Wakebath · B2B project decision guide
Inspect the tray edge and waste while the joints are visible.
Draw the wall-to-tray connection, assign the concealed checks and record the exact boundary covered by each water test.
Short answer. Before installing a finished tray, approve a section showing how the named wall waterproofing connects to the tray edge. Identify the waste connection, corners, penetrations and threshold. Inspect each concealed connection before it is covered and record the checks that release the next trade.
This guide starts with a prefabricated finished receptor against tiled walls. A tile-ready former needs the specified membrane and drain connection across the shower floor as part of its system. Use a marked section and photographs to show the joints that will disappear behind the finishes.
Draw the Water Path at the Tray Edge
Trace the wall's water-control layer to its connection with the tray. Mark the upstand or approved edge kit, backing, wall finish and movement joint. Identify any parts that must go in before the tray is positioned. Draw the threshold separately so the detail shows where the wet area ends and how it meets the adjoining floor.
| Interface | Evidence while it is visible |
|---|---|
| Straight tray edge | The exact bonding face and compatible materials match the approved section. |
| Corners and edge ends | Each corner and termination has the specified treatment. Photograph both ends of the edge. |
| Pipe, valve and niche | Penetration seals or other specified details are visible before trim or tile. |
| Waste outlet and trap | Identify the drain and seals, jointing method, route and means of inspection or access. |
| Profiles and threshold | Locate backing, fixing zones, penetration treatment and any required drainage path. |
For one named system, Schluter's handbook shows a waterproof strip and bonding treatment at a prefabricated base or bathtub rim. NHBC guidance 9.2/06 shows integrated upstands and proprietary upstand kits behind tiling within its stated scope. Resolve any conflict between the tray instructions and waterproofing detail before installation.
Give Each Trade a Clear Handoff
Record a single room-specific section and revision. Confirm the exact product identities for the tray edge, membrane, strip, backing and any primer or sealant. If a product changes, check the revised detail and the actual site cure conditions before water exposure.
| Handoff | Information to pass forward | Release check |
|---|---|---|
| Tray installer to waterproofing trade | Model, edge type, stability and prepared bonding face | Both trades compare the visible edge with the issued section. |
| Plumber to site lead | Waste and gasket identification, joint check and route photo | Record the result before access is hidden. |
| Waterproofing trade to tiler | Corner and penetration photos, materials and any specified test result | Inspector signs off covering after exceptions close. |
| Tiler to enclosure fitter | Finished geometry, backing locations and the required fixing detail | Fitter confirms the enclosure can use the recorded fixing zones. |
Separate the Three Water Checks
Agree the method, conditions and acceptance criteria before starting. For a required hold or flood test, confirm the plug position, permitted head, temporary containment, cure time and test duration with the specified system and applicable inspection requirements.
| Check | What it exercises | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Waste connection check | The drain and pipe joints exposed to the specified check | Setup, joints observed, access photo, result and witness. |
| Waterproofing test where applicable | The portion of the assembly inside the test boundary | Plug location, water levels, duration, visible adjacent areas and result. |
| Running-water commissioning | Drainage and containment in the agreed operating configuration | Outlet combination, observation time, ponding or escape location and follow-up. |
A plug above a connection can leave that joint outside the test volume. A water level below the rim leaves higher wall penetrations untested. Schluter publishes a procedure and curing prerequisites for its Shower System. Use the test plan applicable to the installed system and site conditions.
Investigate and Retest Before Concealment
If water appears underneath the tray during a controlled waste check, capture the first visible location and timing. Stop exposure and have the relevant trade inspect the joint. If water appears only when the wall is wetted during the specified commissioning check, inspect the wall-to-tray path and adjacent interfaces. Water can travel behind a finish before becoming visible.
Record the repair and repeat the check that exposed the affected boundary. If the repair disturbed a second connection, review its retest separately. Attach results and the witness to the room record.
Sign Off the Work That Will Be Hidden
- Identify the room, tray model, drain, waterproofing system and drawing revision.
- Attach edge, corner, penetration, threshold and accessible waste photographs.
- Record materials and when the assembly reached its specified readiness for the check.
- Attach each test's scope, results, exceptions and any retest.
- Record who released the next trade, when and what access must remain.
If the enclosure fixing plan changes later, review the proposed penetrations using the recorded backing and waterproofing positions.
Common Site Questions
Can a drain check release the wall junction?
Release the wall junction against its own inspection criteria. The waste check records the performance of the joints it exercises.
Should every finished tray be flood tested?
Use the project requirement and the method suitable for the exact assembly. Establish containment and the permitted test level with the responsible specifier before filling.
Prepare the waterproofing interface for review
Share the tray model, edge profile, membrane and drain product names, wall section and inspection sequence. Mark any corner, penetration or transition that needs a different detail.
Send your project input packReferences and Further Reading
- NHBC Technical Guidance 9.2/06, November 2024 fourth issue, guidance on upstands, substrates and penetrations for its stated applications.
- Schluter Shower System Installation Handbook, the prefabricated-base surround detail for the named system.
- Schluter water test procedure, system-specific test setup, plug, curing and threshold notes.