Tiled Steam Room and Steam Shower - Technical Design Manual

Globally Proven Construction Solutions

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Tiled Steam Room and Steam Shower—Technical Design Manual

SECTION1INTRODUCTION

1.1 Preface
1.2 Steam Room History, Facts and Health Benefits
1.3 Challenges of Steam Room and Steam Shower Applications
1.4 Finish Surfaces in Steam Rooms
1.5 Summary - Content of Manudl

SECTION2INTRODUCTION

2.1 Concrete/Concrete Masonry/Mortar Bed
2.2 Cement Backer Board
2.3 HYDRO BAN? Board
2.4 Stainless Steel
2.5 Pre-manufactured Acrylic/Fiberglass Units

SECTION3STEAMROOMDESIGNCONSIDERATIONS 12

3.1 Tile Industry Standards
3.2 Structural Considerations
3.3 Types of Structural Movement
3.4 Movement Joints
3.5 Steam Room Design Considerations
3.6 Building Code and Safety Considerations
3.7 Green Design Considerations

SECTION4SELECTIONOFSTEAMROOM/STEAMSHOWERTILE 27

4.1 Considerations for Tile Selection
4.2 Placement of Tile in Steam Room/Steam Shower Installations
4.3 Types of Tile for Steam Room/Steam Shower Applications

SECTION5TILEINSTALLATIONPREPARATIONANDEQUIPMENT 34

5.1 Installation Equipment, Substrate Preparation and Installation Procedur
5.2 Inspection and Evaluation
5.3 Potential Bond Breaking Materials
5.4 Substrate Tolerances Flatness and Levelness
5.5 Final Surface (Residue) Cleaning
5.6 Finish Material Preparation
5.7 Adhesive Mixing Equipment and Procedures
5.8 Installation Tools and Procedures
5.9 Grout and Sealant Materials, Methods and Equipment
5.10 Post Installation Cleaning
5.11 Protection of New Tilework

SECTION6STEAMROOM/STEAMSHOWERTILEINSTALLATION 44

6.1 Tile Installtion Materials Performance and Selection Criteriad
6.2 Methods of Installation
6.3 Waterproofing and Water Vapor Difusion Control
6.4 Tile Setfing Mortars
6.5 Grout
6.6 Sealants
6.7 Post Installation
6.8 Warranty

SECTION7SPECIFICATIONSFORSTEAMROOM/STEAMSHOWERINSTALLATION.. .55

SECTION8STEAMROOM/STEAMSHOWERDETAILDRAWINGS 60

8.1 Steam Room-Floor and Wall ES-SR613
8.2 Steam Room-Floor and Wall(Sheet Membrane）ES-SR613S
8.3 Steam Room -Floor and Wall (Linear Drain） ES-SR613LD
8.4 Steam Room-Floor and Wall (Bonding Flange Drain)ES-SR613BFD
8.5Steam Room-Floor and Wall ES-SR614
8.6 Steam Room -Floor and Wall (HYDRO BAN Board) ES-SR614HBB
8.7 Steam Room-Floor and Wall(Sheet Membrane）ES-SR614S
8.8 Steam Room-Floor and Wall (Sheet Membrane & Bonding Flange Drain） ES-SR614S-BFD
8.9 Steam Room-Floor and Wall (HYDRO BAN Board & Bonding Flange Drain）ES-SR614HBB-BFD
8.10 Steam Room-Floor and Wall (HYDRO BAN Board & Linear Drain)ES-SR614HBB-LD
8.11 Steam Room -Floor and Wall (Sheet Membrane & Linear Drain) ES-SR614S-LD
8.12 Steam Room-Stainless Steel Direct Bond ES-S313
8.13 Steam Room-Stainless Steel MortarBed ES-S314
8.14 Drain Waterproofing Connection (Clamping Ring) ES-WP302
8.15 Drain Waterproofing Connection (Clamping Ring with Sheet Membrane）ES-WP302S
8.16 Drain Waterproofing Connection (Bonding Flange Drain) ES-WP305
8.17 Drain Waterproof Connection (Linear Drain） ES-WP306

SECTION9STEAMROOM/STEAMSHOWERQUALITYASSURANCE. 78

9.1 Quality ssurance
9.2 Inspection and Maintenance
9.3 Protection and Sealing -Water Repellent Sealers and Coatings
9.4 Steam (Heat and Moisture) - Effects On A Tile Installation
9.5 Maintenance and Repair of Tile or Stone - Steam Rooms

SECTION10APPENDIX 83

10.1 Case Study
10.2 Glossary

Section 1: Introduction

1.1 Preface

LATICRET Inteational, Inc.αleding manfacturer of glbally proven construction solutions,has long recognized the need for a technical manual to provide comprehensive guidelines and recommendationsfor thedesign,specification and installationof tile and stone in steam rooms and steam showers.Technical advances in materials, manufacturing and construction methods have made the use of steamrooms and steam showers practical and cost-effective in residential applicationsas wellas healthfacilities and other commercial installations. In keeping with their position as an industryleader, LATICRETE International is publishing this second edition of Tiled Steam and Steam Shower Technical DesignManual to provide more comprehensive and up-to-date informationavailable toarchitectpecifier,constructionprofessionals,tilcontractor, and manufacturers/distributors of ceramic tile and stone. Itis the goal of this publication to encourage newideas,research and technology, for the purposes of improving the future of steam room instlltions o fle and stone.

1.2 Steam Room History, Facts and Health Benefits

Since the time of the ancient Romans and Greeks, people have been enjoying thehealthful benefits of steam baths. In fact, the benefits of steamhave been experienced by many ancient cultures including the Mayans,Alaskan Eskimos, Russians, Turks, and Chinese.

Bathing playeda major partinancient Roman culture and wasone of the most common of daily activities for people across a wide variety of social classes.Infact,Romans used steamfacilitiesas a form of social networking and communal activity. Typically built overnauralhotsprings,thesefacilitiescanbelookedatasthefirst type of spa and were spread throughout the Roman Empire.Small bathhouses, called balneum, and the largebaths, clle thermae, were available forusebyalmost everyone foramodest fee.Most of the large thermae were owned by the Roman state government and offen covered several city blocks.2

Other variations of steam rooms orhot spas emerged in the millennia that followed inlde;

Turkish bath (Turkish; Hammam) which involves first siting in a warm room of dryheat prior to moving to ahotroom with steam or moist heat and thenfinallymoving to acold room where they splash themselves with cool water to close the pores.

Onsen isa Japanese bath house whichdraws water from natural hot springs. Onsenhave ahistory dating back to China andJapandring the eighth century.

A Banya hasbeenatraditional experience intheRussian culture dating back to the early 12th century.Atypical banya (Russian: 6aH9[banj e]) is split into three separate rooms; the predbannik (npe6aHHWK) or pre-bath, where bathers leave their clothes and belongings, the wash room where bathers clean themselves prior to entering the steam room. The steam room historically utilized awood buning stove to create the stem.A woodburning stove emits negative ions while an electricheater produces positive ions.To many Russians, the presence of negative ions was just as important as thesteamforbeneficial physiological results.The stove heated rocks onto which water is poured to create the steam.

These are three examples of steam exposure forphysiological improvement purposes but they are certainly not the only examples. Itisclearthat exposure to steamincertain environments is excellent for maintaining a healthy body and mind. The high temperature in steamrooms stimulates sweating,whichremoves unwanted materials from the blod and improveskidney function. Sweating alsoreleses excesswaterand salt fromthebodyandopenspores cleansing it and making the skinfeel softer and fresherThis proces also helps rid the body of lactic acid, dilatesblood vessels to improve blood circultion, reduces sweling andaids in repair of muscle tars.

Steam bathing also stimulates protein circulation thereby improving thedigestibilityof proteins,fats,carbohydratesnd minerals.There has even been an emphasis on the use of steam to rid the body of viruses and bacteriabecause they can only live in a very narrow temperature range.Asteam room can be interpreted by the viruses or bacteria as an“artificial fever" and may aid the human body in getting rid of these microscopic invaders.Finally,endorphins are released to help the body deal with stress and pain more effectively.3

The American Journal of Public Health, in August 1991, cited 16 articles about the effects of steam rooms and saunas. Simply stated, warmth (including steam) induces afeeling of euphoria (endorphins), relaxation and tranquility in many people.Bathing in a sauna is a pleasant and relaxing experience, which combines psychic,physicaland social pleasures;reduces aggressive behavior, and enables bathers to forget the common pressures of everyday life.

Some studies have suggested that long-term sauna and steam room bathing may help lower blood pressure in patients withhypertension and improve left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with chronic congestive heartfailure.Theyalso state that sauna bathing issafe for most people with coronary heart disease,stable angina pectoris

or myocardial infarction (MI).4

The ddition of asteam room in residentidl applications can raise the value of the property, as well as;

Relieve nasl inus and chest congestion
■ Can include aromatheraphy (to improve mood)
■Rejuvenates mind, body and soul
■Deep cleans and moisturizes skin
■ Reduces aches and pains
■ Promotes healing of muscles
Reduces sweling
■Eases tension and dailystress
■Requires little maintenance
Provides a low cost means to feeing better

1.3 Challenges of Steam Room and Steam Shower Applications

With all of thebenefitsthat steam roms offer, they do present some challngesfortheirdesigners, installesndbuiding owners. The major challenge is to make sure that the moisture stays in the steam room and is not allowed to escape into adjacent spaces unless designed to do so.The second big challenge is tokeep theheat created by the steam generator in the steam room. The designer and builder must also keep the steam room occupants comfortable,safe and in control of all facets of the steam room environment.

In some ways, steam rooms can be compared to a swimming pool. Let's consider that both steam rooms and pools have moisture under pressure in them; the moisture in pools is in the form of water and the moisture in steam rooms is as water vapor. In swimming pools the pressure is caused by the weight of the water pushing out in alldirections, while, inastemroom the pressure is creatdby the steam generator pumping water vapor into the room. If there isanyopportunityforwaterorwatervaportoescape,itwilf watervaporgets intoadicentsaces(e.gstudded walls,ceiigs etc...) it will condense.Water in contact with building materials orany organic mattercan cause significant problems.Proper design,constructionand maintenance are critical tothelong-term performance of the steam room, without needing to deal with fixing the rootcause of the problem,repairing/remediating any structural problemscaused bythewater,or,dealwithhealthissuescaused by mold and mildew.

It is the purpose of this technical design manual to explain the properdesignonstructionnstallationftilrtonend maintenance of steam rooms and steam showers in an easy fo understand format.Section3 willexplain some of the components required (e.g.vapor diffusion retarder [vaporbarrier], waterproofing membrane, insulation, slopes, etc...）for steam rooms and steam showers.These components wilhelpto make sure that the water and water vaporstay within the confines of the steamroom walls and not cause potentially serious problems.

1.4 Finish Surfaces in Steam Rooms

The finish materidl used in steam rooms and steam showers must behard, r, slresistnt,sthticallylsin,mis insensitive,andbebletobecuttoaccommodate pipes,sensors, windows, doors, and more...In many cases, the finish material of choiceisceramic orglasstile,whichmeets all of therequirements listed previously.Withits'ability tobeused inwet,hotand humid areas aswellas analmost unlimited choice of sizes,shapes and colors,tilisth pfetchoicerper nstaltonoftleig the recommended LATICRETE products wilhelp to ensure that the installation will perform as required for the life of the steam room. While other options for stem roomfinishes exist (e.g.fibrglass shell or themal glass)theydo not have the estheticqualities which only ceramic or glasstile can deliverWe will more comprehensively explain ile that can be used in steam rooms/steam showers in Section4, and the proper installation of tile in these environments is explained in Section 6.

1.5 Summary - Content of Manual

Section 2—Types of Steam Room Construction

This section providesan overview of thedifferent types of modern steam room construction commonly used around the world today. These include solid backing (e.g. concrete, concrete block, etc...) withmoraredframed constructiontainlesteel, nd fierglss and a brief description of each.

Section 3 — Steam Room Project Design Considerations

This sectionprovidesa comprehensive lookat therequirements and considerations for proper design and construction of steam rooms that willreceive tile,glass orstoneTheinformation contained in this section willinclde structural considerations, movement and movement joints,vaporbarriers,steamroom safety,“Green" considerations, and much more..

Section 4—Selection of Steam Room Tile

Recommendationsforchoosing thebest tile,glassorstone forthe demanding steam room environment. Different types of tile include porcelain, glass and certain types of stone.

Section 5－ Til Installtion Preparation & Equipment

Thissectionproidesinsihtonhwoproperly prpre andinst the substrate prior to instaltionof file orstone inastem rom/ steam shower application.There is alsoabrief description of the proper tools and installtion materialsuitable forsteam room use.

Section 6 －Steam Room Tile Installation

An in-depthlook of tile installation methods including installation of themwpin,rt l and properly sealing penetrationsaswellaspost installtion requirements.

Section7-Specifications forSteam Rooms/Steam Showers Individualspecifications forthe installation of tile inthedifferent types of steam room constructiontypes.

Section 8— Steam Room/Steam Shower Detail Drawings Individualdetailshowing the installtionof tileforthedifferent types of steam room types, as wellas drain and pipe penetrations.

Section 9 － Steam Room Tile Maintenance

Abrief descriptionof the inspectionand maintenance typicall required and performed in steam room applications.

Section 10 — Appendix

Case study,glossary,trobleshooting,and frequentlysd questions related to steam room applications.

Section 2: Types of Steam Room Construction

There are several common types of steam room/steam shower construction used in modern times.The intent of thissection is to explain thedifferent types of constructionand why one wouldbe used over another.

2.1 Concrete / Concrete Masonry / Mortar Bed

Steamrooms,whichareconstructed of concreteorconcrete masonry and subsequently covered withamortarbed,has the longest tradition andhistoryof llof the types that we will mention. In fact,pozzolanicconcrete wasused tocreate theRoman baths going back thousands of years. oday, these types of steam rooms do not rely so much onmass of structure to prevent moisture infiltrationastheyrelyonproperlyspecified,etailed and installd construction components.Despite what somebelieve,proper detailing of thistype of stem room MUST include α properly specified and placed vapor diffusion retarder (vaporbarrier) or lw perm waterproof membrane. Steam unit design must take into consideration the affect of moisture vapor transmission (MVT) on the opposite side of the steam room walls.MVT can increase the occurrence of efflorescence and mayaffect paint or other adhered finishes on the side of the steam room wall5 This means that paint may start to blisteroff of walls or certain types of finishes on the outside wallsof steam rooms can be damaged without proper use of a vapor diffusion retarder (vapor barrier).

It is important to note at this time that some membranes suitable for the direct adhesionof tile orstone also act asavapor diffusion retarder (vapor barrier) and do not require theuse of avapor difusionretarder(vaporbarrier) immediately overthe concrete/ concrete block construction.This type of membrane is defined as a LowPerm Waterproof Membrane by the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), and includes HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane. Please consult the membrane manufacturerfortheirspecific guidelines forsteamroom and steam shower applications,and follow their directionsforinstallation of this membrane exactly Currently, LATICRETE waterproofing membranes (e.g. 9235 Waterproofing Membrane and HYDRO BAN)require theuse of a vapordiffusionretarder(vaporbarrier)onthe concrete/concrete block walls and on the ceilings as well.It is also required that the vapor difusionrearder (vaporbarrier)be installed so tha ay moisture condensing on this material drains into the shower pan liner and notbehind it.Please seeSection3.5,Section7and Section 8 for more information.

Steamrooms/steamshowers designed forcontinuous use applications should specify a low perm waterproof membrane (a waterproof membrane meeting ANSIA118.10 and witha water vapor permeance rating 0\mathsf{f}0.5 perms or less when tested per ASTM E96,Procedure E,testedat 90% relative humidity). When awaterproof membrane with awatervapor permeance rting greater than0.5 perms isspecified,avapor retarderbehind th wal assemblyisrequired,andvaporretardermusthave water vapor permeance rating of 0.1 perm or less when tested per ASTME96, ProcedureA,tested at 50% relative humidity. Consult waterproof membrane manufacturer forwatervaporpermeance rating and vapor retarder requirements.6

Concrete/concrete blocksteamroom constructionhas an Environmental Classification of Com 4 and Res 4 according to the TCNA Handbok for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installtion. For more information onclasifications,please refer to the Environmental Classifications section of the TCNA Handbook.

2.2 Cement Backer Board

A type of steam room construction, which has become extremely popular in recent years issteel orwood framing withasuitable backerboard.Itis criticalthatavapordiffusion retarder (vapor barrier nd suffinnlationbeprolyified sid and installed in this type of construction to prevent moisture from penetrating into adiacent spaces or condensing within the wall cavity and insulation.While this type of construction is rated Res4 by the TCNA,framed construction with backer board is the most popular choice for residential steam rooms,itmayalso be used for commercidl steam room applications when good design and construction methods are used.

Prior to construction of the steam room,check with the board manufacturer to make sure that the backerboard being used is suitable foruse ina steam room environment,and ensure thatthe tile and tile installationmaterialsselectedarerecommended for use in this type of harsh environment. LATICRETE manufactures complete systemofmaterials,whichareideallysuited forteam rooms,steamshowers and otherwetorcontinuously submerged areas.Plase refertoSection4,Section6,Section7, and Section 8 for more information.

2.3 HYDRO BAN Board

HYDRO BAN Board is an ideal option for both commercial and residential steam rooms. 2" (5Omm) thick HYDRO BAN Board, when installed properlyusing HYDROBANSheetMembrane Selig Tape, HYDRO BAN Board Screws,HYDRO BAN Tab Washers (for ceilings),and HYDRO BAN provides insulation and a low perm

waterproof systemforsteamrooms and steam showers.Formore information onHYDRO BANBoard, please visit htps://aticrete. com/en/showerinstalltion-systems/accessories/hydro-ban-board

2.4 Stainless Steel

Stainlessteehasbecomeanotheroptionforsteamroom construction in both residential and in commercial projects. When you think about it, stainless steelisanalmost idealmaterial from which to construct steam rooms; it does not allowmoisture to penetrate,itwillnot corrodeorrust whenasuitablehigh grade stainless steel and proper welding techniques and materials are used),itisnotaffectedby the heatormoisture generated in steam room, can be pre-manufactured in a factory (to maintain the highest constructionstandards)orwelded togetheron-site,easily customized forexactrequirements,requireslilemaintenance,and is much lighter than typical concrete construction.

The quality of the stainless steel (typicallya 304L grade forfully tiled steam rooms) and choosing thebest welding technique for the stainlesssteeareimportantfoensurethatthereisorustteel corrosionor loss of durability over time.

Figure 2.4.1Anacrylic tub and fullyself-contained steam shower7

Thereare two methodsfortile installationwithastainlesssteel shell steam room/steam shower direct adhered using epoxy setting materials, or, the mortar bed method using asand/cement mortar bed which is installed over diamond metal lath which has been tack welded tothe stainless steelshell.PleaserefertoSection7and Section 8 for more information.

2.5 Pre-manufactured Acrylic/Fiberglass Units

Anotheroptionfortheresidentialsteamroom/steamshower market is the acrylic tub with fiberglass reinforcement.These aretypicall selfcontaindnits whichare ligweight,y install and economical. These unitscan contain many features including whirpooljts,mulile showeheads, rdis, mass therapy, aroma therapy and more... Acrylic/fiberglass units are pre-manfactured withadecorative acrylic finish and rarely, if ever contain any tile or stone.

Section 3: Steam Room Design Considerations

3.1 Tile Industry Standards

The Tile Council of North America (TCNA) provides methods for the proper installationof tile, glass and stone in stem rooms and steam showers.TCNA provides Method SR613 for steam rooms andsteamshowers overmasonryorconcreteconstruction,nd Method SR614forsteamrooms and steam showersoversteelor wood framed construction.To obtaina copy of the current TCNA Handbookfor Ceramic,Glass and Stone Tile Installtion please contact TCNAat100 ClemsonResearch Blvd.,Anderson,SC 29625 +1.864.646.8453, (F) +1.864.646.2821,or by e-mail at literature@tileusa.com.

The American National Standards Association (ANSI) provides guidelinesforile installtionndreqirementsfor prodct testing and performance in the American National Standard Specifications for the Installation of Ceramic Tile (A108 and A118).To obtaina copy of the current AmericanNational Standard Specifications for the Installation of Ceramic Tile please contact TCNA at 1OO Clemson Research Blvd.,Anderson,SC 29625, +1.864.646.8453 (F) +1.864.646.2821 or by e-mail at literature@tileusa.com.

Please referto International Residential Code (IRC),International Building Code (IBC),International Plumbing Code (IPC), or, contact your local bilding offcialsfor steam room codes and requirements.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)13007 provides common performance standards for tile adhesives and grouts andusesaPerformance classificationrating forthese product types.Formore informationortopurchase IS013007,please visit https://www.iso.org/standards.html.

LATICRETE International also provides installation methods and details forsteam rooms and steam showers and is available at https://laticrete.com/ag; Methods ES-SR613,ES-SR614,ESSR313,ES-SR314,ES-SR614SheetMembraneBFD,ES-SR613 Sheet Membrane,ES-SR614SheetMembrane,ES-SR614Sheet Membrane Linear Drain,ES-SR613SheetMembrane Linear Drain, ES-SR613Sheet Membrane BFD,ES-SR614 HYDROBANBoard BFD,ES-SR614 HYDROBANBoard LinearDrain,ES-SR614HYDRO BAN Board.

3.2 Structural Considerations

Loads－Steam rooms and steam showers are faily unique for what is considered a wet area installation; the lack of large amounts of liquid water. Unlike swimming pools,fountains, tubs, and water features,the water insteamrooms exists primarilyinagaseous state,as steamIf properly designed and constructed, the steam, when it condenses into liquid water ends up going down the drain where it elongs.While thisis not significant revelation, it ds mean that the expected loads are considerably less thana fountain, pool orwaterfeature withthesamearea footprint.Thisreduces some of the requirements fordesigning to meet heavier load carrying capacityandmakeslifesomewhateasierforthestructural engineer(s) and/or project architects.

Inmanycases,steamrooms and steamshowersareconstructed to the sameload requirements as are considered forastandard shower ortub.Some elevated steam rooms and steam showers may require that different lod requirements be considered (e.g. stainlesssteelsteamrooms)but theseare typicallyonlyunder certain circumstances.

Requirements of Design - Steam rooms and steam showers can be somewhat complex in design. Although they appear to be simple (essentiallyaroom withina room)they are farmore than that.Steam rooms have to take into consideration the proper design, placement and installtion of insulation, plumbing, low perm waterproofing membrane (e.g. HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane, or, waterproofing membrane and vapor difusion membrane (vapor barrier),lectricallighting,aswellasproperaircirculationnd dehumidification in areas outside of the steam room/steam shower.

Failure to anticipate allof the requirements forsteamroomdesign cancertainlylead to problems,sometimes excessive innature,in the not todistantfuture.When designing such critical areasit may be in thebest interest ofallinvolved partiesteitheroverengineer or to seek the advice and counsel of industry professionals who have considerable experience withboth the design and implementation of steam rooms/steam showers.

Deflection-Systems overwhich tile orstone willbe installed, shall be in conformance with the International Building Code (IBC), International Residential Code (IRC) for One and Two-Family Dweligs or applicable building codes for the desired application. Historically, for ceramic tile and paver applications, the maximum allowable deflectionshould not exceed L/360 undertotal anticipated load; and, for stone the maximum allowable deflection should not exceed L/480 of the total anticipated load.In both cases "L" represents the clear span length of the supporting member per applicable building code.

The ceramic tile industry abides by the following note on deflection: The owner should communicate in writing to the project design professional and general contractor the intended use(s), including in-service loads or informationtoallowaprojectdesign profeional to calculatesuch.The projectdesign professionaland general contractormustmake necessary llowances forthe expected live loads, concenated loads,imact loads,and dd loads,indng maximum allowable loads during construction and maintenance. The tileinstallr shallntbe repnsible forprolmsrsulting frmny structuralsubloorinstalltionntcliantwithapplicalebilding codes, unless structural subfloorwas designed and installedby the tile contractor nor for problems fromoverloading.As tile is afinish applied toand relingupon the underlying structure,aninadequate substructure can cause a tile failure.Inmany cases, problems in the substructuremaynotbe obvious,and the tile contractorshallnot beresponsile fordesigning flooring ably,ulessspecifically engaged todo so in writing.Tile contractor cannotdetermine possibility of an overloaded condition.Inaddition todeflection considerations,above-ground installations areinherentlymore susceptible to vibration.8

Section 3.3Types of Structural Movement

Steam rooms and steam showers are structures (orpart of structures),and likeallotherstructures are subjected to different types of structural movement.Thermal movement, moisture expansionand contraction, and, diffrential movement are tpically experienced in this type of application.

Thermal Movement— All building materials expand and contract when exposed to changes intemperature and moisture.There are two (2) factors to consider in analyzing movement caused by thermal variation: 1) the rates of expansion of different materils (also known as the linear coefficient of thermal expansion),and, 2) the anticipated temperature range exposure.The primary goalin analyzing thermal movement is to determine both the cumulative and individual differential movement that occurs within the components of the steam room.

While asteam romis onand steamisbeing produced, the exposed surfaces canexperience significant thermal movement.Temperature changes can go from 70°\mathsf{F} (21°0 to 110°F (43°\complement) in less than 20 minutes so thermal movement can be rapid. The structure of the steam room, and any tile installed in the steam room, must be ble to adjust to this temperature change. The tile immediately around the steam vent and supply pipe may see even higher temperatures and, therefore,more significant thermal movement.Movement caused by thermal expansion and contraction can create problems witha tile or stone installation, including cracking and/or loss of bond.

The thermal expansion of tile is determined using ASTM C372 "Standard TestMethod for Linear Thermal Expansion ofPorcelain Enamel and Glaze Frits and Fired Ceramic Whiteware Products by the DilatometerMethod."For certaintypes of filethefollowing test method may be used; ASTM C484 "Standard Test Method for Thermal ShockResistance of Glazed Ceramic Tile."The coefficient of thermal expansionforall eementsof the instlltionsystem, including substrate, must factor into the calculation for the total anticipated movement.

MoistureMovement—As noted earlier,building materials (including concrete)will experience changes when exposed to varying amounts of moisture.Tpically, building materials will expand asthey gain moisture and contract asthe moisture leaves the system. Tile is one such building material. It would be important to check with the tile manufacturer to see if their product is suitable for use in steam room/steam shower installtions.Tile with a low absorption rate (<3%) would be bettersuited foruse in steam room installations (see Section 4.1 for more information) as moisture expansion would be minimized.

Steamrooms/steamshowers arevery susceptibletomoisture movement because the moisture is being forced into the room. This raises the pressure intheroomand subsequently pushes the moisture vapor through the walls ceiling and flor. Using tile, adhesive and grout that are recommended forsubmerged installations isvery important to ensure that the tile installtion remains in its intended place for the life of the steam room.

Differential Movement—Differential movement is another factor to take into consideration when installing tile or stone in steam rooms/steam showers.Some of the forces that act upon most types of construction willact upon a steam room to a much greater degree; along with normal live loads and dead loads,the thermal movement and the moisture expansion/contraction in a steam room are much greater than any typical application.This means that forces acting in different planes canhave a greater effect onthe tile orstone installtion, as well as on the structure of the steam room. Proper allowance for movement within the steam room, and in its structuralcomponents,is criticaltolong andproblem-freeuseof the faclity.

3.4 Movement Joints

Controlling Stresses with Movement Joints Movement joints serve to allow changes inthe shape of the overallconstruction (e.g. thermlmvet ettinshkgedswelig of thebiig materials, etc...)as well as displacement against each other to occur without causing damage to the tile orstone installation within the steam room/steam shower.Arangement, dimensions and formationof the movementjoints depend onanyfactors, inclding expected changes inshape of the structural components and their tile or stone cladding.9

Slip Joints — Aslip joint is relly nothing more than a movement joint which is constructed in such a way to allow a greater amount of movementooccurwithout compromisig thewaterproofing membrane orits abity to prevent waterfrom geting through the system.Forsteamroom applications there areseveral factors which require slipjoint treatments.These factors include excessive thermal expansion/contraction, excesive moisture expansion/contraction, movement of multiple planes dead loads live loads,and pressure caused by the steam generation pushing out on the wallsand ceilings

Proper design and constructionof slip joints willallowfor the steam room/steamshower to operate properlyand prevent damage within the wall space or to adjacent areas.(See Figure 3.4.1)

Figure 3.4.1— Typical slip joint at ceiling-walltransition. Loop in waterproofing membrane allows for greater amount of movement within steam room construction.

Guidelines for Movement Joints — As a guide, when no project specific movement joint design exists for steam rom/steam shower installtionsofleorstoemvement jointscanbe instle ry 8^{\prime}\dag012^{\prime}(2.4\d/03.6\d m) in ech direction in the finishlayer and installationsystem.Movement joints shouldalsobe placed where tileworkabtsrestraining surfacesegerimeterwallsseatsor jambs, efc...), where dissimilar surfaces meet, at any change in plane,and around pipes orpenetrations.Movement joints should be placed over all designed joints in the steam room/steam showerand these jointsshould becarried to the surface of the tile orstone installtiondirectly inline with their original placement in the construction (see Slip Joints).Depending upon the size and construction method of the steam room, some of the joints in the structure may require a certain configuration (e.g. slip joint). This configuration will llow fora significant amount of movement to occurin the steamroombut will notallowwater (moisture vapor will pass throughif the waterproofing membrane perm rtingis too high) to escape through the joint.

It is important to make sure that theproject architect orengineer shows locations and details of movement joints on project drawing.

Movement JointTreatment—Movement joints should be treated withasuitable sealantand installtion should be done inconjunction withTCNA HandbookforCeramic,Glass andStone Tile Installtion EJ-171 "Movement Joint Guidelines for Ceramic, Glass and Stone." The performance requirements of certainspeciallocations,such as swimming pools, dairies,food plants,etc...,may exceed the minimum requirements of the sealant specifications given above. Therefore,followrecommendationsof experiencedmanufacturersas to specificsealants suitable inthe job environment.Insomesevere environments,aprogram forregularmaintenance of sealant in joints may be requiredInmost cases,the useof 100% silicone (e.g. LATICRETE LATASILTM used with LATASIL 9118 Primer) or urethane sealant will berecommended forsteamroom/steam shower installations.Please refer to Section6.6 for more information.

3.5 Steam Room Design Considerations

While some may think that steamrooms are essentiallylike any other application,itis absolutelynottrue!!Steam rooms are extremely unique and require specialattention to detail during the entire design, construction,mintnance, nd se prcss

Steam rooms arehighly specialized applications.Design and installtionare criticl to avoid damage todjoining spaces and/ ormaterials from vapormigration and condensation.Designcriterid must include considerationof necessaryinsulationand temperature and humidity differentil.1

Residential vs. Commercial Steam Rooms

In steamroom classifications there are two types; commercial steam rooms and residential steam rooms.While they provide essentiallythesamefunction,the scale towhich eachisrequiredto perform are considerably different.As such, some of the construction requirements are differentfor eachtype.

Commercial steamroomsaretypicallylarger inscale,utlizealrge steam generator and tend tooperate forextremely long periodsof time.Infact, some commercial steam rooms in fitness clubs,spas andathleticfacilies rerarely,ifever urnedoffThemounf water that entersthe room under pressure and at hightemperatures canbe extraordinary.If thesteamroom is not constructed properly or mistakes are made during thedesign phase the resulting problemscanmanifest themselvesveryquickly,canbecatastrophic in scope and very,veryexpensive to correct.Fixing the problem(s) can take months and the downtime of the steam room facility can mean lost revenue for the host facility

Residential stemrooms/steamshwers, although performing the same functionas commercial steamrooms, are typically much smaller insizutiizemllstegeneatrndarepert only as needed (not continuously). The amount of steam that enters these rooms is usually less than the commercial unitsbut can stil be significant whncomard trgrshwernitProperesign and construction are equall critical in residential steam room/steam shower applications because damage caused by moisture intrusion can be just as devastating ina home as ina commercial project

The TCNA HandbookforCeramic, Glassand Stone Tile Installtion ow utliesEnvironmentalExposure Classificationstorate ileand stone assemblies as to the environment in which they should be used.Steam room method SR613 has Environmental Classications of Com4 and Res4, while SR614 has an Environmental Classification of Res4.

Res4 (Residential HighHumidity,Heavy Moisture Exposure):Tile surfaces that are subject to continuoushigh humidity or heavy moisture exposure.Examples include intermittent-use steam room/ steam shower walls, celings and flors; enclosed pool area walls.

Com4 (Commercial High Humidity, Heavy Moisture Exposure): Tilesurfaces that are subject to continuous high humidity or heavymoistureexposureepeciallyinenclosedareas.Examles: Continuous use steam room/steam showerwalls and ceilings enclosed poolareas,natatoriums,and gang showers.2

While theTCNAstatesthat methdSR14isforRes4 applications only properdesign,implementation,construction,and maintenance f commercialsteamroomutilingframed constructionisentirelypossible. However, it isabsolutely critical tht highquality designand constrction techniques are used to maintain the ultimate level of performance.

Steam Room Height

Sinceheatrises,sodoessteam.Whenapersonisseatedon standard height steam room bench orseat,their head is usually 44 - 54" (1.12-1.37m) above the floor.Inrooms that are greater than 96" (2.44m) in height, there wilbe at least 43" (1.09m) of space forsteam and heat to accumulate before reachinganeffective height for the user(s).Insome cases,this can lead to extended warming times and wasted energy.13

Typical steam rooms rarely exceed 96" (2.44m) in height and may require special design considerations or equipment (e.g. higher outputsteam generator).ln cases where steam room height will exceed 96" (2.44m) please consult with steam generator manufacturer for specific guidelines.

LowPerm Waterproofing Membrane/Vapor Diffusion Retarder (Vapor Barrier)

In an effort to more effectively define theuse of membranes and their roles in steam room and steam shower applications,the TCNA has added guidnce on what type of membrane,and is performance characteristics would be most suitable.

The TCNA Handbook now states"Steam showers designed for continuous use applications should specify a low perm waterproof membrane (a waterproof membrane meeting ANSI A118.10 and witha water vaporpermeance rating _{0\dag0.5} perms or less when tested perASTMA96ProcedureE,testedat 90% relative humidity). Whenawaterproof membrane withawater vapor permeance rating greaterthan 0.5 perms isspecified,vaporretarderbehind the wallassembly is required, and the vapor retarder must have water vapor permeance rating of 0.1perm or less when tested per ASTME96Procedure A,tested at 50% relative humidity. Consult waterproof membrane manufacturerforwater vapor permeance rating and vaporretarder requirements".4 LATICRETE offers HYDRO BAN?SheetMembrane asalowperm sheettype waterproof membrane and acts as both the vapor diffusion retarderand as the waterproofing membrane.

Avapor difusionretarder (commonly referred toas avaporbarrier) isamaterial that reduces the rateat which watervaporcan move through the material. By limiting the amount of moisture to move through the system into adjoining spaces, avapor difusion retarder (vapor barrier) can eliminate (or extremely minimize) the amount of damage which can occur due to water penetration into wal cavities and adjoining spaces.

Keep in mind thatasteamroom/steam showerutilies asteam generator,whichforces hot water vaporinto the room under pressure.Thispressureforces the hotwatervaporthroughthe wal systemtoareasof lowerpressureor,areasof highermoisture concentration to areas of lower concentration.If a vapor difusion retarder isntinstalled, isimproperlyinstaled or isnt plced

Figure 3.5.1—Movement of moisture in asteam room application without insulation,low perm waterproofing membrane or vapor diffusion retarder.

Figure 3.5.2—Movement of moisture ina steam room application withavapordifusionretardergreen dote ineproperly installd to drain into the pan liner.

Figure 3.5.3—Movement of moisture ina steam room application with a low perm waterproofing membrane (green dotted line)

so that it drains into the primary shower pan liner, then water infiltration into thewallcavities will occur The properuseof suitable vapordiffusionrtarder,along withuitable(and properly placed) insulation is critical to the long term performance of the steam room/steam shower and the protection of adiacent or ancllry spaces.RefertoSection6.3andSection8for proper placement of a vapor difusion retarder (vapor barrier).

Waterproofing

Waterproofing membranes are designed to prevent the movement of water molecules through the membrane and into the surface to which they are adhered.Many of these waterproofing membranes (e.g. HYDRO BAN, HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane, HYDRO BAN Quick Cure, and 9235 Waterproofing Membrane)do allow for the movement of moisture vapor through the membrane,thereby making them an ideal choice for use steam rooms but only in conjunction withaproperly installedvapordiffusionretarder (vapor barrier).Steam ormoisture vapor molecules are much smaller than liquid watermolecules and wil therefore penetrate asubstrateand many waterproofing membrane much easier than water.

Steam rooms and steam showers must alsobe waterproofed to keep thewaterwithin the vessel and fromcausing damage to surrounding areas.The proper placement of alow perm waterproofing membrane, or,avapordiffusion retarder (vapor barrier)ANDasuitable waterproofing membrane are essentil tokeeping waterand watervapor where they belong; inside the steam rom and then dwn the drain!The speciedwaterproofing membrane should be installed onevery surfacewall,floor ceiling, nd seats, nd must be properly tied into the drain and any penetrationsthroughthe wall,ceiling orflrtoprevent water from escaping the confines of the steam room.The floor must be pre-pitched tothe drainpriortoinstallation f the showerpanliner and subsequent mortar bed and waterproofing membrane.

As stated in the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installtion, “"Specifiershallindicate how waterproofing and vapor retarding is to be achieved, including details for membrane penetrations, such as penetrations for plumbing, lighting fixtures, fasteners, etc...Specifier shallalso indicate where and how to waterproof curbs and jambs and where membrane terminates. Area outsidesteamshowerdoorisawetarea and shouldbe treated accordingly.15

The waterproofing membrane mustbe ideal foruse ina steam room/steam shower environment and be compatible with the tile or stone thin-set.HYROBAN,HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane, HYDRO BANQuick Cure,and 9235Waterproofing Membrane are all excellent choices and are designed tobe used with LATICRETE thin-sets (e.g. 254 Platinum, 257 Titanium or MULTIMAXTM LITE) or epoxy adhesive (e.g.LATAPOXY? 300 Adhesive)suitable for use in this challenging application.Forinstallationof glasstile or glass mosaics,we would recommend using HYDRO BAN Cementitious Waterproofing Membrane followed byinstallation of the glass tileor glass mosaicsusing LATICRETEGlassTile Adhesive,254Platinum, 257Titanium, or LATAPOXY 300 Adhesive.

Figure 3.5.4－Installation of tile ina steam room directly onto 9235 Waterproofing Membrane. <br>Figure 3.5.4—Dew point temperature chart18

Insulation

Insulation within the walls and ceiling of the steam room is also an important consideration in the design of steam rooms and steam showers.Insulationhelpstominimize temperature differentials,raise dew point, decrease condensation onthe vapor diffusionretarder (vapor barier),and, depending on the type and placement of the insulation, can act assomething ofavapor reducing material itself

Thermal energy moves fromhot to cold,so we lose heat from inside to outside in cold months and lose coolness in the summer as heat attempts to come inside abuilding.The same concept will apply to asteam room application, the heat in the steam room will try to leave the room, so proper placement of asuitable insulation works well to keep the heat in the room and to control dew point within the wall structure.

As stated intheTCNA HandbookforCeramic,Glass and StoneTile Installation,“Design professional to specify adequate insulation on walls and ceilings to reduce condensation.Consult the insulation manufacturer for application suitability"16

For installtions following method ES-SR63, theuse of arigid foam insulationbord is frequently specified tobe installedover the concreteorconcreteblockconstructionverthevaporbarier For installations following method ES-SR614,the useof either rigid foam insulation or batt type insulation is employed within the framed construction and placed underneath the vapor retarder,or, n top of the wood construction with the vapor retarder behind it.It is the responsibility of the project designteam to determine the exact configuration of all eements of the steam room wall, ceiling and floor configuration.

Dew Point

The use of a vapor diffusion retarder (e.g.6 mil polyethylene polyolefin, et...) willhelp to minimize the amount of moisture, which cantranspire throughthe system.However,moisture vapor movement through the system is not the only way that moisture can manifest insidewalls,floororceling.incesome moisture wil transpire throughthe vapor diffusion retarder (vaporbarrer), some moisture willnaturally exist intheairwithinawall cavity, and some moisture willexist inadiacent spaces beyond the walls This means that dew point can play a role in moisture development withina wll avity.

Dew point is defined as the temperature to which a given amount of humid airmstbecoold,atconstantbarometricpressure,forwater vapor to condense into water. Dew point is associated with relative humidity and temperature (i.e.high relative humidity indicates that the dew pointis closer to the current air temperature).Relative humidity of 100% indicates the dew point is equal to the current temperature and that the air is maximally saturated with water.7

What this means is that water can condense within awllcavity if the dew point is reached, so controling the amount of moisture that gets through the vapor difusion retarder (vapor barrier) and maintaining control over the temperature in the air space will help to minimize or prevent any condensation which may occur.Ahigh quality,properlyinstalledvapordifusinretarder(vaporbarer) along withasuitable type and thickness of insulation, or,alow perm waterproof membrane with a suitable type and thickness of insulationarethebestdefenseo problemscaused byfctuting temperature and relative humidity.

The dew point table (Figure 3.5.4) belowshows clearly at what point condensation willbeginat specific RH and temperature.For example,if excessivemoisture and heat isgetting throughthe steam room wall insulation and vapor difusionretarder (vapor barrier), therebyraising the airtemperature and the relative humidity (RH) in the wallcavity to 86°\mathsf{F} (30°0) and 90% RH then waterwillcondense onanysurface that is 83°\mathsf{F} (28.2°0) orbelowSincesurfacetemperaturesaretypically colderthanthe air temperature, i simply means that water willbe present on all surfaces inavery short amount of time.Overtime, this water accumulation may well become an issue of water damage and mold proliferation,unless the wall cavity issomehowvented or conditioned to remove the water.

Maintaininghmidity inth wallcavityat lwlevels, andkeping the temperature moderate,meansthat condensation willnot form within thewall cavityAsstated ealer, properlypecifying d installing insulation and ahigh quality vapor diffusion retarder (0.1 Perms orlowerastested perASTME96-Procedure A)helps to maintainahealthy and safe environment forall to enjoy.Based on the charton previous page (Figure 3.5.4),if the temperature in the wall cavity of a steam room is 82°{\mathsf{F}} (28°0 and the RH in the wall cavity is 80% typically because a high perm (>0.5 perms) vapor diffusionretarder (vaporbarrier) isused, the dew poinis 76°\mathsf{F} (24.3°\complement) or below.This means that there is an excellent chance that moisture will condense on any surface at orbelow the dew point temperature.Conversely,if alowperm (<0.1 perms)vapor diffusionretarder (vaporbarrier) is utilized in the wallassembly, and the resulting RH within the wall cavity is 40% at a temperature 0\mathsf{f}82°\mathsf{F} (28°0 , the resulting dew point emperature is 56°\mathsf{F} (13°0) This simply means that the temperatures on the surfaces in the wall cavity should remain high enough so that the dew point temperature is not reached and condensation does not take place.

There is nobetterwaytocontrol the amount of condensation insidewall cavity thanto properly secifyahighqulity vapor difusionretarder(vaporbarrer) withwaterproofing membrane, or a low perm waterproof membrane (such as HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane)along with controlling the temperature of the wall cavity with suitable insulation.

Floor (Shower) Pan

Due to the amount of moisture to which a steam room/steam showerwillbesubjected,reasonditatesthatprimaryshowean linermust be installed underneath the mortarbed floor.This shower pan liner is designed to prevent water from migrating through the floorof the steamroom/steamshower and get into the structure where damage may occur.

Like any shower application, the subfloor mustbe pre-pitched to make sure thatany water which gets down to the showerpanliner will evenuallyworksitsway, vi gravity, tothewepholesof th drain.If thesuloorisnot proerlpre-pitched,watethatmy accumulate in the mortar bed willtend to remain in place and can lead tohethnd safetyissues. he pre-pitchcanbe created sing 3701FortifiedMortar,226ThickBed Mortar gauged with3701 MortarAdmixoraproprietarymaterialspecificallymanufactured to provide a pitch to drain underneath a shower pan liner and mortar bed. Check with product manfacturer foruitabilty and acceptability as wellas proper installtion instructions.

Once the pre-pitch is established, the installtion of the shower pan liner canbegin.The shower pan liner in a steam room/steam showerapplicationusuallyconsistsofaproprietary sheet type membrane if steel or wood framed construction is used to make the stem room/steam shower, or, aliquid applied membrane (e.g HYDRO BAN,HYDROBANQuickCure or9235Waterprofing

Membrane)if concrete or concrete block constructionis used. The shower pan liner must be turned up walls a minimum of 3" (75mm) above shower curbs or flood point. Liquid applied membranes can be used in steam rooms with framed construction if an approved suitable sheathing is applied to the framing prior to instlltion of the vapor difusion retarder (vapor barrer).

A criticaldesignconsiderationforsteamrooms and steamshowers is that the vapordiffusion retarder (vaporbarrier), if placed behind the backerboard orwallrender, MUSTbe placed so that it laps into the shower pan. This allows for any moisture that condenses on the vapor diffusion retarder (vapor barrer) to go into the shower pan liner.Failue to follow thisrecommendation meansthat any accumulated moisture willget into the wallcavity and possibly into ancillary oradjacentspaces.Please refertoSections7&8formore information on the proper design and LATICRETE materials foruse in steam rooms/steam showers.

Slope to Drain

To make sure that water flows to the drain at arate that allows for constantand rapid removalofwater,the TileCouncilof North America recommends a slope to drain of /4"per foot (21mm per m) ora ratio of 1:48 for floors.As stated above, the pitch to drain should be established in the pre-pitch,which allows the mortarbed, installed over the showerpan liner, toremain a consistent thickness Installation of a liquid waterproofing membrane (e.g. HYDRO BAN, HYDRO BAN Quick Cure or 9235 Waterproofing Membrane) onto the cured mortarbed and then onto the finished wallsnd ceiing cretesseamlsswaterprofingThissecondarywaterprofing helps minimize the amount of water that can infiltrate through the tile and into the mortar bed.Water will evacuate through the top of the drainat an acceptable rate if proper pitchhasbeen established.

According to Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) 411.8; Alining materials shall be pitched one-quarter(1/4)" perfot (21mm per m) to weep holes inthe sub-drain of a smooth and solidly formed sub-base.

As stated in UPC 411.6; The finished floor of the receptor shall slope uniformly fromthe sides toward the drainnotlessthan one-quarter (1/4) inch per foot (21mm per m),nor more than one-half (1/2) inch per foot (42mm per m).

2012 International Plumbing Code (IPC) 417.5.2 states:“"Liners shall be pitched one-fourth unit vertical in12 unitshorizontal (2% slope)and shallbe slopedtoward thefixture drainsandbesecurely fastened to thewasteouttat th sepae ntrance,making wateright joint between the liner and the outlet".

American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A108.01.2.2 states: Specify floor drains to comply with ANSIA112.21. Slope in subfloor shll be specified insectionssuchasconcrete orcarpentryand not with themortar setting bed.Mortar bed to be of uniform thickness.

ANSI A108.013.6.2 states: Prior to applying waterproofing membranes. Most plumbing codes require that floors of showers and roman tubsbe sloped,bymeans of asmooth and solidly-formed sloping sub-base,toweepholeslocatedinclampstyledrains

Note: Allhorizontalledgesrimsshallhaveaslpe suchthat ny fluid on their surfaces flows towards the drain.19 This includes not only floors nd ceilings,but also niches, seats/benches, curb,nd shelves.Follow all building code and ADA requirements forlod bearing capacity and for grate free area of the drain(s).

Celing Slope

Since rising steam willcondense and collect on the celing of a steamroom/steam showerand thendrip on steam roomusers,it is necessary thataslopeis established in the celing.Asstated in the TCNA Handbook for Ceramic, Glass and Stone Tile Installtion "Slope ceiling minimum of 2" per foot (164mm per m) to avoid condensate dripping onto occupants; sloping celing fromcenter can minimize rundown on walls.20

Steam Generator Unit

The steam generator is the “hear"of a steam room/steam shower and is the source of the water vaporandheat around whichasteam room is designed These steam generatorunits canrange insize, steamoutputcapacity,amountofenergyrequiredandamount ofsteam generated.The sizeand output capacityof the steam generator is determined almost entirely onthe size of the steam room, as measured in cubic feet(f) or cubic meters ({\mathfrak{m}}^{3})

Steam generators forsmallresidential steamrooms/steam showers can be the size of asmallbriefcase and weighas little as 30 Ibs (13.6kg) , or, for large commercial steam roomsthe steam generator canbe approximately40" long x 22" wide x30"high (1015 x560 x762 mm) and weigh about 250 Ibs (113.6kg) Steam generators areavailable inawiderange of sizestomeetall types steam room demands.Some of the large steam generators can provide enoughsteam forup to 3,000f (85 m3).Larger steam rooms canuse multiple steam generators to meet the specific requirements. Check with the steam generator unit manufacturer orsupplieforproperselectionof theunit inregardsto sizeof the steam room/steam shower,finishtype,and with electrical and watersupplies.Toproperlysizesteamroom,fordetermination of the steam generatorutput,itisnecessarytose thefollwing guidelines;

1. Calculate the cubic ft (cubic m) by multiplying height (H)

width (W) and length (L):HxWxL= f3 ({\mathfrak{m}}^{3}) ：，
2. Do not deduct the area assumed by benches or other solid materials withinthe room as their surfacesrepresent area to heat;
3. Due to varying thermal values of the steam room/steam showerfinishorwllcationuse the followingmultiplies ensure propersteam and heat generation; Acrylic or Cultured Marble f² (m3) x 0% Glass or Glass Block Wal # ^3(m^{3}))x15% ExteriorWall ExposedToFreezingTemperatures f ^3(m^{3})x15% Ceramic Tile (non-porcelain) f ^3(m^{3})x20% Natural Stone (Granite,Marble) or Porcelain Tile f3 (\mathsf{m}^{3})x100%

Steam generators require plumbing,electrity and placement within approximately 25 ft (7.6\mathfrak{m}) of the steam room for maximum efficiency. Steam outlet plumbing (steam feed) should be insulated if itis greater than 10^{\prime} (3 m) in length and should never form a gully or trapbetween the steam generatorand theoutlet.The steam outlet plumbing should alwaysangle toward thesteam outlet head orto the steam generatorTheymust be installed indoors, in an ared where the unit will not freeze and is located away fromflammable materials or compounds.It shouldalsobe placed where itis easily accessible for installation, inspectionand maintenance.Followlocal building coderequirements for accessibility and minimum clearance from walls ceilings and doors.Some local code requirements for largesteam generatorsstate thatablow-downtankbe used to cool hot water (above 140°\mathsf{F} [60°0~ before itis dumped into a drainage system.

Figure 3.5.5-How steam enters steam room and the condensate waterevacuates.

Figure 3.5.6 —Steam outlet head with diffuser21

The steam outet head should be placedona wall which is opposite from where bathers willbe seated and as far away from the occupants as possible.In smallsteam rooms/steam showers (3'x4' or 4'x4' [0.9 x1.2m or 1.2x1.2mm] ),a steam diffuser should be installed to protet the use.

Doors

Steam room doors mustbe able to allow easy accessand keep steam and water within the confines of the steam room/steam shower.A doormanufactured foruse in steam rooms/steam showersshouldbe constructedof moistureand corrosionresistant materialsmpered saftyglass,and vartightgskets.hese doors should be specifically designed foruse in steam rooms/steam showers.Inmost cases,it is recommended that the steamroombe fully constructed and finishedprior to ordering the door.Waiting for the ile tobe installed, when actul finished measurements can

Figure 3.5.7-Glass steam room door22

be taken, wil better guarante ueriofit and performnce of the door.Steamroomdoors aretypically self-closing and vented at the botom where steamshould not escape.Choosing a door incorectl or placing it improperly can cause problems within the steam room and in the room in which the steam room is located.

Both doortypes are equally effectiveatmaintaining asuitable sel and preventing the loss of steam and heat.Doors used in steam rooms/steam showers should always open out (away from the steam room) to maintain a safe environment and to maximize the space inside a steam room/steam shower.

Seats

Seating inside a steam room/steam showershould meet certain requirements to maintain safety and functionality.Seats must be comfortable and made from products that are impervius to moisture (e.g.HYDRO BAN? Seat for residential steam showers). Tile orstoneareaperfectchoice forfinishing steam room/steam showerseats,but the grout joints shouldbe kept atminmum width to facilitate comfort and maintain aesthetic qualities.

Steamroom/steamshowersseats,likeshowerseats,shoulde sloped towards the drain at an angle thatallows water to flowbut is still comfortable to sit on.The tile installed where the seat meets the riser mustbe rounded for greatercomfor,and many seats provide lip of 1" to 2" (25 to 50mm) which overhangs the seat. Generally steam room/steam shower seats can range from 18"- 21" (455 - 530mm) offthe flor and from 14"- 24" (350-610mm) deep.Some commercial steam rooms are large enough to have two-tieredseating,inwhichcase thetileinstalledonthelowerseat should be slip-resistant in wet areas.

Plumbing

Likeanyshwerorwet area,plmbing isrequired tobring th wa into the systemand take it awaysafely and effectively.Inasteam shower, plumbing is required to bring the water into the room in two ways; as steam vapor and asliquid. It is highly recommended that a professional plumbing contractorbe used to ensure thatshower panliner,drains ips, dierershwerhds,stemgnraor and all reqiredpipesare istalled properly andperlocal plmbing codes.Failuretoproperlycontrolthewaternd vaporcming into and leaving the steam room/steam shower could result in considerable damage overa very short amount of time.Check with the steam generator and/orsteam room manufacturer (for modular units) for any plumbing requirements and guidelines.

Lights and Electrical

Itmakesperfectsense thatwater andelectricity do not gotogether wll and steam rooms require electrityto provide lighting and allowforegulationofmanylectronicallycontrolledsteamrom environments. It is highly recommended that a professional electrianbe brought into ensure that the steamgenerator, lights, electronic themostats and steam controls, speakers (if so equipped),aroma oil pumps (for aromatherapy), tmers, and any other electrical components are installed properlyandperlcal electrical codes.Failure toinstallelectrical components properly can result inserious injury orworse.Allelectricalequipmentmustbe installd with Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter GFCI) protection orαs required by local electrical code.

All electricalequipment,located withinthe steamroomor wallcavity,mustbe waterand vapor proof and constructed of materialsthat are sealed and corrsion resistant(e.g.stainless steel). Lighting can be mounted in the ceiling or on the walls of steam rooms to help set the mood and ambiance of a steam room environment, and can help add to the relxing experience. Please make sure that any electrical equipment used in the steam room environment is manufactured or recommended foruse in a steam room environment.

3.6 Building Code and Safety Considerations

Although there areno specific requirements orreferences to steam room/steam shower applications in the International Residential Code (IRC), International Building Code (IBC)and National Electrical Code (NEC) Handbook, it would be recommended to follow the code requirements forSpasand HotTubs.Please consultlocal building codes which may have requirements for steam room enclosures.For example, the following isfrom the Long Beach (CA) Development Services Building Code;

"Glazing indoors and enclouresforhottbs,whirlpools, sanas steam rooms, bathtubs and showers.Glazing enclosing these compartments shallbesafety glazing wherethebottom-exposed edge of the glazing is less than sixty inches (60) above astanding surface and drain inlet."23

The following is from the London (UK) Borough of Hillingdon Code of Practice;

"The electricalsafety,including theadequate erthing and inultion of all equipment, shouldbe examined periodicallybyaqualified engineer who should repor in writing the result of his inspection. Equipment must be regularly serviced in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions andarecordof suchservices and copies of the electrical engineer's report must be keptonthe premises for inspectionif required inaccordance with the latest IEE (Institute of

Electrical Enginees) requirements.24

Codes maynotonly define construction requirements butalsosafety considerations. The following is also takenfrom the Borough of HilingdonCodeofPracticeandaddressessafetyconcerns; "The operatormust be aware of the temperature the unit is operating at.Ideally there should be a thermometer located inside the unit. I this is not fied the temperature inside the unit mst be checked regularly and in accordance with usage and alg maintained of the temperature."

"Sauna/steam room doorsmust have a glazed panel to allowsafe access and egressby clients and supervising staff"

"The door must have an internal handle to allow the client to exit the room when required."

"The licensee shallhaveawrittenpolicydetailing the action tobe taken in the event of the alert mechanism being used. This shall be communicated to allrelevant personnel."

"All equipment shall be of sound mechanical construction."

^{\prime\prime}\tt{A} clock ortimermust be visible inorder to monitor time elapsed in the sauna/steam room."

^{\prime\prime}\tt{A} notice providing accurate information onthe safe use of the sauna/steam room must be clearly displayed near each unit."

The safe use of steam room/steam showers is paramount to those who own, operate, use and maintain these beneficial facilities.There are several steps which must be taken into account so that nobody who uses a steam room/steam shower will ever be injured:

Anyone with pre-existing medical conditionsshould consult with their physician prior to using the steam room facilty. Some of these conditions include (but are notlimited to) high bloodprudissrhdivsr
and fever.
Individuals who may be especially prone to problems in
steam rooms include theelderly,young chidrenand pregnant women.Check with your physician prior tousing the steam
room facility.
Open cuts may become infected in the moist warm environment of a steam room.
■Sweating, even in a steam room, can lead to dehydration.
Drink lotsof waterafterleaving asteamroom/steam shower
■Steam rooms/steam showers should not be used as a part of weight loss program.Any weight loss due to time in a steam
room would be from water loss, which willreturn when body fluids are replenished.
■Drugs, tobacco and alcohol should neverbe used prior to entering asteamroom/steam shower orwhile inthe steam room/steam shower.
■Consult your physician about the use of medications and steam room exposure.
Do not consume heavy meals prior to steam room exposure.
Exit immediatelyif you feencomfortable, dizzy, sluggishor sleepy.Staying ina steam room environment for too long can cause overheating and other health issues.
Do not stay in asteam room/steam shower for longer than 10 -12 minutes and follow with a coo shower to lower body temperature to normal levels.
■Remove ll ewelry prior to entering the seam room/stem shower.
■Supervise any chidren while they are in the steam room/
steam shower.
■ Do not make contact with the steam head during operation.
■Use caution when entering, exiting and moving around in steam room/steam shower as floor and other horizontal surfaces (e.g. seats) may be slippery.

3.7 Green Design Considerations

With the awarenessof "green" bulding and environmental impact awareness,building construction continues to go through changes The use of low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) materials, products manufactured with recycled content, products that help expand the LifeCycle Analysis (LCA)of astructure,and help maintain a healthy environment for building ocupants have become the norm throughout the world.

Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency

Today,we use the equivalent of 1.5Earths tomeet the resource needs of everyday life andabsorb the resulting wastes.This measure of ourplanet's carrying capacity means that it takes Earth 18 months to re-generate what is used in only 12 months. If current tenscone,estmtgget,b th yr we willneedthe equivalent of two planets.Turning resources into wastefasterthantheycanberegenerated putsthe planet into ecological overshoot, aclearlyunsustainable condition that weal must address.

The forces driving this situation are numerous.Hman population has increased exponentially inthe past60 years,fromabout 2.5bilion in 1950 tomore than7biiontodayOlinaruseof resources, teing outputaswaste,isreponsibl frthe toxinsthtarelng in the atmosphere, inwater, and on the ground. This pattern of

extraction,useanddisosalhashasteneddeletionoffiniteuplis of nonrenewable energywatendmaterisedinacceleratingth pace of our greatest problem－climate change.Buildingsaccount for significant portionof greenhouse gas emisions: in theUS.,building are associated with 38% of all emisions of carbon dioxide, and globally, the figure is nearlyone third.5

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)

TheUnited States and various othercountries around theworld have adopted the USGBC LEED Program, using the LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Designand Construction,asabasisfor their green building.The USGBC has also developed the LEED Schools Reference Guide foreducational facilities constructed inareas where theLEED program is utilized.

The LEEDGreen Buiding Systems are voluntary,consensus-based, and marketdriven.ased onexisting andproventechnology,thy evaluate environmental performance fromawhole-bilding perspective overabuilding'slifecycleprovidingdefinitive standardforwhat constitutes a greenbuilding in design, construction and operations.

LEEDisa framework for idenifying, implementing and measuring greenbuilding ndneighborhoddesign,constructionperationnd maintenance.LEED is a voluntary, market-driven, consensus-based tool that serves as a guideline and assessment mechanism.LEED rating systems addresscommercial, institutional and residential buildings and neighborhood development.26

Each rating systemis organizedinto sixenvironmentalcategories: Locationand Transportation (LT),Sustainable Sites (SS),Water Efficiency (WE),Energy and Atmosphere (EA),Materials and Resources (MR),and Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ).Additional categories, Innovation (IN)and Regional Priority (RP),can be used to address sustainablebuilding experise based onregional considerations and recognizing innovations which are not found in the current version of LEEDand whichare notcovered underthe six environmental categories.

Sustainability

Inmostcases,steamroomfacilities are designedand constructed to last as long as possible.To achieve the maximum number of years ofproblem-free use,asteamroommustbe constructed with first ratebuilding components and installation assemblies.Service life and product durabilityshould befactored into theselection of steam room/steam shower components.Inaddition,easily maintainable and long lasting finish materials (e.g. porcelain tile) should be considered and specified for these projects.Steamrom/ steam showermaintenance has a direct impact on environmental sustainability. ln otherwords,safe and easyto maintain finish

materials in these demanding applications equate to lower maintenance costs and longer life cycles withminimal impact on the environment and the economy. Ceramic tile and stone finishes along withalow maintenance,high performance epoxy grot, and 100% silicone sealant areatural fit forhese applicationsThe use of these tile and stone finishmaterials allowfor minimal levels of maintenance while providing high quality and durable performance.

Greater emphasis willcontinue tobe placed on the benefits that green and sustainable materials and methods provide not only forsteam rom construction,but foralltypes of buildings nd building environments.To this end, the need exists to implement best practices for the construction of sustainable buildings and environments.Green constructionmaterials and methods speak a great dealabout the core goals of the designer, ownerand maintenance personnel.For instance,how smar isit to constructa steam room as part of a health facility in which building materials with high volatile organic compound (VOC) levels are used during construction and/or during routine maintenance. The use of high VOC materials, whichmay off-gas overtime,cancause thepeople who use the steamroom/steam shower to become sick.Occupants who utilize facilies inside buildings constructed withhighVOC materialscanhave short termand possibly evenlong-termeffects on their health.

Sustainablebuilding products are nolonger just an added benefit to product selection and use.Inmanyregions of the world, gree building codes and other green building practices are mandated forprojectsthatreceivefederal,stateorregionalgovernment funding.Forexample, intheUnited Statesfederallyfnded projects must comply with green building standards and achieve a designated green rating under the USGBC LEED program. Theretore,teelctionnd seotbuiding productstha cml with these standards is mandatory.Fortunately,ceramic ile/stone and the installationmaterialstypically fit invery nicelywiththese requirements.In fact, the National Green Building Standard ICC 700, sets forththe requirements for green constructionand sustainability for various projects. In addition,requirements and standards for the interiorenvironmentandotherkeyareasarealsosetforth.Many finishes and theirinstalltion components canoff gas volatile organic compounds. The use of low VOC content and emission products shouldbespecifiedforall installationsof tileorstoneforstem rooms and steam showers.LATICRETE provides UL GreenGuard Gold certified products, which requiresulra-lowVOC emissions,and that are tested inaccordance with CaliforniaDepartment of Public Health (CDPH) v1.2 in an Office and Classroom Environment. For complet list of ULGreenGuard Gold certified products,pleasego to https://aticrete.com/en/innovation-and-impact/green-leed/ greenguard-certified-prodts.

Environmentally Friendly Products

In today's construction marketplace,the phrase“environmentally friendly product” is thrown around on sucha frequent basis, that the term‘green washing'was coined some years ago.Environmentally friendly products are materials that do not harm the space that humans occupy,and, do not have any adverse impact on the ecologyorenvironment during theirharvesting,manufacturing installtion, curing/drying, and time in service n making the determination forwhetherα product is environmentallyfriendlyor not; the following questions should be asked:

Does the material break down over time? What is the ife of the product? Wilitff-gas, what wili ffgas and for how long? How often does the material need to be replaced?

Forexample,thereare somematerials inthe plsticsfamily,which just do not break down easily.They can stayin landfils for hundreds of years.Thereareseveraltypesofflooring productsthatfall int this category (e.g. vinyl composition tile,linoleum,rubber flooring). Inaddition,whenthesetypes of flooring materials are installed with a urethane type adhesive;they can be potentially dangerous to the environment formany years affe theyare discarded.A great featre of ceramic tile and stone is that theyare mainly composed of basic materials,which are found in the earth.There is notmuch that needs tobedone withslbsofmarble,mestone,slatesndston granite orquartz; except fo maybe alteritsfinish.That is easily accomplished by polishing the surface toaglimmering mirrorlike finish, or, just a bit to a soffer honed finish.

As far as ceramic tile, the ingredints that go intoit are mainly cy and shale that are thenpressed orextruded into shapeand then fired athightemperaturestoachieveaverydense anddurable finish.Manufacturers of ceramic tile have become so effective in their production processes,thatthecostof ceramicand porcelain tiles isactuallycoming down,asoppoed tothe costofotherypes of flooring and wall finishes where the costs continue to increase. Therefore,vinyflooring,capetand similrfinishes thatwere considered inexpensive alternativesto ceramictile and stone are actuallyat an even greaterdisadvantage.Whendesignprofessional was looking foraninexpensive alernative,theyaccepted the drawbacks ofoff gassing and short life cycles associated with these other tysoffinisheincsitonllnlm, rubber, paint, wallcovering).Theyno longer have to compromise sinceceramicndporcelainlsardurablednsesustainal long-lasting (60 years or more), and easy to maintain.

Ceramictile and stone are also considered environmentally clean. Iffor anyreason tile orstone is removed (and this is usually only because it looks dated),it can be buried inalandfill and will not harm the ecology or the environment. Unlike the adhesive mortars that are used to install resilient and wood flors or carpeting; tile and stone adhesives aretypically porland cement based and donot pose any danger to the environment.The vast majority of cement based and epoxybased adhesives are inertonce theyharden anddonot off-gas or emit any volatile organic compounds (VOC). LATICRETE offersa wide-range of products thatareUGreenGuard certified forultr-lowVOC emissions, so you can trust that these products will not off-gas and haveαnegative impact on the occupants of a building or on the environment.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)

Volatile organic compounds are carbon compounds, which participate in atmospheric photochemical reactions that vaporize at normal room temperatures.These compounds are considered as harmful to building occupants when excessive levels are reached.This is what may causeαperson to develop reactions to materials inabuilding. Itistheoffgassing of thevolatile organic compounds that creates respiratororllgic retionsSmeof the ingrednts inbiling materialswhichareconsideredsCarefomadhde,styee ozone,totalaldehydes,and 4-phenylcyclohexene compounds.These ingredients exist in over 2,000 chemicals (Ahuja,2004,p.2).

The LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction states that tile adhesives should have a maximum VOC content of 65{\mathfrak{g}}/{\mathfrak{L}} (8.7 oz./gallon) less water, per South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 1168.LEED Reference Guide for Green Building Design and Construction v4.1 Credit"Low Emiting Materials"alsorequires manufacturers to state compliance with the generalemissions evaluation,asmeasured using DPH v1.2, including the exposure scenario, the amount of wet-appli product(applied inmass surface area),therange of totalvolatile organic compounds (TVOC), and follow the guidelines in CDPH Standard Method v1.2, Section 8, to help attin the “Low Emitig Materials" credit. The ranges of TVOC are 0.5mg/m^{3} or less, between 0.5and 5mg/m^{3}, or 5mg/m^{3} or more.

LATICRETE Contributions to LEED Certification

Third pary greenbilding materilscerificationorganiztions egL GREENGUARDGold)help specifiers and designers to choose products that comply with the latest greenbuilding standards and codes.Many of the products manufactured by LATICRETE International,Inc. are

independently cerifiedbyULEnvironment as lowVOC compliant. ULGREENGUARD Gold certificates formany LATICRETE products are available on the LATICRETE web site at www.laticrete.com/green or at www.greenguard.org.LATICRETEhas also introduced the LATICRETE LEEDProjectCerificationAssistant thelpile conrators, distritos architects,and specifiers easily btainallf the informationrequired for LEED certification inregards to LATICRETE productsPlease visit www.laticrete.comto use this incredible tool.

Asstated earlierinthissection,LATICRETEhastakenthe necessary steps to contribute to the GreenMovement by not only manufacturing lwVOC products, bt tohave them indpendently certified by UL GREENGUARD as Such. LATICRETE manufactures ULGREENGUARD Gold certified products in the underlayment, membrane,thin-set, grout,and epoxy adhesive categories which means that any job requiring low VOC compliance can be accomplished withacomplete,warrantedLATICRETEsystem.

ULEnvironment isanindustryndependent, third-partycertification organization that qualifies products for lowchemical emissions. ULGREENGUARD Gold cerification programs use defined product standards, est methodlogies,product sample collectionnd handling procedures, program applicationprocesses and on-going verification procedures. UL GREENGUARD standards, methods and procedures are available at www.greenguard.org.Please note that any LATICRETE product which has attained a UL GreenGuard Gold certificate meets the CDPH v1.2 test criteria in both theOffice and Classroom scenarios.

The following steam room/steam showersuitable products are ULGREENGUARD Gold cerified for lowVOC;HYDRO BAN?,9235 WaterproofingMembrane,HYDROBANQuickCure,3701Fortified MortarBed,257TITANIUM",254Platinum,MULTIMAX"LITE, LATAPOXY300 Adhesive,LATAPOXYBIOGREEN 300 Adhesive, PERMACOLORGrout;PERMACOLORSelect,PERMACOLORSelectNS, and SPECTRALOCK? PRO Premium Groutf. LATASIL", while not UL GREENGUARDGold cerified,meets theLEEDEQCredit4requirements for low VOC content and lowVOC emissions, and,hasbeen independently tested forVOC emissionsper CDPH vl.2and meets the <0.5mg/m^{3} level in both the Office and Classroom scenarios.Please click these linkstoaccess thistestreport andcerificate.LATASIL 9118 Primer also meets the LEEDEQCredit 4 requirements for low VOC content forarchitectural,porous sealant primers.

Section 4: Selection Of Steam Room/ Steam Shower Tile

4.1 Considerations for Tile Selection

The beauty,durabilty, resistance toheat nd moisture,and functionality of tile orstone makes them the most suitable finishes for cladding steamrooms/steamshowers.While there areother suitablecladding material,nonearsversatllnglastingd affordable as tile.There are many types of file and stone in the world,but notllof themare suitable orfunctional inasteam rom/steamshower installtion.Choosingatile orstone that is suitable forsteamroom/steam showerapplications is important for the long-term performance of the tile or stone installation. In some ways,steamrooms/steam showers(especially commercial steam rooms) are similarto swimming pools,fountains and spas based on the amount of moisture to which they willbe subjected.

Generally speaking,tile orstone used in steam room/steam shower installtions musthave alow absorption rate, ahighcofficient of friction,nacceptablecoeffcientf thermalexpansion,rsisa to moisture expansion, and chemical resistant. Tile used in steam rooms/steamshowers should bevitreous (absorptionratebetween 0.5% and 3% or impervious (absorptionrate lessthan 0.5%) ： Absorptionrate of tile is determined byASTMC373"Standard Test Method forWaterAbortionBulkensity

ApparentPorosity,andApparentpecificGravityfFiredWhitware Products"and IS010545-3“Ceramic Tiles—Determination of Waterortinrtrityprteltivi and Bulk Density"and is important forselecting tile orstone for steam room/steam showers oranywet areas.These test methods determine thepercentage difference betweendryandwet weight of the tile.

Tile foruse in steam rom/steam shower installtions should also be tested toASTM C370"Standard Test Method for Moisture Expansion of Fired Whiteware Products"and IS010545-10 "Ceramic Tiles － Determination of Moisture Expansion" to determine the extent to which tile willexpand when exposed to moisture.Moisture expansion is directly proportional to absorption; thelower the absorption,the greater theresistance tomoisture expansionand viceversa.Tileorstone withalow absorptionrate willbe farless suceptible todamage casedbywater infitation and provide afar more durable installation in these demanding environments. The most commonly used tile types for steam room/ steam shower installations are porcelainsince theyprovide the lowest absorption rates.Glasstil is also used in steam shower/ steam room installations,but it would be recommended to check with the glass tile manufacturer for use in steam room/ steam shower environments. It is also important to check with the manufacturer, distributor orquarry (for stone)to see if a particulartype of stone would be unsuitable forsteam room/steam showerapplications.Ceramicand porcelaintile characteristicsare also addressed in the ANSIA137.1American National Standard Specifications for Ceramic Tile.Tile or stone which has ahigh resistance to thermal expansionisalsoagreatbenefit forasteam room/steam shower installtion.Linear thermal expansionof tile is determined byASTMC372"Standard TestMethod for Linear Thermal Expansion ofPorcelain Enamel and GlazeFritsandFired Ceramic Whiteware Products by the Dilatometer Method"and ISO 10545-8“Ceramic Tiles — Determination of Linear Thermal

Expansion."The results of thermal expansion testing are expressed as the linear coeffcient of thermal expansion in unitsof in/in/F ({mm}/{m}/{}°0. Properly choosing tileorstone with acceptable thermal expansion properties is usefulfor minimizing stresses within the installation under conditions of changing thermal exposures. Glasstil typicllyhas ahigherrate of thermal expansion than porcelain or other suitable ceramic tile or stone.

Tile withahigh coefficient ofriction is animportant characteristic ofleinstemromsandwt ares tohpmaintaintheafty and wellbeing of all whouse these areas.Keep in mind that the Americans with Disabies Act (ADA)requires thatfloor surfaces be stable,fim,and slip-resistantochoosing thecorrecttileisrequired to comply with this important Act. Check with local building codes for minimum coefcient of friction values.

Tile should be easily cleanable,maintainits colorwhenexposed to various chemicals and stated for use in submerged and/or steam room installtionsby the manufacturer Tile orstonesuitablefor submersionshould alsobe acceptable forsteamroom/steam shower applications as long as they meet thermal expansion requirements. Choosing the wrong tile can lead to down time for the steam room/steam shower, added expense removing the old tile, reinstallationofasuitable tile,andotherpotential issues thatcan occur whena steam room is not in use.

Abrasionresistanceshoudalsobetakenintoconsideration.Teting forabrasionresistance isperformed usingatest developedby The Porcelain Enamel Institute (PEl). Tile is tested and givena PEl Rating based ona0－5 scale,asshown inFigure 4.1.3.Testing for abrasion resistance is conducted as per ASTM C1027 “Standard Test Method forDetermining Visible AbrasionResistance of Glazed Ceramic Tile"and IS0 10545-7“Ceramic Tiles-Determination ofResistance to Surface AbrasionforGlazed Tiles"and are for glazed ile only.Inmost cases,non-glazed porcelintile ishighl resistanttoabrasion,butcheck withtilemanufacturerforcomplete information. Tile used in residential steam rooms/steam showers areas should be PEl4 orhigherand commercial steam rooms should also have a rating of PEl4 or higher.

Failure to properly choose and specifyatile forsteamrooms/ steam shower installtions can be acostly, time consuming and unnecessary problem.It is essential to choose wisely!Makesure that not only the til is suitable forthistype of instlltion,butalo the way the tile is mounted (mosaics) and the setting materials used to install the tile as well Mosaic mounting methods will be covered inSection4.3 while suitable setting materials are covered in Section 6.

Tile should also be chemical resistant to make sure that chemical, offen used tocleansteamrooms,donothave anegative effecton the performance of the cladding material. The definition of chemical resistance is the behavior of tile to resist damage when it comes into contact withaggressive chemicals.Chemical resistance actually measures deterioration caused by two mechanisms; 1) chemical reactionresulting inalterationof til,and,)penetrationf chemical orstain below the tile surface, and difficulty of removal resulting inlong-termdeteriorationoreffect onmaterialsincontact with the surface.Chemical resistance is measured by ASTMC650 'Standard Test Method forResistance of Ceramic Tile to Chemical

4.2 Placement of Tile in Steam Room/ Steam Shower Installations

Tile canbe installed in almost any area within a steam room/ steam showerand thecolor and designmay onlybe limited by the designer's imagination.Choosing where tile or stone willbe placed is subject fo whatever the finished appearance is tobe.Tile can be installed within the entire internal area of the steam room/steam shower, as long asasuitable substrate isprovided.Tile isoften placed on the ceiling, walls, and floors of asteam room.Tile can certainly be installed on benches orseats in steam rooms, although some people find it uncomfortale to sit ontile with grout joints wider than 1/8" (3mm).

Tileisverypopulrfinishptionforfloorsboth insidend immediatelyoutsideofsteamrooms,and choosing atileorstonefor these arescanhavesignificant,ositive visualandsafyt A steam room/steamshower'sfunctional performance depends largely onthe correctuse of slipresistantmaterials inthe various areas (e.g.floors,lowerseatsif more than one level exists,etc...). Itisextremymptnovoid the riskofaidentlfllsbyusing slip-resistanttl,venifitmeanssacrifing someesthticval and easycleaning.However,floor cleaning isanessentialfactorto ensure that the tile's slip-resistant performance is maintained.

The tile or stone finish ona steam room/steam shower floor must be slip resistant to minimize oreliminate slipfall accidents Coefficient of friction(COF)is the measurement of a tile's frictional resistance and is closely related to traction and slipperiness. The method formeasuring the COF of ceramicfloortiles changed in 2012,afteryears of researchand with theapproval of the committee responsible for ANSIA137.1“The American National Standard Specifications for Ceramic Tile."Previously, COF was determined per the ASTM C1028 method "Standard Test Method for Determining theStaticCofficientof Friction of Ceramic Tile and Other Like Surfaces by theHorizontal Dynamometer Pull-Meter Method”fromameasurementof staticfriction,whichis thefrictional resistance one pushes against when staring an object in motion.

The new method measures dynamic coefficient of friction, which is the frictional resistance one pushes against when the object is already in motion.For both static coefficient of friction (SCOF) and dynamic coefficient of friction DCOF), aslipoccurs when pushing off with more force than the surface can resist.

Previously,therewasnorequired coefficientoffrictionvalueinNS A137.1 for wet floors (static or dynamic), although a minimum value of0.6 wetSCOF,when measured byASTMC1028,was commonly specified forceramic til in commercial spaces for

many years.Afterextensiveresearchit hasbeendetermined that a minimum wet DCOF value of 0.42 wassufient when testing per the DCOF AcuTest method.The DCOF AcuTest method utilizes the BOT-3000 (Binary Output Tribometer-3000)and conforms to American NationalStandrd B01.1Test MehdforMesuing WetSCOF of Common Hard-Surfaced FloorMaterials",as well as, B101.3“Test Method for Measuring Wet DCOF of Common Hard-Surfaced Floor Materials (Including Actual and Limit Thresholds for the Suitable Assessment of the Measured Values)"The DCOF AcutestMethod is idealforuse inbothlaboratory and field conditions and is easy to conduct.

Figure 4.2.1 The BOT-3000 DCOF AcuTest Method apparatus32

Not all tles, though, with a wetDCOF value greater than 0.42 are suitable forallevelinterior spaces.Thedesignprofessional(s)or specifiershalldetemine ile ppropriateforspecific project conditons, including,bt notlimited to,te ofuse,drainage,how tilr profledorstructuredexpectedcontaminants,expectedmaintenance expected wear, and manufacturer's guidelines and recommendations.

There are other methods being utlized around the world and some of those test methods are;

1. The variable-angle ramp human traction test method as the primary standard forvalidation of portable slip-resistance methods;

2. The Torus dynamic slip-resistance mesuring instrument, withdigitldataacquisition,forweesting,and theef a trace of Triton X-100 weing agent in distiled or deionized water as the weting liquid. The minimum value using this test method foruse in bathtubs, showers and pool decksis 0.70; and,

3. The pendulum dynamic slip-resistance measuring instrument forwet testing,and the use of the pendulum test guidelines recommended by the United Kingdom Slip Resistance Group. The minimum Brish Pendulum Number (BPN) on wet,clean floring is 35 for showers.

The Tortus method and the Pendulum method are recommended for testing performed inthe field and have achieved wide acceptance. These has alsobeen significant information obtained using these test methods so as to correlate human traction test data with well simulated mechanical analogs of human traction.33

Germany,Australi,wealand,talyand manyothercounri have their own standards and test methods for determining both the slip-resistance of tile and acceptable minimum levels to which tile must perform.Whichever test method is employed, the focus is on providing thebest protectionforll those whowill be using the steam room/steam shower.

Anotherfactor, whichshouldbe taken into considerationforsteam room/steamshowertileinstallations,iswhat temperature the finish will be when exposed to steam. Alight colored file or stone is an ideal choice to absorbless of the heat and maintain a safe and comfortable temperature. Dark colored tile orstone mayget extremelyhot and create an uncomfortable environment for steam room/steam shower users.

4.3 Types of Tile for Steam Room/Steam Shower Applications

While theesof emervious,viteusmestone glass recommended foruse insteamroom/steam shower installations is ratherlmited,hemyriad f colrs,sizes,shapes,and dsign veryimpressive inscope.Tilecanrange insizefrommosaics assmall {\mathfrak{a s}}3/8^{\mathfrak{n}}x3/8^{\mathfrak{n}} (9.5\:mmx9.5\:mm) to as large as 4^{\prime}x4^{\prime}(1.2mm x1.2m/md{m}) orlarger nd stone cancome innsize,shpe orthicke.

Asstatedearlierinthissection,tileused insteamroom/steam showerinstallationsshouldhave averylowabsorptionrate (<=3%) which helps to minimize, oreven elminate, problms caused by moisture expansion and contraction. Impervious ile and vitreous tile are the most popularchoices forsteamrooms/steamshowers around the world because they arerelatively inexpensive and easy to find.Glasstile,suitable forsteamroom/steam shower installtions, isverylsing inapprancebt isypicall mre expensive and requiresahigher degree of installation experience and experise.Stone isalsoaviale option but choosing the right stone is importantWhilemany stonetypes willnot experience significant moisture orthermal expansion,some canbe affected by constant exposure to moisture and by harsh or acid based chemicals/cleaners.

Stone shouldbe selected carefully andmustbe dimensionally stable inthepresenceofmoisture,havealowabsorptionrate,resistant to cleaners andchemicals,and be feeof minerals that may stain or discolor thestone ina steam room environment.Contact the

stone supplierorquarrytoensure thatthestoneissuitableforthe intended purpose,or,choose stone whichhasprovenhistory insuchapplicton.Useuitaewhite thinset mrar orxy mortars to installight colored stone to prevent unintentional darkening of the stone's appearance.

The installtion of mosaic tile in steam room/steam showers has history going back thousands of years.In fact, the Romans and Greeks mayhave incorporated mosaic tile in their versions of steam baths.Thesemosaic tiles,if used,would have been installed individually,byhand,and would have taken long periods of time toaomlishbyskiled installes with artisicbility.Forunately modern technology incorporates methods and materials to create beautiful installationsquickly and easilyStone,porcelainand glass mosaics are now pre-mounted,using several different methods onto sheets.These mosaics can evenbe customized to create alikeness of any picture orphotographusing specialized computersoffware or exceptional artistic ability.

Inrecent years,thetile industryhasseensomeissues rise withthe mounting of mosaic tile when used in certain installations.To better understand this point, let'slook at the different ways in which tile and stone are mounted onto sheets;

Paper-face Mounted —paper face mounted tile,as the name suggests,aremosaic tilesthathavesheetof paperdhered to the face of the sheet of tile. This paper keeps the tiles properlyseparated andllowsfortheinstallationof the entire sheet at one time. Once the tile has been installed and has had suffcient time to cure (i.e. when the mortar holds the tile in place but allows for slight adjustments to be made in thetile)the paper is dampened and the paperis peeled off to reveal the tile finish.

Figure 4.3.1—Two examples of paper-face mounted glass mosaictile

■Plasticface mounted — similar to paper face mounting except aclear plasticfilmisused in place of the paper. Agreat

benefit of using the clear plasticfilm is that the tile orstone is visible through the plastic, and, ifecesary, the lati could be cut and adjustments made to the tile orstone prior to removing the film.In most cases, the plasticfilm cannot be removed until the seting mortar has fully cured.

Figure 4.3.2—An example of plastic sheet mounted glas mosaic pebbles.

■Rear Dot Mounted — some tile manufacturers use the method of mounting the tiles in sheets using polyviny chloride (PVC) dots.While this method eliminates the need to remove the paper face mounting, it carries its owntypes of concerns.Note the amount of space that the PVC dots cover on the back of each tilein Figure 4.3.3.

Figure 4.3.3—An example of PVC dot mounted tile.

■Rear Mesh Mounted － this method incorporates a fiberglass mesh, which is bonded to the back of mosaicsheets to create the sheets. This method also eliminates the need to remove the paperfacemountingbut,itoo,carriesitsownsef potential problems depending on the type of and amount of mesh adhesive that is used.

Figure 4.3.4—An example of rear mesh mounted glass mosaic tile

■Rear Paper Mesh Mounted － this method utlizes a paper mounting which is cut into a mesh configuration. While this method does eliminate the need toremove the paper from thefront,itisnotrecommended,forbviousesons,fr in steam rooms/steam showers,swimming pools,fountains spas, water feature, orany wet re.

Figure 4.3.5—An example of rear paper mesh mounted porcelain mosaic ile.

Installation of tile in steamroms/steamshowers requires the tile to be fully and solidlybonded to the substrate.Simply put, this means that the tile should have 95-100% adhesive coverage not only to theback of the tile but also to the substrate.In steam room installations, 95-100% coverage is essential to the long-termperformance of the tile orstone.As stated inANSI A108.5 2.4 Setting ceramicmosaictile;"Thoroughly beat all tile or tile assemblies intoplace with abeating block to obtain maximum contact of bonding mortar on the back of each tile.. except onexterior orshower installations where contact area shall be 95% when noless than3 tiles or tileassemblies are removed for inspection".34

Since maximm coverage is essentil the prefered file mouting type forsteam room/steam shower installations would be the paper-face orplastic-face mounted mosaic sheets.This isbecause there are no obstacles to fulladhesion (e.g.mesh and/or dot mount adhesive), 50\:100% coverage can be achieved.PVC dot mounted mosaic sheets present 2 challenges for properadhesionto the substrate; thePVC dots take up space onthe back of each tile and PVC canbe difficult for the tile adhesive to bond to.

As previouslystated,the thin-setorepoxyusedtobond the til to the substrate must have 95-100% coverage to the tile and the substrate; not the tile,PVC dots, glue and/ormesh,and the substrate.If PVCdot mounted sheets are tobe used thenchoose α type that hasanaverage of less than 5% coverage of the PVC on the back of each sheet.

Anotherpotential problem with PVC dot-mounted mosaic tile ishow highthe PVC dots are between each ile. Ifthedots are toohigh then grout does not have enough surface area to properly bond tothe tileor,threissimlynotenughspaceforthe groto be properly installed. This canresult inthe grout appearing tobe blotchy where the dots are placed.Please note that this conditionis caused by the PVC dots and is not a grout materialisse.

In an efforttoreduce costs,somemosaictile manufacturers haphazardly se inappropriate glues, suchas dilutepolyvinyl acetate,to mount tile onbacking mesh.Asstated earlier,these glues interfere with contact and bonding between mosaictiles and the tile adhesive.When immersed in water and/or exposed to moisture and alkalinity these glues can soffen and then swell as they absorb water,leading to loss of adhesion.This may occur within severalweekstoseveralyearsbut theresult istypically the same.Simplyput,theuse of back-mounted or dot-mounted sheet mosaictiles may be precluded from use in steam room/steam shower installtionsi the sheet backing and/oradhesiveadversely affect the development of adequate and permanent adhesion between the mosaic tile body and the bedding mortar.

Tilemafureseif,nwriing,whh thl are suitable for installation in steam rooms/steam showers and other wet areas.Paperback-mounted mosaics are not recommended in steam room/steam showers or wet areas.

Thereare3categories of glue toavoid

Glues that soffen without noticeable swelling as they absorb water.These appeartobe clear whendry and white when immersed (similar to PVA wood glues). ■Glues that soften and swelltoa gel that eventually forces ile apart and away from the substrate and which may fall apart in smallpieces rather than stayattached to the mesh.

Glues tht donot change inapperance or feebt gradull lose adhesionto the tileaffer prolonged immersion inwater. Moisture evidently breaks downthe adhesion without penetrating far into the film of glue.

Figure 4.3.6-\mathtt{A} classic example of an improper adhesive used to mount the mesh for ina continually wet installation.The adhesive has changedcolorfromcler to whiteandhasswelld signifianty, forcing delamination.

For mesh backed mosaic tile the fabric mesh and the should not weakenwhenexposed tomoisture,shouldberesistanttovarying pHlevels, resistant to highalkalinity,and should be compatible with the mortar or adhesive used to bond the mosaics."The ceramic tile manufacturer shall be responsible formounting the tilesso that the bond requirements of ANSIA137.1 (50 psi) acording to ASTM C482-68 aremet orexceeded.Tile manufacturers shall be responsible forspecifying where their mounted ile assemblies shall beedBeyod tht, thearchiteeiger, tle is and owner should also make sure that the products being used on the jobareacceptable andadequate forthedsignedpurpose.The installationof tile and stone (whichare suitable forthe purpose), using theappropriatesetting materials willsave tme,lbornd money and keep the steam room/steam shower in continual operation fora very, very long time.

Section 5: Tile Installation Preparation and Equipment

5.1 Installation Equipment, Substrate Preparation and Installation Procedures

The construction equipment, substrate preparation process and installation procedures required foreach project and region of the world are unique, and therefore,it would not be possible to list all the types and combinations of tools, equipment and procedures involved in the installation of steam room tile applications.Thissection willpresent the most common tools, equipment and installation proceduresrequired foreach phase of construction.Tooland equipment requirements are determined by the phase of the installation shown below, and further defined by the tpe of construction, type of finish material, and the type of adhesive installtion.

Substrate and Finish Material Surface Preparation — The fist step insubstrate preparationis the evaluationof the type of substrate and its surface condition.This includes the levelness (plane orfedeviation),identificationf generaldfets (e. structural cracks, shrinkage cracks,laitance,etc...),presence of curing compound orsurface hardener and contamination.Concrete should haveawood floatorlight steel trowelfinishforproper adhesion of thin-sets or membranes. Over finishing a concrete surface canclose the pores and may inhibit proper adhesion of thin-sets and membranes.

The ability of a substrate to be“wetted"by an adhesive is essential to good adhesion and is important in determining the performance of the adhesive in bonding to the substrate. This means that not onlyshould thesubstrateposessbalancebeweenporosity and texture,btalso that the suface mst e cleanof any contamination suchasdst, dit, oil, pint, cring cmponds sealers, and other bond inhibiting substances that could prevent bonding of anadhesive.The levelness tolerance orsmoothness of a substrate surface canalsoplayanimportant role inallowing proper contact and weing ofanadhesive.Typicall, the greater the surface areato which the adhesive is in contact,the better the adhesion.

Adhesive Compatibility — Compatibity plays an important role in determining adhesion between the substrate and the tile or membrane being installed.The substrate material mustbe compatible not only with adhesive attachment,but also with the type of adhesive under consideration.This means that the substrate materialmusthave good cohesive qualitiestoresisttensile and shearstress and not have anadverse reaction with the proposed adhesive or membrane. Similarly,the tile being installed must also be compatible with the adhesive.A general consideration in determining compatibility with adhesives is as follows;

The installtionof anyfinish materil withanadhesive will onl be as goodas the setting materials and the substrate to which the finish material willbe bonded. The highest srength adhesives and most careful application with the best quality tile will not overcomeα weak, unsuitable and/r dirtysubstrate.

This section provides information on the identification of common substrate characteristics anddefects,and the preventativeand correctiveactions necessary forpropersurface preparation.

Section6 — Tile Installtion Preparation and Equipment

5.2 Inspection and Evaluation

SiteVitandPre-ConstrutionConference －Priorto commening ceramictilework,the tilecontractorshall inspectsurfacestoreceive tile andacessorie,and shallnotifythearchitet,general contrator orother designated authority inwriting ofanyvisually obvious defects or conditions thatwillpreventsatisfactory tile installation. Installtionwork shallnot proceed unil satisfactoryconditions are provided. Commencing installation of tile work typically means acceptance of substrate and job site conditions.

Job Site Conditions - The following items are examples of potential issuesthat may need tobe addressed prior to commencing the installation:

■Contamination — The surface to which tile or stone installtion materials willbebonded mustbestructurally sound, clean and freeoflirstienlr compounds,and any othermaterial that can act asabond inhibitorDry,dustyconcreteand othersurfacesshould bewp and thendampened witha sponge and water.Any excess watershould beallowed to evaporateorbe sweptffprior to installtion of tile seting materials.SeeSections5.4and 5.7for more information.

■Surface and Ambient Temperatures — During the placement of concrete and installtionofothertypesofsubstrates,extreme cold or hot temperatures maycause numerous surface or internal defects,including shrinkagecracking,weak sufacelayf hardened concrete caused by premature evaporation,orfrost damage.Once theconcreteiscured,extreme temperaturesof both the ambient air and surface of the substrate can also affect the normal properties of ile adhesives.

Elevated ambient air and surface temperatures (>90°F \lbrack32°C\rbrack. willacceerate thsetfing of cmnt, ltexcemnt nd xy adhesives.Washing and dampening flors and walls willseve to lower surface temperaturesforlatexcementmortarsand eoxy adhesives.Humidity may also have an effect on the curing of membranes and porland cement based adhesives and grouts. Higher humidity will work to slow down cure rates while low

humidity willaccelerate the curing process.

Environmental Conditions and SubstrateProtection-The optimum conditions for installation of ceramic tile and stone are temperatures between 60° and 80°\mathsf{F} (75° and 25°() ,with 50% relative hmidity.Hwever, these conditions are typical so provisions must be made for variations in environmental conditions. Protection apliesto the substrate, the installation of adhesives and joint grouts, and the storage and handing of the finish material.

■Hot Temperatures —Protection or corective action is required if either ambient air or surface temperatures of substrates/finishes go above certainthresholds during installtion.Temperature thresholds vary with the types of adhesives and installation accessories,butgenerally,levatedambientir (80-100°\mathsf{F} [25-35°0] andsurfacetemperatureswillacceleratesettingof cement, latxcment, epoxy and silcone dhesives.Washing and dampening floors and walls will not onlyremove some contaminants,butalso servetolowersurfacetemperatures by evaporative cooling for cement latex mortars and moisture insensitive epoxy adhesives.If ambient air and surface temperatures exceed 100°\mathsf{F} (35°\complement) it is advisabletodeferwork to anothertime.If workcannotbe deferred,itis alsopossibleto cool additives(water, latex,epoxy liquids) in conjunction with the above techniques.For more information,please refer toTDS176 "Hot WetherTilig and Grouting”

■Cold Temperatures－Protection or corective action is requiredif either ambient air or surface temperatures of substrates go below certainthresholds during installation.Temperature thresholds are differentforvarioustypesof adhesives.Protectionandcorrective actionsto elevateairand surfacetemperaturestooptimumrange typically involve enclosing or tenting of work areas, augmented by temporaryheating.If temporary heting is mployed, itisvery important to ventunits to the exterior of enclosures to prevent exposureto toxicfumes,and to prevent buildupof carbon dioxide, which can cause carbonation of cementitious materials. This condition typicallyoccurs when ambient temperaures during installtion are around 40°\mathsf{F} (5°0) and only affects exposed surfaces.The length of exposure isa function of time and temperature. Cement hydration stops at 32°{\mathsf{F}} (0°0) surface temperature,whenwaternecessaryforhydrationfreezes,and th cementhydrationprocessisseverelyretardedstartingat 40°\mathsf{F} (5°0) .For more information,please refertoTDS175“Cold Weather Tiling and Grouting"

As α general rule,air and surface emperatures should be maintained above 50°\mathsf{F} (10°0) during installtion of cement, epoxy, nd siliconebased products. Some cement adhesive product formulations may allow installation in temperatures close to 32°{\mathsf{F}} (0°0° and rising,however atthis criticalambientairtemperature threshold,i islikely that suface temperatures arebelowfreezing due to thermal lag, and hydration or other chemical reactionmay not occur at the adhesive interface.

NOTE:Concentration of carbon dioxide canbe elevated when temporaryheating units arenot properly vented outsideof any protective enclosure during cold temperatures.

As a simple rule of thumb; for every 18°\mathsf{F} (70°0) above 70°\mathsf{F} (21°0 cement based and epoxy based materials cure twice as fast. For every 18°\mathsf{F} (10°0) below 70°\mathsf{F} (21°0 cement based and epoxy based materials take twice as long to cure.

Dry and Windy Conditions can cause premature evaporation of waterwhichisnecessaryforhydrationincementitiousmaterials, and can result in loss of strength.Latex additives areformulated to significantly reduce this drying effectby coating cement with alatex film.However, in extreme dry,windy conditions coupled with high temperatures {>}90°\mathsf{F} (30°\complement) ,evenlatex additives donotprovide adequate protection.It isrecommended to provide temporary protectionagainst rapid evaporation ofmoisture duringhot, dry, windy conditions in the initial 36 -48 hours after installation of cement mortarreeds,plastersnders andcement gro and to augment by damp curing with periodic daily water misting. Cementbased adhesives are usually only susceptible to premature drying between the spreading of adhesive

and theinstatonf thefinish,and reqirenlymr protectionfrom dry, windy condiions during the open orexposed time of the adhesive.

Wet Conditions—Certain materials used in ceramic tile and stone assembliescanbe moisture sensitive.Forexample,thestrength of cementious adhesives can be reduced from constant exposure to wet ordm substrates.Some materils,suchas waterprofing membranes,may not cure properly or may delaminate froma continually wet or damp substrate.A damp substrate may also contribute to theformation of efforescence.This isa particular concern not only from normal rain exposure during construction, but alsonareasf an nstalltion, whichmaybe exposed to riing dampnessat groundlevel,orinareaswhereleksfrompoordesin or construction cause continual dampness in the substrate.When specifyingliquidlatex,ordryredispersiblepolymeradhesive morar, verify with the manufacturer that the polymer formulationis not water-soluble.However,evenformulations that arenot soluble when dryarevulnerabletowaterexposure duringtheinitialset period (typically1224hours)Therefore,itisessential to provide protection from anysignificant water exposure orwashing within this period toavoid loss ofstrengthand prevent possible fluid or latex migration staining.

5.3 Potential Bond Breaking Materials

Atileinstallationisonlyas good as its adhesionto the substrate and the tile.An adhesive, inanyform, willbond to the first thing o whichit cmes incont.I thtmterilisdirt, dst, pint, other impediment thatis lying onasurface,the adhesion to that substrate willbe compromised. The importance of a good, clean surfacecanntbeoveremphasizedregardessofthesubstratr tile adhesive.

Laitance —Laitance is a surface defect in concrete where a thin layer of weakened porland cement fines have migrated to the surface with excess“bleed"water orair from unconsolidated air pockets.Once the excesswaterevaporates,itleavesbehind athin layerfwhtapprsobhard cocrete surfacebnlit is weakened due to the high water to cement ratio at the surface. Laitancehasaveryowtensilestrength,and therefore,theadhesion of file willbe limited by the low strength of the laitance.

The removal of laitance by mechanical methods, including the use of chipping hammers or scarifying machines, is recommended The contaminated concrete surface should be removed until sound, clean concreteis encountered.Measurementof surfacetensile strength and the absence of loose material are good indicators of sound concrete.

Abrasiveblasting bymeansofadyorwet blasting process,o bead/shot blast methods are also acceptable for the removal of laitance onnew and fully cured concrete.Compressed air used in these methods must be oil free.Since wet abrasive blasting reintroducesmoisture intotheconcretesufficientdryingiems be allowed.

Curing Compounds,Sealers and FormRelease Agents—Liquid curing compounds and sealers are topically applied spray-on materials, which are designed to keep moisture in the slab.The constant amount of water keptinthe concrete by the curing compounds helps accelerate the curing time and improve the performance of the concrete.Curing compounds and concrete sealers arefrequentlyused inlltypesofconstruction,especially in fast track jobs.Unfortunately, lltypes of curing compounds, concretesealersandsurfacehardenersmustbecompletelyremoved fromsubstrates priortothe installtionof tileoranyinstalltion accessories, inclding waterproofing membranes. The preferred methods to remove these curing compoundsfrom the surface would beto bead-blast orshot-blast thehorizontalconcrete surface,and to high pressure wash vertical concrete surfaces.

There isvery simpleand effectivetesttoidentifythe presenceof curing compounds, sealers or other bond breaking conditions. Simply sprinkleafewdrops of wateronto the substrateand see what happens.Ifwaterabsorbs intothe slab thenit is usually suitable for the direct adhesion of tile.On the other hand, if the waterbeads up on the concrete surface (like water ona freshly waxed car) then there istypicallysomething present onthe concrete surface that can inhibit proper adhesion of the tile adhesive.While the water test is commonly used to determine the presence of bond inhibiting substances, it may not always be 100% accurate.

In addition, to determine if bondinhibiting contamination such as oil orcuring compounds are presentonconcrete,conduct the following test:taking proper safety precautions, mixα1:1 solution of aqueous hydrochloric (muriatic) acid and water, and place a few drops in various locations.If the solution causes foaming action, then the acid isallwed to reactfreely with the alkaline concrete, indicating that there is no likely contamination.If there is little or no reaction,chancesare theurfaceiscontaminated withilorcuring compounds. Acids do not affect orremove oily orwaxy residue, therefore, mechanical rmoval maybe necessary.

Contamination — Tile Installtion Preparation and Equipment

Anysurfacetoreceive tilewillalwaysbeexposedtovaryingdgrees of contamination,especiallynormal constructiondustand debris.Tile is offen installed during the last phase of the construction process. Imagine llother trades have been in and finishedtheir certain part of the construction, (ie. sheet rock, plumbing, painting, etc...). There is often paint, drywallcompound, oil and other materials on the substrate from prior trades that must be removed. One of the most dificulttasksfornyinstaller isthe prearationof thesurface before the installationof the tile/stone commences.However,itis one of themost importantsteps,if notthemostmporantsteto providing forαsuccessful, long lasting til installtion. Cleaning the surface ismandatorybefore tileis installed,and sometimes multiple washings willhave to take place before tiling.Just sweeping the flooris not good enough!

5.4 Substrate Tolerances Flatness and Levelness

Aflat, pne sustrate isanmpnt concenforanyle instaltion reqiring directbondhesiveaplictionAccording toindsty requirements (ANSI A108.01 —3.2) the following are the requirements for flatness of concrete slabs;

ANSI A108.01 3.2.1.1 -Where the mortar bed for the tile floors tobe bonded to the concrete slabs; "Screed finish concrete slabsthatare toreceive ceramic tile.Maximum permisible variation in the plane orslope is 1/4^{\prime\prime} .n 10^{\prime} (6 mm in 3 m) from the required plane when measured with a straight-edge... Properly cure slabs without using liquid curing compounds or other coatings."

■ANSI A108.01 3.2.1.2-Where tile is to be bonded directly to concrete with one of the thin-set methods;"Steel trowel and fine-broom finish concrete slabsthat are to receive ceramic tile. Maximum permissible variation of 1/4" in 10' (6 mm in 3 m) from the required plane.Cure concrete slabsthat are toreceive tile before tileapplication.Do notuse liqid curing comounds orothercotingsthatmaypreventbonding f the tileseig materialsto slabs.Slab shallbedryat time of tile installtion. Since anycracking of the concrete slab wil be transmitted to the finished surface, take allprecautions to prevent cracks in the concrete. Use control joints through the slab and tile finish aS specified or where cracks are anticipated."

Large format file nd stone applications mayrequireatighter tolerance of 1/8" .n 10^{\prime} (3 mm in 3 m) from the required plane. Greater deviations prevent the proper installation of tile into the adhesive,whichmayresult in numerous problems, including oss of bond or excessive lippage.As stated inANSIA108.01 2.6.2.2 "..iles with all edges shorter than15" (380mm),shallhave α maximum permissible variation of V4" (6mm) in 10^{\prime} (3m) from the required plane, and no more than 1/16" (1.5mm) in 12" (305mm) when measured from the high points in the surface.For tiles with at least one edge 15"(380mm) or longer, the substrate shall have a maximum permissible variation of 1/8" (3mm) in 10^{\prime} (3 m) from the required plane, and no more than 1/16" (1.5mm) variation in 24" (610mm) when measured from the high points in the surface..."

If wllevelness, picto-drainor ceing pitch toleranceshavent beenmet, thenit maybe necessary to employ remedial work, such as reconstruction,patching,grinding, orinstalltion of leveling mortars,creeds,rrenderse.0FortifiedMorrr LATICRETE Quick Cure Mortar Bed).

5.5 Final Surface (Residue) Cleaning

Once all corrections to the substrate have beenmade,the final and most mprtant stepof substrate preparationisthe finalcleaning not only of the residue from contamination and bulk removal processes described above,butalsocleaning of loose particles and dust from airborne contamination.

The final cleaning is considered minimum preparation for all substrates.Final cleaning canbe accomplished by pressurized waterasmentioned above,butcanalso be accomplished with standard pressure water and some agitationto eliminate the bond breaking effect of dustfilms.In some cases,airborne contamination is constant,requiring frequentwashing just priorto installationfcementlvelingplasterendersdhesivemras or membranes.Theuse of a wet vacum to remove residual water and contaminants willhelp ensure that the surface remains free of contaminants prior to installtion of the tile/stone.

There areno exceptions from this general rule; and the only variationis the drying time of the substrate prior to the application of the adhesive. Drying time is dependent on the tye of adhesive being used.With mostadhesives, the substrate canbe damp,with no standing water A surface film of water will inhibit grab and bond of even water insensitive cement and epoxy based adhesives.The use of a damp sponge just prior to installation of tile is an industryaccepted method to ensure that the substrate is cleaned of anydirt and constructiondust onthe properly preparedsubstrate.

5.6 Finish Material Preparation

Cleaning of thetileorstoneback,aswellas the substrate suface prevent contamination from inhibiting adhesive bond.While careful consideration is often given to the preparation of the substrate, preparation and cleaning of thebonding surface of theveneer is an overlooked specification item or quality control checkpoint. Considerations are dependent on the type of finish material.

Types of Finish Materials

■ Ceramic or Porcelain Tile — The bonding surface of the tiles maybe contaminated with dirt ordust from normal manufacturing, storage and handing.Porcelain tile may have a coating ofa release agent (known by terms such as bauxite or engobe) which prevents fusion of the tile to kiln surfaces during the firing process.The ye,mount, nd degreeofremovalof therlsegentpriortoshipping wil vary according to manufacturer or production batch.Itis recommended to wipe each tile withaclean, damp towel or sponge during or just prior to installation to maximize adhesive bond.Redispersible polymer cement and latex cement adhesive mortars canbe applied toadamp,butnot dripping wet surfaces.

■Stone Fbrication dstfromcuting, polishing and detaiing may leave a dustyresidue onthe bonding side of the stones. The back of the stone should alsobe wiped down withaclean damp sponge orclothand llowed todry priorto installtion for maximum adhesive bond. This may not apply to moisture sensitive stones where applying moisture to one side may cause warpage of the stone.

GlassTile The prepartionof a glasstil prior to installaion will varyby glass tilemaacurer Therefore, it isimpornt to followthe glasstile manufacturer's written installtion instructions.Inmany cases, theglasstiles should be wiped and cleaned of any dust orresidue with clean water and then should be wiped dry with aclean cloth prior to installation.

5.7 Adhesive Mixing Equipment and Procedures

Equipment and tools required formixing of adhesives are primarily dependent onthetype ofadhesiveand constructionsite conditions such as the size of project.

TYPESOFADHESIVES-LATEXCEMENTBASED ADHESIVEMORTARS

Manual Mixing

Bucket, rowel and mixing padle Mechanical Mixing ■Low speed dril(<300 rpm) and non-air entraining mixer blade (Figure 6.6) ■Rotating blade (forced action) batch mortar mixer (Figure 6.7)

Note : Rotating drumtype concrete mixers arenotsuitable formixing adhesive mortars.lnmixing cementadhesive mortars,alwaysdd the gauging liquid (waterorlatexadditive) to the mixing container or batchmixerfist.Beginmixing and add the dry cement based powder gradually untillpowder iswet, and mix continuously for approximately one minute or until mortar is wet and plastic. fusing site prepared powder mixes of portland cement and sand, add the sand firstuntilitiswet,and thenad thecement powderTake cautiontopreventover-mixing byblending only until themortariswet and plastic in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Overmixing can entrap ir in the wet morar and result inreduced density (high absorption willreduce freeze thaw stability) and strength.

Figure 5.7.1Varietyof Mixing Paddles Used for Thn-sets,Epoxy Adhesives or Grouts.36

EPOXY ADHESIVE

Manual Mixing

■ Bucket and trowel

Mechanical Mixing

Low speed dril (<300 rpm) and non-airentraining mixer blade

The mixing instructions for epoxy adhesives vary according to the manufacturer's formulations. The most common epoxy adhesives are three component products, which involve mixing two liquid components (resin and hardener), and a powder component (silica filler) Theliquids are mixd togethefist nd fullybendd fore adding filler powder.

There are several important considerations in mixing epoxies. The chemical reactionbegins immediately upon mixing the epoxy resin and hardener.Because the“pot"or useful life of the adhesive is relatively short (1hour) and can be further reduced by ambient temperatures above 70°\mathsf{F}(2\mathsf{l}°\mathsf{C}) ll preparation formixing and installtion of the epoxy adhesive should be made in advance.

Mixing shouldbedone inquantities that canbe installed within the prescribed usefullife under installtion conditions.Most epoxy adhesives cure by an exothermic or heat generating chemical reaction beginning with the mixing of the liquid components. The useful life of the eoxy not onlybeginsbeforeadding the filler powder,but theheatgenerated mayaccelerate the curing process in many formulations.Removal of the mixed epoxy fromthe mixing containeris one technique used todisipate heat generation and minimize set acceleration.Liquid components may also be cooled if anticipated ambient orsurface temperatures willexceed recommended usetemperaturerange.Conversely,epoxyadhesive cure is retardedbycold temeratures,and thecuring proces wil slow significantlyat temperatures below 40°\mathsf{F} (5°0) the cuing processshould continue unaffected if temperaturesare raised.

MORTARBEDS

■Aluminum Straight Edges and Screeds
■Concrete/Mortar Bed finishing trowel
Wheelbrrows
■ Square Edges Shovels
■ Steel Rakes
■ Walking Boards
■Mortar Bed /Tile Shoes
■Mortar Mixer

Figure 5.7.2—Rotating Blade Type Mixer.

5.8 Installation Tools and Procedures

The following are the basic tools and equipment used for the installationof ceramictile,porcelain tile,glass tile and stone finishes:

EQUIPMENTFORAPPLICATIONANDBEDDINGOF ADHESIVESANDGROUTJOINTS

Notched Steel Trowel
Flat Steel Trowel
■Margin Trowel
■Metal Applicator Gun (Silicone Sealant)
■Rubber Mallet
■Wood Beating Block
■Spacers, Shims and Wedges
■Grout Float (Cement or Epoxy)

CUTTING/FITTING OFFINISH MATERIALS

Wet Saw (See Figure 5.8.1) ■Ceramic TileCutter and Accessories

MEASUREMENT

■ Carpenter's Level
■ Laser Level
■Straight Edge (4' [1200 mm])

CLEAN-UP

■ Sponges, Towels
■Water Bucket
■Solvents(Epoxy or Silicones)

SAFETYEQUIPMENT

Safety Glasses
■Rubber Gloves
■Dust Mask/Respirator (if required)

Figure 5.8.1—A commercial grade wet saw isideal for cuting l types of tile and stone.

FUNCTIONSOFANOTCHEDTROWEL

■Gauges the Proper Thickness of Adhesive Provides Proper Configuration of Adhesive Aids in Efcient Application of Adhesive

Notched steel trowel — This is the primary and most fundamentally critical installation tool for the thinbed method of installation.The proper thickness of the adhesivelayeris dependent onthe type and size of finish,the cladding and substrate bonding surface texture, configuration and tolerance from consistent thickness.A"gauged"or "calibrated"finish is one withaconsistentthickness and aspecified tolerance fordeviation; an“nguged” cladding isnot consistentin thickness.Evengauged large formattileand stone canexperience thickness tolerances of up to 1/8^{\prime\prime} (3 mm).Notched steel trowels are available inseveral sizes and configurations to control thickness of appied adhesive mortar.

The configurationof adhesive applicationiscrical to performance of the tile or stone installation.

In addition to controlling final thickness of adhesive,the notched configuration results in"ribbons" or "ribs" of adhesive separated by spaces that control bedding orseing of the finish into the adhesive. The spaces allow the ribs of adhesive to fold intooneanotherto decreasetheresistancetopressurerequiredforproperontat, and provide contrlledmehdofilingallar voidsnd allowig escape ofairparallel t the ribsThisfnctioniscricl inassurig fullcontact and coverage of adhesive,not only to ensure maximum bond strength, but also to eliminate air voids or channels, which can harbor or transport moisture.

Figure 5.8.2 Notched trowel sizes for installation of adhesive mortars.

It is important to maintain the specified notch depth and configuration of notched steel trowels throughout the project. The angle of application can have a significant effect on the height of adhesive ribs, which in turn can affect the height to width ratio necessary for control of thickness and elimination of air voids.Therefore,it is recommended to prohibit the common use of severelyworn trwels andtorequirefrequentlaning and specification of application angle as part of the specification and quality control inspection program.Aflat steel trowel isa tool used in applying an initial thin layer of adhesive in positive contact with both the bonding surface of the tile, also known as back-buttering,and the surface of the substrate.The opposite side of anotched trowel typically has a flat edge for this purpose.A rubber mallet (orwood beating block, or hard rubber grout float for smallertiles)canbe used tobeatin the tilesaffer theyare placed toassure fullcontact withthe dhesive, and elminte any voids in the adhesive layer.

THINBED INSTALLATIONPROCEDURE

The following isan abbreviated step-by-step process for the
application of thin bed adhesive mortars.Follow the explicit
nanufacturer's installation instructions for detailed information.For
access to full installation specifications for thinbed, thick bed and
membrane instructions — see section 6. 1. Apply a thin skim coat (1/16" [1.5 mm] thick) of thin-set or epoxyadhesive to the properly prepared dampened substrate withtheflatsideof the trowel; ensure goodcontact byscratching theedgeof thetrowelagainstthesurface. 2. Additional thi-set or epoxy adhesive isthenapplied with the notched side of the trowel. Comb the mortar on the surface with the notched trowel holding it as close as possible to 090° angle to the substrate. This will ensure the proper size of notches.Ensure that mortar“ribs"are full and uniform in shape and thickness.
3.The ribs of thin-set or epoxy adhesive should be troweled in one direction only,and notinaswirl pattern.Ifadditional thickness of adhesive is needed, add to the back of the tile orstone using the same procedure as onthe substrate, making sure that the direction of the combed mortar is identical to the one on the substrate.Mortar notches running perpendicular means you will end up with notches in two directions that disturb each other and consequently will not allow fulcontact between the mortar and the back of the tile.
4.As a rule, tile sizes larger than 12"x12" (300 x 300 mm) should be back-buttered. Back buttering not only improves the contact between the mortar and the back of the til,butalsohelpsto ensurecompletecoverage.
5.The tileshouldbe pressed intoplace,and eitherwisted and pressed into position, or for tile sizes 12"x12"(300 x 300 mm) and greater, slide into position with aback and forth motion perpendicular to the direction of the thin-set or epoxy adhesive ribs.
6.Thefinal step is to beat-in ceramic tile orstone with a rubber mallt and beating block, or, for mosaic tile the use of hard rubber grout float to ensure thin-set orepoxy adhesive contact and make surface level with adjacent tiles.

Figure 5.8.3-{\tt A} notched trowel has several important functions that contribute to a successful installation of ceramic tile.

Figure 5.8.4-\mathtt{A} rubber mallet isused to“beat" the tile into good contact with the mortar

5.9 Grout and Sealant Materials, Methods and Equipment Purpose of Grout or Sealant Joints -The joints or spaces between pieces of tile servesseveralimportant purposes.Aesthetically, joints serveasadesign element, primarly to lend a pleasing scale with any size tile module.Functionally, joints minimize or prevent water infiltration,and compensate forvarying dimensional tolerancesof thetilorstoneMoremporntly,though,gro sealant locks the tile into place and provides protection against various delaminating forces. Depending on the joint material, a joint filler(eg.LATASITM) may alsoactto dissipate shear stress caused by movement.

Compensate for Tile Thickness Tolerances - The joints between tiles compensate for allowable manufacturing or fabrication tolerances,so that consistent dimensions(fromcentertocenter of joints or full panel dimensions) can be maintained.As a result joints must be wide enoughto allw variations in the joint width to accommodate manufacturing or fabrication tolerances in the tile without being evident.

Minimize Water/Moisture/Steam Infiltration - Filled joints between tiles allow most surface water tobe shed. This helps prevent infiltration of water, which can lead to saturation of thesetting bedandsubstratefreezing,strengthlossandf florescence.Depending on the grout orsealant material used, nd the qualityof installtion, nogrout or tile will be 100% effective against water penetration,so there may alwaysbeasmall amount of water infiltrationby capillary absorption.Therefore, the use of a waterproofing membrane (HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane, HYDRO BAN, etc...) is strongly recommended in wet area applications.Forsteam room/steamshower applications, SPECTRALOCK? PRO Premium is the ideal grout due to its strength, low absorptionrate and chemical resistance.

Dissipate Movement Stress —Probably the most important functionof groutorealant joints istoprovide stressresistance and stress relief.The composite locking action with the adhesive layer allows the tilefinishtobetterresist shear and tensile stress. Joints serveto provide stressrelief of thermal and moisturemovement that could cause delaminationorbond failure i the edges of the tiles were butted tightly.Further isoltion of movement is handledby separating sections of tile with movement joints.This ensures that the grout orsealant joint should alwaysfailfirstby relieving unusual compressivestressfrom expansionbeforeit can overstressthe tile finishoradhesive interface.The disspation ofstress providesanadditional safetyfactorgainst dangeros delamination or bond failure.

Grout Installation Procedure

The following is anabbreviated step-by-step processfor the installation of grout.Followthe explicit manufacturer installation instructionsfordetailed information.Foraccesstofull grout instal lation specifications (see Section 7).

1.Priortogrouting,itisessentialto conductatestpanel (preferably as part of the preconstruction quality assurance procedures to test the grouting installation and clean-up

procedures nder actual climatic conditions.During this test, you may determine the need to apply a grout release or sealer to the tile prior to grouting in order to aid in clean up and prevent pigment stain and absorption of cement paste (especially latex cement or epoxy liquids) into the pores of the tile.This test may also determine if additional adjustments are necessary,suchassaturation of thefinish with watertoreduce temperature,lowerabsorption,andaid in installation and cleaning. Conducting a test panel will also allow forfinaldetermination of the grout color in relationto the tile, lighting and other environmental factors to which the finished installation will be exposed.
2. Wait a minimum of 24 hours after installation of tile before grouting.
3. Before commencing with grouting, remove all temporary spacers orwedges; rake anyloose excess adhesive mortar from joints.Removeanyhardenedthin-set orpxy adhesive, which is above half the depth of the tile.Insert temporary filler (e.g. rope, foam rod) in movement joints to protect fromflling with hard grout material. Wipe the tile surface with asponge or fowel dampened with water to remove dirt and to aid in cleanup.
4. Apply the grout joint material with a rubber grout float, making sure to pack joints full.

Figure 5.8.5—Rubber grout float

5.Remove excess groutby squeegee actionwiththe edge of the rubber grout flot, digonl tothe jointstoprevent pulling of grout from the joints. 6.Allow grout to take an initial set and follow the appropriate cleanup processforthepecific grottypeusedasstated in the manufacturer's writen installtion instructions. 7. Any remaining weakened grout haze or film should be removed within 24 hours using a damp sponge or towel.

5.10 Post Installation Cleaning

Most clean up should occur during the progress of the installation. Hardened adhesive and grout joint residue may require more aggressive mechanical or chemical removal methods than required while stillrelatively fresh.Waterbased cement and latexcement adhesives cleaneasilywithwaterwhilefresh,ormayrequire minor scrubbing orcareful scraping together with water within the first day.poxy,aswell as silicone orurethane adhesives and joint sealants,mayrequiremoreggressivescrubbingandsolventsif residue is greater than 24 hours old.

5.11 Protection of New Tilework

To avoid damage to finished tilework, schedule floor installations to begin only after all sructural work, building enclosure, and overhead finishing work,suchasceilings,painting,mechanical and electrical work are completed.Keep alltraffic offinished tile floors until they have fully cured.Builder shallprovide up to %" thick plywood or OSB protection over non-staining kraft paper to protect floors after installtion materialshave cured. Covering the floor with polyethylene or plywood in direct contact with the floormayadverselyaffecthe curing processof groutand latex/ polymer modified porland cement mortar.37

Section 6: Steam Room/Steam Shower Tile Installation

6.1 Tile Installation Materials Performance and Selection Criteria

The information contained in Section6 is applicable to twotypes of constructionmethods; concrete/concrete block and wood/steel framing.

The performance nduseof fleadhesives areregulatedby thecontry county and/or city according to prominent standards that govern the installationof ceramictil,porcelainveneersand stoneSomeof thee standards are discussed in Section3.6. Compliance may be mandatory orvoluntary intherespective communities,dependinguponwhether the standard is incorpoated into abilding code.

Criteria forSelectionofAdhesivesand Mortars

High Adhesive Strength (Tensile and Shear Bond Strength)
■ Water Resistant
■Flexible (Differential Movement)
■Permanent Under Wet Conditions
■Temperature Resistant
■Non-toxic and User Friendly
■Good Working Properties Open Time, Pot Life and Sag Resistance)

High Adhesive Strength (Tensile and Shear Bond Strength)- Shearstress occurswhenaforceisappliedparalleto theface of the material.The greatertheresistanceto shearstress,thehigherthe shear strength result.

Tensile stressoccurs whenforceisaliedtpullmaterial tothepoint where it losesbondwith the surface towhichitisapplied. The grete he resistance totensilestress,thehigherthe tensilestrengthreul.

Mortars which meet ANSIA118.3 (e.g. LATAPOXY 300 Adhesive) ANSI A118.15 (257 Titanium,254 Platinum, MULTIMAX" LITE) or ISO C2S1 (minimum) are ideal for steam room installtions.

WaterResistance—Forproperperformance inwet area applications, including both commercial and residential steam rooms, atile adhesive must notbe soluble inwateraffer it isfullycured. The adhesive should also develop water insensitivity within 24— 48 hoursoasnotforequireanunreasonabledegreeof protection against deterioration when exposed to water.

Flexible (Differential Movement)— Adhesive must have a low modulus of elasticity (flexibility), to withstand differential movement between the finish material and the underlying substrate/structure. Differentiol movement can be caused by uneven or sudden temperature changes, moisture expansion orshrinkage of the veneer,substraterstructure,or,changingliveloadswhichre common and expected in a steam room environment.

Permanence —This criteria may seem obvious,but evenif all other performance criteria aremet,beware thatsome adhesive mortars canbecome soluble inapplications where moisture isprominent (e.g.steam rooms/steam showers)and may deteriorate over time.In addition, some epoxies can become brittle with age,and some urethanes can undergo a phenomenon known as “reversion", where the adhesive maysoftenand revert toits original viscous state.Certain polymericmodifications of cement work only to enhance the workability and curing process to improve the physical characteristis ofcement,butmaynotcontribute anysignificant lasting improvement to the physical characteristics of the cement adhesive mortar.

Fire and Temperature Resistance —When cured,adhesives must meet building code requirements and standard engineering practices by not contributing any fuel or smoke in the event of a fire. In addition, the adhesive must maintain its strength and physical propertiesduring andafterexposure tohightemperatures,fireor from absorption of heat under normal service.

Good Working Properties — The adhesive should have good working propertiesto ensureacosteffectiveand problem-free installtion. This means that the adhesives must be easy to handle mix and apply without having to take extraordinary measures. Good initialdhsive grabtth sustratend thihmtril g potlife,long pentme,vertical sagresistance and tmperare insensitivity are llrecommended working properties.

Non-Toxic and User Friendly- The adhesive should be nonhazardous during storage, installation, disposal, and use.This includes other materials, which may benecessary forpreparation of final cleaning.The adhesive shouldbe non-toxic, non-flammable, low odor, easy to use, and environmentlly (VOC) compliant. It is always best to verify low VOC content and low VOC emissions compliance byobtaining third partycertificationf the installtion materials(eg. UL GREENGUARD Gold).For example,LATICRETE International, In. manufactures a variety of seting materials for steam room/steam shower applications (and otherwise) which are UL GREENGUARD Gold cerified.For more information, please click thislink.

Transparent — The products used should have publicly available Health Product Declarations (HPD)to disclose any associated hazards of raw materials used to make the installation materials LATICRETE provides HPDs to the 100 ppm disclosure threshold.

LATICRETE also provides Product Specific (Type IlI) Environmental Product Declarations (ED)for cement based adhesive mortars cement based grouts and cement based sel-leveling underlayments The LATICRETE EPDs are created and verified according to SO 14025,and are based onalifecyleassssment according tSO

14040 and IS014044. LATICRETE EPDs are third party verifiedby the Program Operator, UL Environment. LATICRETE HPDs and EPDs are available by clicking this link.

6.2 Methods of Installation

Bedding of Tiles－Solidly bedding tile is one of the most important steps to achieving a permanent and trouble free installation.Backbuttering tileandensuringcompletecoverage withoutairpocketsor voids isakeyprocess to meeting thisllimportant end.The project design professional can specify this procedure inthe installation specification to ensure that this step is part of the construction process.Tileinstallers orinspectors shouldperiodically remove some tile to verifythat sitable coverage isbeing attaine.Forwetares American National Standards Institute (ANSI)A108.5 2.0 and 3.0 require a minimum of 95% coverage.Ensuring that no voids exist under the tile will minimize or inhibit water penetration into the adhesive and into the pore structure of the tileorstone,as well as fully support the tile and prevent damage.See Section5.8for more information on the application of adhesives,and on how to achieve maximum coverage.

Tile and stone forsteamrooms canbe installedbyutilizing thinbed, medium bed and thick bed methods. The installation of thick bed mortar on steam room floors is suitable but appropriate precautions must be follwed, inclding expansion jon placement, proper l to drain of 1/4" per ff(6mm per 300mm) and a waterproofing membrane. There are twobasic methods for installtion of tile or stone in a steam room/steam shower. Refer to Section 7for in depth information on the following application method types:

■Thick Bed (LATICRETE Method ES-SR613 or TCNA Method SR613)
Thin Bed Method or Medium Bed Method (LATICRETE Method ES-SR614 or TCNA Method SR614)
Thick Bed Method with HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane (LATICRETE Method ES-SR613S orTCNA Method SR613)
Thin Bed Method or Medium Bed Method with HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane (LATICRETE Method ES-SR614S orTCNA Method SR614)

6.3 Water and Water Vapor Diffusion Control

Importance—It is widely understood and accepted that water or moisture inareas whereit cannot be seen or controlled ina building's structure willinevitably lead to damage. Ensuring that the waterandwatervaporare controlledasdesignedbythedesign and structure of anassembly willminimize oreliminate costly remediation and repair of the source of the moisture,and of the strutureelfsrinthtuirrlynstld diffusionretarder (vaporbarrier) and waterproofing membrane wil help to extend the long-term performance of asteam room/steam shower and protect the structure of the steamroom/steam shower and the surounding building.

VaporDiffusionRetarder/VaporBarrier-Asdiscussed in Section3.5, avapor diffusion retarder (vaporbarrer) isamaterial that reduces the rate at which water vapor can move through the material. Using the term vaporbarrer canbe misleading since the phrase implies that no vaporwill be able to passthroughabarrier Since everything allowssome water vaportodiffuse through it to some degree, the term“vapor diffusion retarder" is more accurate,and for the purposes of thismanualwillbe used as such Diffusion is defined as the movement of atoms or molecules from an area ofhigher concentrationand/or pressure toanarea of lower concentrationand/orpressure.Forexample,moisturevapor under concentration/pressureinasteamroomwillbe drivenby difusionthroughthe vapordiffusionretarderto thearea of lower concentration/pressure (wall cavity).

MaterialSelection-Theability ofamaterialtoretard thediffusion of water vapor is measured by units known as"Perms" or permeability. A perm at 73.4°\mathsf{F} (23°0) is a measure of the number of grains of water vapor passing througha square foot (0.093 m2) of material perhouratadifferentil pressure equal to one inch of mercury (25.4 mmHg). One (1) perm equals one grain of water vapor/hour or 5.72 x10-8 (0.0000000572) g/Paosm2.

Vapordiffusionretarders(vaporbarriers)areclassified usingASTM E96-Desiccant Method @ 73.4°\mathsf{F} (23°0) and are based on the following requirements:

ClassI(Vapor impermeable):0.1perms or less (Sheet polyethylene, Non-perforated aluminum foil) ClassIl:(Vapor semiimpermeable) >0.1\ f0<=1.0 perms (Kraff-faced fiberglassbatt insulation) ClassIll: (Vapor semi-permeable) {>}1.0\ f0<=}10.0 perms (Latex or enamel paint)38

Why isavapordiffusionretarder (vaporbarier) important in steam room? Let's look at some steam room facts;

1. Water, in the form of moisture vapor is forced into the room via a steam generator unit.

2.As water vapor enters the steam room at high temperature typiclly between 105°{\mathsf{F}} (47°0 and 120°\mathsf{F} (48.9°\complement) and at a pressure higher than the ambient air outside of the steam room.This pressure willrange from approximately 2.24 inches of mercury (Hg) to 3.43 inches of Hg (56.8\hbar087.2 mmHg). (See Figure 6.3.1 for more information)

6.3.1WatrVporrsureTa,whichcbsedthlpdemin themtofwaervporthtcapassthroghmterial

3. The relative humidity in a steam room is usually 98% to 100%

4.According to Figure 6.3.2,at 122°{\mathsf{F}} (50°0, 1 f of air space ina steam room holds about 0.0052 Ib/f3 of water vapor. Ina steam room which is 8'x 8'x 7" (2.4x2.4x 2.1\mathfrak{m}) this means that 2.33 Ibs. of water is present in the air. This water vapor is being pushed out through the walls, foorndceing asmorewataporisbeing foredi the room.

The amount of moisture vapor that can move througha vapor difusionretarder (vaporbarrier) canbe calculated using the followig equation;

M= Overall coeffient ofvaporfransmission oroverallPermvale (some references also use Mto designate thePermvalue for individual materials), grains water vapor/hr-sq ff

W= Total massof watervaportransmisionperunit area inunit time, grains water vapor/hr-sq ff

P w_{\scriptscriptstyle{l}}-P w_{\scriptscriptstyle{2}}= Difference of vaporpressurebetween ends of the flow path, in Hg41

As an example —a vapor difusionretarder(vapor barrier) with a perm rating of 1.0 is installed in the walls and ceiling of asteam room.The vapor pressure in the steam room is 3.07 in.Hg and the pressure in the wllcavity is 1.0 in. Hg. Using the formula (assuming 115°\mathsf{F} (46.7°\complement) temperature);

For anassemblyutilizingavapordiffusionretarder (vaporbarrier) with a perm rating _{0\dag0.\dag} the equation would be as follows;

W{=}0.1x(2.98-1.0){=}0.198 grains water vapor/hr-sq ff (0.138\mathfrak{g}/\mathfrak{h}\bullet\mathfrak{m}^{2})

{\ln{0\nmid}8^{\prime}x8^{\prime}x7^{\prime}(2.4x2.4x2.1\ m)} steam room,there are approximately 260 f2 (24.1~\mathsf{m}^{2}) of wall and ciling space (not counting the door).Using avapor difusion retarder (vapor barier) with a pem rating of 1.0, theamount of water vaporgeting through the vapor diffusion retarder equates to1.18 oz/hr (34.9 mL),while the vapor difusion retarder (vapor barrier) witha perm rating of 0.1 allows only 0.118 oz/hr (3.49 mL) through. If 15-mil reinforced polyolefin with a perm rating of 0.025 is used, the water vapor fransmissionrate wouldbe approximately 0.02902/ hr (0.858 ml).

Since interiorwallcvitiearetypicallyntvenedorpressurized any moisture vapor that transpires through the vapor difusion retarderwillcondense and can accumulate verfime.Making sure that the moisture does not escape through the vapor diffusion retarder (vaporbarier) isne of the most imporantdesign considerations for steam room/steam shower applications.

ProperPlacement-It is very imporant tomake surethat the vapor diffusion retarder (vapor barrier) is installed on all of the walls and the ceiling,and isonecontinuous piece of material(ifatl possible), and that the vapor diffusionretarder (vapor barrier) laps into the shower panliner The moisture vapor will move from areas of higherconcentration to areas of lower concentration (diffusion), aswellas,reasof higherpressurefoareasof lowerpressureThe pressure insteamroom, as determined earlier, is greater than the ambient air outside of the steam room, and, thehumidity in the steam room is between 98 and 100% while the humidity in conditioned airspace outside of thesteamroomisbetween 40- 55% Higher moisture concentration and pressure inthe steamroom means the physics is forcing the moisture vapor toleave the room and equalize with the ambient air.

Forbest performance the vapor diffusionretarder (vaporbarrier) should have a Perm rating of \mathtt{\le0.5} less to keep the moisture vapor (which can permeate the material) to an absolute minimum. The vapor diffusion retarder (vaporbarrier) must alsobe installed to drain into the showerpanliner fomake sure that anywaterthat condenses onthematerial wilflowbygravity into the shower pan and eventullydown the weepholes of the drain.If the vapor difusion retarder (vaporbarier) isnot placed so that it drains into the shower pan, any water that condenses and reaches the bottom of thevapor difusion retarder (vaporbarrier) wilendupinwal spaces of adjacent areas where damage can occur.

Itisthe responsibilityof the project designprofesonals to determine howwaterproofing, inulation, air barre (if require), vaprdifusionretder (vaprbarier),nrations r window(s), and any other componentintegration is tobe accomplished.llof these designcomponents mustbe properlytied together to prevent moisture from accumulating in places where it is not intended to be present.

LowPerm Waterproof Membranes-A new category of waterprof membrane forsteam rooms and steam showers was introduced in the 2013TCNA Handbook forCeramic,Stone and Glass Tile Installtion which wouldallow for the installtion of one product toact as both waterproofing andvapordifusionretarder (vapor barrier).

A membrane must have a perm rating of 0.5 perms or less when tested perASTME96"Standard Test Methods forWaterVapor Transmission of Materials"Procedure Ein order to qualify as“low perm".ASTM E96 Procedure E— Desscant Method testing is performed at 100°F (38°() and 90% relative humidity to better reflet the actual conditions found in a steam room.

Any waterproofing membrane,whichdoes nothavepermrating \boldsymbol{0\dag0.5} perms orless, must have avapor difusion retarder vapor barier) installed behind the wllassembly, and thevapor diffusion retarder(vaporbarrer)musthaveawatervaporpermeance rating \boldsymbol{\mathfrak{0}}\boldsymbol{\mathfrak{f}}\boldsymbol{0}.\boldsymbol{]} perm or less when tested perASTME96 Procedure A.

Waterproofing/Anti-Fracture Membranes-Many antifracture and/or waterproofing membranes canbe applied over concrete, mortarbeds,andcementbackerboard.Some membranes serves both waterproofing and antifracture membranes (e.g. HYDRO BAN? or9235 Waterproofing Membrane)and are ideal foruse in locker rooms,showers,steamrooms/steamshowers and otherwetare.

The installtionof waterproofing iscoveredunder ANSI A108.13 "Installtionof LodBearingBondedWaterproofMmbranefor Thin-setCeramicTile and DimensionStone",and crack isolation is covered under ANSIA108.17 "Installtion of Crack Isolation Membranes for Thin-set CeramicTile and Dimension Stone".The product standards forwaterproofing canbe found under ANSI Al18.10"Standard Specification for Load Bearing.Bonded, Waterproof Membranes forThin-set CeramicTile and Dimension Stone Installtion" and the product standards for crack isolation membranes can be found under ANSI A118.12 "Standard Specification for Crack IsolationMembranes for Thin-set Ceramic Tile and Dimension Stone Installtion".

Types of membranes that may be suitable for a steam room/steam shower application include;

Sheet membranes-Sheet membranes (e.g.HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane) are typically made from chlorinated polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride,and othermaterials.Sheet membranes are made in a variety of lengths and widths to accommodate many different types of installtions, with prodct performance that canvr depending on the manufacturer and product type.Generaly, these sheet membranes have polyester scrim or fiberglass mesh adhered to or incorporated inboth sides of the membrane sheet that allows ittobebonded tothesubstrate,and sbsequently,tileorstoneo bond directly to the sheet membrane. The polyester scrim in HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane is infused into the chlorinated polyethylene membrane to minimize the chances of the scrim losing adhesion to the membrane.HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane is ideal foruse inasteamroom,but,if anothermanufacturer'ssheetmembrane willbeused thencheckwiththesheetmembranemanufacturer for suitability in these applications.

HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane has a perm rating of 0.06, so it is ideal foruse asαvapor diffusionretarder/vaporbarrie and as a waterproofing membrane in a steam room/steam shower application.Please note that some sheet type membranes may not act as both vapor diffusion retarder (due tohigh permeance properties) andas awaterproofing membrane, so check with the membrane manufacturer prior to specifying.

Typically, a latex porland cement mortar, meeting ANSI A118.4 or ANSIA118.15 (e.g. 254 Platinum, 257 TitaniumTM),is used to bond the membrane to the substrate and to bond ile orstone to the membrane. Iftime is a limiting factor, some membrane manufacturers allow the use of aspecial quick seting adhesive to adhere the sheet membrane to the substrate, which inturn allows the installationof tile to takeplace sooner without the lossof bond of the membrane to the substrate.

It is very important to consider themoisture vapor emission rate (MVER) and the alkalinity of the concrete slab prior to the installationof the products.AhighMVERrate ina concrete or mortarbed substrate,and /orhighalkalinity can create adhesion problems and can even be destructive to the membrane and the overall installation. The sheet membrane manufacturer can provide information on the MVER and alkalinitylimits of their products

Sheet type membranes are pressed into contact with the substrate in an effort to eliminate air bubbles and voids between the membrane and substrate.Generally, this canbe done using a75-or 100 (34-45kg) pound sheet vinyl roller or other method to eliminate air bubbles.Itis imporant tonote that the substrate orseting bed surface must meet thesame substrate smoothness criteriarequired for direct bond tile applications. If the surface is not smooth and flat enoughfor ile,thenitisntsmoothand flat enoughforsheet membrane.Flatten or repair the substrate prior to installation of HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane or other sheet membrane product.

The family of HYDRO BANSheet Membrane products includes sealing tapeand pre-formed insideand outside corners tofacilitate installationincriticalareas suchas coners and coves,aswell as collars that should permanentlyseal pipe penetrations shower diverters and other penetrations.(See Figure 6.3.4)

Precautions and concerns with sheet type membranes are as follows:

1. Trapping air below the sheet membrane may cause air pockets to formand radically diminish the compressive strength of the installation.
2. Overlapping and sealing the seams.The seams canbe treated withasuitable sealant,thin-set orsolvent.Follow the specificinstalltioninstructionsforthesheetmembranebeing installed.ForHYDROBAN Sheet Membrane please click this link for the installation instructions.
3.Membrane thicknessincreases in the folds of inside and outsidecorners,seamsandothertransitionareas.Additional flashing orskim coating treatment may be necessary to minimize the effects that this canhave on the finish tile appearance.The use of apre-formed corner orcollar will minimize thickness andallowforeasier installation of the finishveneer.Follow the instructions tokeep the total thickness of the membrane to a minimum.
4. High alkalinity canattack andadversely affect certin adhesives used to bond the sheet membrane to the substrate.
5.HighMVER-generally in excessof 5Ibs./1,000f/24 hours (283mg/sm^{2}) may have anegative impact on the adhesion of sheet type membranes (follow membrane manufacturer's guidelines forareas withexcessiveMVER).
6.Sheet membranes may or may not meet ANSI A118.12 standards for crack suppression/anti-fracture.Check with membrane manufacturer for more information.

Figure 6.3.4— The familyof HYDRO BAN Sheet Membrane components

HYDRO BAN Board-HYDRO BAN Board is a proprietary board with a sheet membrane adhered to the surface of the foam material. This means thatthe surface of HYDRO BAN Board is already waterproofed with a low perm (Class 1) membrane, and only requireshsemorvestenendntion waterproofed with HYDRO BAN? Sheet Membrane.