MAPEI has the complete solutions for bathroom renos

In recent years, economists have noted home equity is an increasingly large portion of Canadians’ household wealth.^[1] Whether you are thinking about selling your condo or home, or simply aiming to maximize its appeal, renovating the bathroom is one of the best ways for homeowners to enhance the value of what is often their most important investment.

Besides, who doesn’t appreciate a modern, updated look to their bathroom? With creature comforts like heated flooring, easy-to-clean non-slip surfaces, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) or large-format ceramic tile – and spacious showers fitted with customized niches and benches – today’s installers can offer many affordable luxury options that previous generations could only dream about, now all bundled into a single-source solution from MAPEI.

MAPEI: a world-class leader in construction solutions for bathroom renos

MAPEI brings over 85 years of know-how in products and system solutions for construction, and bathroom renos have been a longstanding specialty. Our extensive network of international R&D laboratories has led to innovations in setting and sealing technologies like BioBlock® for mold and mildew resistance, and DropEffect, to help repel water, dirt and grime from penetrating grout joints. And since 2023, we offer several premium products that are fully offset for CO₂ emissions throughout their entire product lifecycle, always keeping sustainability and quality top of mind. 

At MAPEI Canada, we can help you model solutions for any bathroom renovation you have in mind, whether you are planning to tear down the entire shower and bathroom and create a design of your own, or simply add a new tile or stone covering onto the existing finish for a fresh look.

When it comes to shower systems, MAPEI has been an industry leader for decades in tile & stone installation systems, including easy-to-apply, fast-drying waterproofing membranes. In recent years, MAPEI also introduced complementary Mapeheat™ floor-heating systems and a non-slip Shower System 4 LVT solution.

Mapeguard Shower Systems

The latest addition to our Shower Systems line finally brings all the elements to the table for a complete re-imagining of the shower and bathroom to fit any style (and any budget), with Mapeguard Board and a full complement of integrated bonding flange drains, together with 100% made-in-Canada ready-to-order Diaplas profiles and trims for a single-source solution unlike anything we’ve been able to offer before. This comprehensive suite of products revolutionizes bathroom construction and renovation, offering a complete solution for waterproofing, drainage and shower infrastructure.

A total system solution for shower installations, Mapeguard Shower Systems provides easy-to-install components and solves several common problems that are associated with shower stalls, bath surrounds and wet environments in residential and commercial projects. Mapeguard Shower Systems integrates cutting-edge technology and superior materials to deliver unparalleled performance and durability. With a focus on ease of installation and long-lasting reliability, this system solution empowers users to create stunning, watertight showers with minimal effort.

Key components of Mapeguard Shower Systems include:

• Foam boards and membranes: Engineered to provide exceptional waterproofing and insulation, these foam boards and membranes offer superior protection against moisture intrusion, ensuring the longevity of your shower installation.
• Preformed shower base: Mapeguard Pre-Formed Shower Tray is pre-sloped and made from high-density, expanded polystyrene (EPS) with a high-quality waterproofing sheet membrane bonded to the polystyrene foam. Waterproof, lightweight, durable and ready to tile, Mapeguard Pre-Formed Shower Tray simplifies and reduces installation time. Its waterproof attributes do not contribute to mold or mildew.
• Preformed niches: Streamline your shower design with preformed niches, which offer convenient storage space while maintaining a sleek and seamless appearance.
• Mapeguard Drain: Choose from a range of drain kits, available in PVC (white) and ABS (black) plastic risers, to effectively manage water drainage. Each kit includes essential components such as the drain base, weeping cup, tile-support web, grate holder, spacers and double-sided tape.
• Preformed benches and seats: Enhance comfort and functionality with preformed benches and seats, crafted for durability and ease of installation.
• Preformed curbs: Ensure a watertight seal around your shower enclosure with preformed curbs, designed to simplify the transition between the shower and bathroom floor.

To further enhance aesthetics and customization options, Mapeguard Shower Systems offers three Mapeguard Drain Grate drain-cover choices: polished stainless steel, brushed nickel and matte black. This choice allows users to achieve a sleek, modern finish that complements any bathroom design.

Wall and floor joints, seams, fasteners, penetrations and critical areas (corners, edges and pipes) must also be waterproofed to complete the process. Approved waterproofing membranes are Mapelastic^® AquaDefense and Mapelastic Turbo with MAPEI’s Reinforcing Fabric, using a two-coat application. Another option is Mapeguard WP 200 waterproofing sheet membrane with Mapeguard WP ST sealing tape along with special accessory items Mapeguard PIC, Mapeguard POC, Mapeguard VC and Mapeguard PC. Install Mapeguard accessory items with a MAPEI polymer-modified mortar meeting ANSI A118.4 and/or A118.15 or classified as at least ISO 13007 C2E or C2F.

Mapeguard Shower Systems products are ready to receive tile with a polymer-modified thin-set mortar application (a mortar compliant with ANSI A118.4 and/or A118.15, or classified as at least ISO 13007 C2E or C2F.)

Mapeguard Shower Systems are for use in interior residential, light commercial and commercial wet applications. They are designed to provide a hassle-free, complete solution for installing shower stalls, including gang showers, pet showers, steam rooms, steam showers, tub surrounds and bathrooms.

Mapeguard Drain and Mapeguard Drain Grate Industry standards and approvals

• Certified to the ASME A112.18.2/CSA B125.2 – 2020 edition
• Code approved to the UPC, IPC, California Plumbing Code and the Plumbing Code of Canada

MAPEI solutions for bathroom renos: Incorporating Mapeheat radiant floor-heating

Without missing a beat, MAPEI offers two different energy-efficient floor-heating solutions that are completely compatible and a welcome addition to any bathroom renovation: choose between the Mapeheat Membrane and Mapeheat Cable solution; or the pre-wired, customizable Mapeheat Mat, in either 12W or 15W configurations. Programmable, wifi-enabled thermostats are also available. Easy to install and made from advanced technology, our electric floor heating systems are suitable for use with almost any flooring material, including tile and stone floors, engineered wood flooring, laminate floors and LVT flooring.

MAPEI solutions for bathroom renos: Finishing with quality trims

Tile edges and corners can acquire a sleek, durable aesthetic with the addition of aluminum or PVC trims, as with our Diaplas Regular L-Shaped or Diaplas Regular Rounded profiles. They are available in an extensive range of colors, meticulously curated to complement the diverse array of tints and shades found in ceramic tiles. From classic neutrals to bold hues, you can effortlessly achieve a cohesive and harmonious aesthetic in any tile installation project.

And if your design calls for a curved edge, we also offer a bendable solution: Diaplas Flexible L-Shaped , which supports all kinds of shapes to audacious ceramic tile layouts, providing decorative joints between surfaces of different materials, rounded and spiral edges, and other sophisticated ideas. 

MAPEI solutions for bathroom renos: Shower System 4 LVT

If the traditional ceramic tile bathroom and shower isn’t your thing, modern LVT is a popular option that can save material cost while being just as gorgeous and functional, and it can be applied jointlessly, saving the time and cost of applying grout. To install LVT in wet environments MAPEI developed the Shower System 4 LVT, a combination of products that allows installation of LVT in showers, tubs and other wet environments.

The installation of LVT in wet environments starts off similarly to tile projects, with the proper placement of a waterproofing membrane over the entire surface (this precedes the application of the Planiprep^®4 LVT skimcoating compound). The surface can be virtually anything ranging from cement boards to waterproof boards to drywall, or of course the Mapeguard Board and other pre-formed pieces mentioned above. Mapelastic^®AquaDefense is particularly well-suited for this purpose primarily because it is easy to apply using a roller or brush, dries quickly and works exceedingly well.

To adhere the LVT, you will need a special waterproof adhesive to apply a nonporous material (LVT) over a nonporous substrate. Ultrabond ECO^® MS 4 LVT Wall [NA] fits all those requirements. As a modified-silane-based, 100%-solids adhesive designed to install LVT of all sizes in vertical applications, it has the proper thixotropy to hold these materials on the wall without slippage. Once the LVT has been installed and the adhesive cured, the final step is to coat the LVT with Mapecoat^™ 4 LVT [NA], an anti-slip, polyurethane finish. This coating seals all the gaps in the installation, plus it provides wet traction to the LVT, with high resistance to wear. (LVT typically is not recommended for use in wet applications because it becomes slippery, which can be a safely hazard, particularly when used as a shower base. Mapecoat 4 LVT adds texture to the surface, making it more secure to stand on while wet.)

In any case, be sure to follow the instructions in the Technical Data Sheets for the products mentioned above, in conjunction with the Installation Guide: “Installing LVP and LVT on walls,” and Installation Process brochure for Shower System 4 LVT found on our Website, www.mapei.com.

MAPEI solutions for bathroom renos: Fast-track overlays for a fresh new look

What if your bathroom reno project is less ambitious and you just want to re-tile with an updated look, say with large-format or gauged porcelain tile? Thanks to MAPEI technology, there is a fast-track solution to do just that. Assuming your existing tile or stone substrate has received proper surface preparation, MAPEI’s ECO Prim Grip^™ bond-promoting primer can be quickly and easily rolled or brushed over the surface in a single coat to prepare for new tile to be installed overtop.

This method saves the time, labor and dust of scarification (the mechanical grinding otherwise required to prepare the substrate), providing a rough keying surface ideal for polymer-modified mortars, render coats and leveling compounds. This ensures excellent bonding on smooth or low-absorptive substrates. ECO Prim Grip also is low-odor and low-VOC emitting, making it great for use in interior, occupied environments.

MAPEI solutions for bathroom renos: tile adhesives and grout fully offset for CO₂ emissions

With all the options available on the market for tile mortar and grout, nobody can match MAPEI for premium quality setting products that also come fully offset for CO₂ emissions throughout the entire product lifecycle. In Canada, we offer the world’s best-selling grout, Ultracolor^® Plus FA, featuring both BioBlock and DropEffect technologies, as well as five tile adhesives, that have their CO₂ emissions fully offset: 

• MAPEI Ultralite^® Mortar, a premium-grade, lightweight, nonsag mortar for both large-and-heavy tile and thin-set mortar applications, which utilizes Ultralite Technology for twice the coverage of a standard thin-set mortar per pound/kg and contains more than 20% recycled content.
• Keraflex^® Super, our highly versatile, premium nonsag/nonslump polymer-enriched mortar with an extra creamy consistency for ease of application, which also makes it a great mortar to use in conjunction with Mapeheat systems and lippage control systems like the Diaplas Tile Leveling System.
• Ultraflex^® LFT^™, another premium polymer-modified mortar for large-and-heavy tile, for walls, floors and countertops, incorporating MAPEI’s Easy Glide Technology for ease of application.
• Large Tile & Stone Mortar, our premium-grade, polymer-enriched, large-and-heavy-tile and thin-set mortar available at many retail big box hardware stores across Canada.
• Light Mortar for Tile & Stone, our premium-grade, lightweight, polymer-enriched, large-and-heavy-tile and thin-set mortar containing more than 20% recycled content, and also available at many retail big box hardware stores across Canada.

Click here to view all the available options and see all the details about how you can choose sustainability for all your projects, with MAPEI.

And lastly, before getting started with any of these solutions, be sure to cover all the bases and do your homework! Visit our Website, www.mapei.com, and download the products’ Technical Data Sheets (TDSs) for the respective products you plan to use. And if you have questions at any point, know that there are proven techniques to help contractors and installers avoid common pitfalls when planning and carrying out bathroom renos. The MAPEI Technical Services team is always at the ready to help guide you through the process every step of the way, at 1-800-361-9309.