations you can make to make it easier for yourself?

One more question: Can you rent the right tools (especially the Purus knife and heat gun), or do you have to buy them? It's not very likely that I'll be laying more wet room mats in the future, so it's not something I need after this is done.

An alternative, of course, is to try to get a batch of cheap tiles – potentially a simpler and cheaper solution for such a small area – especially if I have to buy the aforementioned tools?

Regards, Erik

 

[BirgitS]

Above the floor and a 1-2 cm edge of the våtrumsmatta

If you want to follow the existing rules and not have issues with the insurance company, the upturn should be 5 cm.

It's not easy to make the corners neat and tight, there are some pictures in the forum that look quite dreadful.

so hopefully there will never be any running water on the floor and that's why I dare to try it myself.

The rules are largely intended to prevent subtle leaks from going down into the structure and causing significant damage before they are discovered.

An alternative is, of course, to try to get hold of a batch of cheap tiles - perhaps potentially a simpler and cheaper solution for such a small area - especially if I am forced to buy the aforementioned tools?

You also need waterproofing membrane with accessories, so it usually doesn't become cheaper with tiles than with våtrumsmatta.

 

[Lattjo-Snickaren]

If you want to follow the existing rules and not have any issues with the insurance company, the hem should be 5 cm.

It's not easy to make the corners look good and tight; there are some pictures in the forum that look quite dreadful.

The rules largely exist to prevent minor leaks from going down into the structure and causing significant damage before they are detected.

You'll also need waterproofing with accessories, so it usually doesn't become cheaper with tiles than with a vinyl floor covering.

Ok, 5 cm edge. Good to know! But how do the insurance companies' preferences relate to thresholds? You normally don't have a 5 cm high bathroom threshold, do you?

 

[BirgitS]

10 cm upturn indicates certain GVK: https://www.gvk.se/branschregler/fr...-finns-pa-tatskikt-och-golvbrunn-i-tvattstuga
You should of course read all their industry regulations.
If the water flows over the threshold, it will probably become noticeable quite soon; what's important to protect against is sneaky leakage in a pipe joint, for example behind the washing machine, so that the water seeps into the frame over a long time without being noticed.

For bathrooms, I have seen requirements that there should be an upturn against the threshold, and that level should be at least 2 cm higher than the floor level at the floor drain.

 

[PB87]

Ok 5 cm edge. Good to know! But how does that preference among insurance companies relate to thresholds? Normally, you don't have a 5 cm high bathroom threshold, do you?

No, but you have at least a 2 cm slope on the floor inside the threshold in a bathroom.

 

[A-Man_08]

If you want to follow the existing rules and avoid issues with the insurance company, the upturn should be 5 cm.

It's not easy to make the corners look nice and tight, there are some pictures in the forum that look quite dreadful.


The rules are largely in place to prevent hidden leaks from going down into the framework and causing significant damage before being detected.


You also need waterproofing membrane with accessories, so it usually doesn't end up cheaper with tiles than with a wet room mat.

Rules about 5 cm apply to wet areas, right?

 

[BirgitS]

Rules about 5 cm apply to wet areas, right?

10 cm upturn for laundry room according to the link in post 4.

 

[A-Man_08]

10 cm upturn for the laundry room according to the link in post 4.

It seems to be a recommendation and not an official rule?

 

[Plutus]

Since it is supposed to be a floor drain, is it probably easier to get it sealed with waterproofing (and tiles) than with a wet room mat?

 

[BirgitS]

It seems to be a recommendation and not an official rule?

GVK's industry standards are more or less the definition of what is considered professional, and that is what the insurance companies normally require to be followed in order to avoid problems in the event of damage.

Ok 5 cm edge. Good to know! But how does that preference from the insurance companies relate to thresholds? You normally don't have a 5 cm high bathroom threshold, right?

Here it states about door openings: https://www.gvk.se/branschregler/tatskikt/tatskikt-vid-dorroppning/

 

[Lattjo-Snickaren]

Thank you for all the comments. However, I find that GVK's comments regarding wet room zones leave something to be desired. Primarily, it's not clear how a laundry room (or "laundry closet" in my case) is classified. I assume it is zone 2 or maybe not classified at all, but since I don't know, I also don't know how to approach all their rules and recommendations.

My intention is therefore not to have either a waterproof or surface layer on the walls.

 

[BirgitS]

In the laundry room, you don't need to have a moisture barrier on the walls (except for the upward turn of the floor's moisture barrier).

 

[Choom]

What I've heard from a flooring installer is that it is classified as a wet room on the floor if there is a floor drain.

 

[useless]

In that case, it would be okay to shower in a room as long as there is a floor drain? I believe there are higher requirements for it to be called a wet room.

 

[Choom]

In that case, would it be okay to shower in a room just because there's a floor drain? I think there are higher requirements for it to be called a wet room.

Nah, the floor should be treated as a wet area. It doesn't automatically become a wet room suitable for use as a bathroom.