Chiseled edge travertine & KerdiBoard waterproofed shower

This post is to share a project we recently completed using a chiseled edge travertine with black pebbles in a Schluter Shower Sytems waterproofed shower. We had previously done a Kerdi shower for this customer 3 years ago in the kids bathroom. Now they were looking to update the master bathroom.

When we started demolition we discovered wet, rotten & moldy drywall and framing. The previous shower was installed over greenboard with the shower pan liner installed incorrectly. The liner did not have the required pre-slope and had cement board nailed thru it on the curb. Additionally there was a bench seat made from block with no waterproofing at all. In fact, the bench had negative pitch - meaning water puddled at the bench to wall connetion instead of draining back into the shower. This allowed water to penetrate thru the grout connection and seep into the wall cavity. This moisture provided the necessary food to feed the mold and rot the framing.

Once demolition was complete we installed KerdiBoard on the walls. This product made by Schluter is part of a shower system that once installed will let you shower before any tile is installed without the risk of water damage. This system is comprised of the KerdiBoard for the wall underlayment, a KerdiDrain and Kerdi fabric to cover the floor mud and make the drain connection. Kerdi is also used to seam the wall to floor connections, board to board connections and fastener penetrations. A 2" thick board was used to construct the new seat. A couple of the many benefits the board provides are that it allows us a creativity when forming the seat, in this case a corner radius seat and because it is made from a closed cell foam material it is not affected by water, unlike a wood framed seat. A niche was also built with KerdiBoard to create a water tight recessed shampoo niche with soap shelf.

The homeowners elected to re-use their current tub so we removed only the tub face and splashes before using the KerdiBoard again for a perfectly flat substrate.

The choice of a black pebble stone for the shower floor brought the various darker colors out of the stone. Utilizing the same stone as a decorative band for the tub face, tub splash and at the top of the radius shower seat and back of the niche really tied everything together.

The job came out great and the customers are thrilled with their new shower. Equally as thrilling for us is that they now have a properly functioning shower that will last them a lifetime.

New Certification - Ceramic Tile Installer

Education is an important part of who we are here at John Trent Construction. Started in 2008, the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation started the Ceramic Tile Installer Certification as a way for consumers to verify the skills and knowledge of a potential installer. At the end of 2009 there were 162 companies in the United States who had taken and passed this certification. In the state of Florida there were only 9 companies who had successfull completed certification. In December John Trent Construction became the 10th company and the only company in North Florida. We are proud to be a part of this program and think it further verifies our committment to ensuring our customers recieve the best return for their investment. By certifying our installers we provide peace for our customers in knowing their installer has the skills necessary to complete their project with technics proven and accepted by the industry.

As the New Year has gotten under way we are excited to have committed to continuing education here at John Trent Construction. Next week we have 9 installers headed to Clemson, SC for Schluter Innovations Workshop. Topics to be covered will include transition and edge protection profiles, prefabricated corner and movement joints, waterproofing, uncoupling and drainage membranes, floor drain systems, modular screed systems and assemblies for balconies and terraces. Products include Kerdi, Ditra, Troba and an introduction to KerdiBoard - Schluter's latest product set for release in spring this year. This product promises to further enhance our ability to offer a completely waterproof shower in a more efficient manner. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new product.

Our new website is up and running! Many thanks to Nathan at Nassau Web Designs. He has provided us with a fantastic site and was patient with me on getting him the information he needed to do so.