You have made the decision to renovate your bathroom. The scope of the work has been decided and you know the bathtub, toilet and sink are definitely changing. Tiles for the floor and shower areas are being considered and the vanity has been selected. Countertops and hardware selections are next and then you are just about done, right?

There are a few more challenges to a bathroom renovation that need to be considered. Your bathroom is obviously a wet zone. What additional steps can you take to protect your bathroom from mold, mildew and moisture?

Here are a few extra steps that Cranbury Design Center takes in our client bathroom renovations:

Waterproofing for Bathroom Wet Areas

We use a complete waterproofing system manufactured by Schluter. This system allows us to use waterproofing membranes to provide protection behind your bathroom shower wall and other tiled areas subject to moisture. With its distinctive orange colored materials, the Schluter System provides a water impermeable environment to protect your bath areas from moisture, mold and mildew.

Bathroom Floor Warming

If you have elected optional floor warming as part of your renovation, Schluter also makes an electric floor warming system, DITRA-HEAT, that Cranbury Design Center uses. In most areas of the home we help create heated floors with a technology that can provide protection against tile and grout cracking as the floors warm up. Check out a Spacious Spa-like Master Bath design-build we did that uses this system.

Note: For more information on the Schluter System visit www.schluter.com/scluter-us/en_US/e-learning

Painting Moist Areas 

We use Benjamin Moore Bath and Spa paints in our bathroom renovations to provide excellent coverage. This type of paint is made for use in moist areas of the home.

Bathroom Lighting Fan Combination

Wet area rated hi hat lighting, with a fan combination provides effective exhaust of moist air in the bathroom. We use wet area rated bulbs and fixtures whenever possible to mitigate moisture and vapor.

Aging in Place Bathroom Considerations

We work with many clients that want safe, comfortable and beautiful bathroom spaces that allow them to age in place for many years to come. Our top requests include hand held shower heads, built in shower seating and decorative grab bars strategically placed in the bathroom area. If requested, we also can reinforce the walls around the tub, shower and toilet areas to accommodate grab bars that may need to be installed in the future. More and more we are doing more low-threshold and curbless shower entrances that provide walk-in capability to the shower area.

As you can see, there is more to the bathroom renovation process than what is traditionally considered. Cranbury Design Center is available to help you navigate your next renovation project. Please contact us or visit our Bath and Kitchen Design Center when you are ready to begin your project!