How to Design Durable Commercial Wetrooms

Wetroom design is one of the more unforgiving areas of commercial specification. Moisture failures are expensive, disruptive and often avoidable. In most cases, failures can trace back to substrate choice, drainage design or join placement rather than the flooring product itself.

Following best practice guidelines can save you time, money and reputation.

Best practice for sheet vinyl installation

Joins and welds

Use full drops of vinyl with no cross joins in shower suites. If cross joins are unavoidable, place them as far from splash zones as possible. Near the room entry is the safest position. Fewer joins means fewer potential failure points. Do not place joins under a toilet or bidet.

Drainage

The minimum fall to waste in a shower zone is 1:50. Avoid placing the waste too close to the wall, as it makes sealing the vinyl into the drain more difficult and increases the risk of improper sealing.

Substrate

All timber substrates must be plywood to comply with NZBC requirements. Use H3 CCA-treated plywood only. CCA treatment uses water as the preservative carrier, which is compatible with flooring adhesives. LOSP-treated plywood uses a solvent carrier and can cause adhesive failure.

Membranes

NZBC Compliance Document E3 does not require a waterproof membrane as an acceptable solution, but specification is shifting, particularly in healthcare and aged care environments. A two-part epoxy membrane or single part polyurethane membrane fully waterproofs the substrate from both above and below. This is already standard practice in Australia.

A full-system approach

Tarkett pioneered the Wetroom System over 30 years ago, developing an integrated solution of flooring and wall coverings designed for a waterproof and hygienic finish. Specifying a full system rather than individual products reduces coordination risk and gives installers a clear, proven methodology from substrate to surface.

To find out which products are suitable for your next wetroom project, reach out to your local Jacobsen Design and Specification advisor or visit the Jacobsen website.

Tarkett Granit Safe.T

Jacobsen

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Tarkett Granit Safe T is a stain resistant, durable flooring solution for heavy-traffic wet areas where safety is of utmost importance.

NZ-Owned Business

Suitable for all heavy traffic areas that require superior slip resistance such as wetrooms and access routes

Under section C of the Building code, Tarkett Granit achieves 10.8 kW/m2 in Critical Radiant Flux fire test for floors
Achieves a SRV of 52 when tested in accordance with AS4586 making it an acceptable solution under the New Zealand Building Code section D1 for access routes

Green Tag Certified

Homestar / Green Star

Test Results

Tarkett ProtectWall

Jacobsen

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Designed for corridors and patient rooms in highly demanding environments, ProtectWALL 1.5 is a high-performance vinyl wall covering that protects walls against impacts, shocks, scratches, stains and chemicals.

NZ-Owned Business

Suitable for use as a wall covering in highly demanding environments

In accordance with the test procedure described in EN13501 for the purposes of determination of the Group Code Verification Method C/VM2 Appendix A of the New Zealand Building Code, Tarkett ProtectWall achieves a Group 1-S rating for walls.

Test Results

Tarkett Wallgard

Jacobsen

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Wallgard wallcovering is a fire-resistant solution for areas that need special wall protection, such as wetrooms, clean rooms and light industrial environments.

NZ-Owned Business

Tarkett Wallgard is suitable for walls only

In accordance with the test procedure described in ISO 5660 2002 for the purposes of determination of the Group Code Verification Method C/VM2 Appendix A of the New Zealand Building Code, Tarkett Wallgard 2mm achieves a Group 1-S rating for walls.
In accordance with the test procedure described in ISO 5660 2002 for the purposes of determination of the Group Code Verification Method C/VM2 Appendix A of the New Zealand Building Code, Tarkett Wallgard 1.3mm achieves a Group 1 rating for walls.

Test Results

Tarkett Primo Safe.T

Jacobsen

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Primo Safe.T combines best-in-class performance vinyl flooring with low-cost maintenance to deliver an ideal solution for commercial and wet areas.

NZ-Owned Business

Recommended for very heavy duty applications where superior slip resistance is required including wet rooms and access routes.

Under section C of the Building code, Tarkett Primo Safe.T achieves 10.5 kW/m2 in Critical Radiant Flux fire test.

Achieves a SRV of 47 when tested in accordance with AS4586 making it an acceptable solution under the New Zealand Building Code section D1 for access routes

Test Results

Tarkett Granit Multisafe

Jacobsen

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Granit Multisafe is an extremely durable vinyl safety floor that helps prevent the risk of slipping in heavy traffic wet areas such as schools, hospitals and public bathrooms and shower rooms. A studded anti-slip grip provides a high level of protection for bare feet, even when the floor is covered with soap and water.

NZ-Owned Business

Suitable for areas where maximum slip resistance is required, including wetrooms which will have barefoot traffic and access routes

Under section C of the Building code, Tarkett Granit Multisafe achieves 10.8 kW/m2 in Critical Radiant Flux fire test for floors

Achieves a SRV of 42 when tested in accordance with AS4586 making it an acceptable solution under the New Zealand Building Code section D1 for access routes

Green Tag Certified

Homestar / Green Star

Test Results

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