Schluter just loves this guy😂😂😂

I've been on a quest for full waterproof too. Glad to see someone else care about quality.

Thank you for taking the time as well as paying for these materials, doing these tests, and all of the editing. We all appreciate your hard work and your drive to better the industry! I've learned how to tile thanks to your channel!!

great news glad to see that you never rest when it comes to finding new and better ways to do our trade

I love how your testing this stuff. Ive been building a good while and have noticed there is a lot of marketing around application methods and standing tests. Experience is the only real test today and i appreciate guys like you taking the time to do these tests so people like me dont have to waste time and money on inferior products and applications.

Definitely worth it, I always loose a day or 2 for when I flood test a bathroom, the fact that you can do it the same day makes it easy. Just need more of thease products in Australia 🇦🇺

Thanks for doing ALL your demos. So informative!

Love your story on this topic,as a master tile installer I am quite concerned about this problem.

Would love to see how Laticrete's sealant holds up to your torture tests. Thanks, Isaac, for all you do to help us DIY'ers!

Dude, the more I watch your videos the more I appreciate you. I'm an old 64 year old guy who does work on bathrooms etc around houses I've owned. Being old school, I look at things differently. I mean they take this styrofoam type Kerdi board made of nothing but that and a membrane, so it's light and an attractive solution over the mess of concrete boards. Then they make one reinforce the shit out of it with all this thinset which is time consuming and messy work beyond what it first appears. So this sealant is a gem I think, the best of both worlds. Thanks very much for the great quality information you produce.

Well done young man. Always a pleasure to watch your videos. Great information from a great guy. Thanks.

Wow so visually telling. Thank you thank you thank you. This answered a question I have had for awhile about attaching membrane

thank you for doing this. Great message at the end. keep it up and help create a complete waterproof shower system! I'm rooting for you and ill use whatever you come up with.

Heck yeah it helps brother...I couldn't get Kerdi fix on a job we were doing...I stumbled onto the rapid set while at home depot. It seemed very good...now I'm stoked and nerves calm now that I know it was better than KF. Thanks Isaac

Excellent Video and test! Thank you Issac - This is very Awesome to watch and to know what works and what doesn't!

I’ve renovated 12 bathrooms and used Redgard every time and no issues! And I’m still in contact with the owners and still work for them from time to time.

great test coach i have been using rapid set non sag for some time with stainless sinks inverted cast concrete, metal to different substrates never fails purchased your fx drain doing a 48x67 curbless shower now hydroban will be used not using kerdi fix keep up the good work thanks

Thanks for doing these tests and posting the results!

Thank you for your time and the material you used

Thank you very much for doing this, Isaac! Great information!

Really cool test. In engineering school we used blue grid line paper for leak testing of models because a single drop of water will blot the blue lines and you can trace where the leak came from with visual clues of the severity. I use that trick to this day

What a time saver. Not only not having to mix mortar, clean up what’s left and waiting for it to cure but hardy any waste.

This info is gold, thank you so much!!

That rapid set stuff is beast. Sealed my whole driveway with it. Holds up to everything including pressure washing

Great tip on the Grime wipes, and amazing how little sealant mess ya made (phone notwithstanding). Thx!

Anxious to see the outcome of the shower pan water test you are doing with sealant. I'm working on a shower remodel now and will definitely use sealant on the seams if your test confirms. I'm a weekend diy warrior on this project so have a few weeks before I get to that step.

Love testing like this Issac! Reminds me of a Wedi steam shower I did, we used thinset for the membrane but had to use sealant for the 2" overlap or banding/corners. It totally makes sense because as we all know thinset isn't waterproof and will wick under membrane. 🤔

Amazing, thank you for your time and videos. You're actually saving everyone time, money,... Above all, blood/sweat/tears...

I was literally JUST thinking about this today if I could find a sealant to use instead of thinset. This is a brilliant test and glad you took the time to do it! I’m very curious to see how your full size test goes, but if you’re using rapid flex, I suspect it’ll be sealed well with zero issues.

Whenever I have a question like "I wonder if Rapidset sealant would work...", you already have a full video testing it. 😆 Thanks!

Awesome testing you do! Great that you have taken the time to test out ideas and systems to put them through the paces. My question is why the hell hasn't kerdi come out with a sealant that does work for this application??

I ❤ this video. I keep coming back to it for reference

This was one of the major reasons I went with Goboard in my shower - the ability to use silane-modified polymer sealants instead of thin set for all the seams, band, screw holes, etc, while retaining the warranty.

Love your videos! Keep it up!

I’m planning to do a pond, would love to see how this turn out bro! You rock!

ive been using goboard and a sika product for my baths and showers. no need for sheet membrane and have been very happy with results

Thank you for valuable information! Learning a lot

I have watched you for years on you tube, and remember when you began to get customers complaining of leaks in the shower. You did everything to the letter, and they still leaked. Your quest to solve this problem has succeeded, and for the determination you have shown to shine a light into the dark corners that manufacturers sometimes hide in, all tp make more profit. I salute you. if you were a resident of the UK, I would campaign for you to be Knighted. Well done Sir, and much respect.

Wow. Thanks for the expert test

This was really great!! Thanks for doing all of this testing! I appreciate your common-sense and deductive reasoning approach!

When I did my last bathroom I used silicon. Works under water beautifully. Super strong grip and cures even when sealed in.

Speaking the truth!! Strong word my friend!👏💪

This is huge. Awesome.

Thanks for making these videos and documenting your hunt for the perfect waterproofing. I put my money down on the black sealant the second i saw the viscosity of it! It´s the most similar to the one i use in Sweden. I use Kiilto keraseal and Kiilto membrane (Finnish brand) and have done so for the past 12 years. have never got a callback because of leaks. Keep up the hard work, love from Sweden!

Brilliant. Could not agree more!!!

Why does this guy not have a million subscribers yet??????? His matter of fact, here is what it is approach deserves more than his current 229k subscribers. All of you 99% watchers but not yet subscribed, need to hook this guy up. At least share his videos on whatever social media platform you use.

Should do a test with the sheet membrane wet/damp initially. Maybe these could be used for a temporary repair on a pan to get by before a full remodel or something similar

Would love to see you test laticrete sealant. It has better warranty then most brands

You mentioned how well these sealants bond to wet thinset… on a related note, I spread bostik ultraset on the back of resin backed stone slabs when I need to bond them to thinset and it works really well

Moisture curing compounds are super cool. Moisture curing paint started showing up for commercial work is far as i saw was in the mid 90's. Super expensive but super tough and heavy/dense. And if it rained on it that same day, no problem. Or damp wood, no problem

Really good to know, great video.

Excellent video!

It is all chemistry, rapid set and silka products work extremely well. We use this quite a bit at a large school district. Showers, flashing brick etc. You will be amazed at the water proofing and holding power and yes in the rain. Just read the back for temps. This is the only issue. Inside it is bombshell.

Thanks: great honest advice.

This was awesome. I think the lower viscosity black one would provide an option to possibly spread with a roller, making it a little bit easier for DYIers to apply? Either way looks pretty easy to apply.

One of the things to consider in testing is mechanical flexing. Sure the leak tests are great and important but the real test is to see if it can withstand normal mechanical load flexing and over time. No simulation is perfect but the tests should try to evaluate it if possible. E.g. some sealants cure hard but will leak as it cracks with load...

Great info!

I USE THE KERDI SYSTEM COMPLETE,THEN I ROLL ON MY SP 5000 GREEN MEMBRANE,IT REALLY GIVES YOU A FAILPROOF SHOWER THATS WRAPPED LIKE A COMPLETE CONDOM UNOBSTRUCTED AND SEAMLESS!!! GREAT VIDEO

thank! I trust you more that the companies that make the products

I just sent this to my To prove it but schluter rep I can't wait to hear the response

Thanks for honest testing

Thanks love your test

Good show!

You just saved me $20 per tube. You deserve 20x more likes.

Do think all caulk tubes need to come with nozzles that can be unscrewed and able to screw new nozzles on when needed, so wish every brand of caulk, sealant, adhesive, whatever is in a “caulk tube” has a screw on nozzle; as that would be so much better, and imo easier to store and keep. Thx for testing vid Isaac, always a pleasure to watch, and enjoy watching them, as really does help the community all way ‘round ✌🏻

I just love your videos, and I'm not even a tile guy.

Great video. Wish you included Latacrete sealant.

Thank you, thank you Isaac. I'm almost ready to build my dry-pack shower pan. The membrane corners and bands in the pan will be bonded with Rapid Set silane sealant, not thinset!

I'm a installer from Florida. I always have doubts in schluter products, even when you go 100% with manufacturer specifications. I would love to see some testing with the KBRS system.

Great demonstration and testing Thank you once again. I've search the channel and havent seen much Hydroblock testing. Maybe I'm blind , lol. My bad. I would think the Hydroblock sealant would have been a great product to be included in this test. Once again thank you for all your videos

Thanks for the tips coach…..

❤. Well done Isaac! Can you share the details on the Rapid Set sealant you used? I wasn't surprised that the private label sealant didn't leak. The less viscosity the more complete penetration of the fleece. The extreme viscosity of the K Fix doesn't allow it seal the fleece fiber so water can literally wick through the fleece beneath the sealant and reach the paper strip. Has anyone released or discussed the future release of non thinset sealant to apply membrane?

Progress profiles has a system exactly like this with sealant in the USA. It uses sealant instead of thin set on the seams. Which honestly makes way more sense to me. Thin set is porous and wicks. Although 2” is a lot to wick, sealant makes way more sense

Great magnet pen/pencil holder at HD for about $3. Its called Quick Snap by MagnoGrip (yellow color) and cant miss it where tape measures and pencils are. I keep my sharpie and pencil at ALL times on my shirt collar. Life saver! If you decide to try it, don’t be lazy to wrap couple of rounds of electrical tape around part that goes into it. That way it wont slip out.

Hey, love the work and videos. Will thinset stick to the cured sealant?

I believe the flofx drain installation instructions say to put a bead of sealant around the drain and sheet membrane in addition to thinset. Now I know why.

Would love to see you redo the test but using Kerdi, with a full 2" lap around the cardboard.

Now I'll have trouble sleeping at night thinking about all the showers that I have done following the Schluter Science. THANKS for the great exposure to true science!

Schluter themselves say that Kerdi fix is not a waterproof sealant if you go to their workshops and their website they are very clear that they will not warrantee it if used in a manner as you are demonstrating...so not sure what you are trying to prove here. You are 100% correct in saying that In Europe they do NOT allow the use of thinset to seal the membranes. With Schluter, they use Kerdi Col (NOT KERDIFIX) in Europe which works very well, however it is hard to get in the USA. I have had it direct shipped from the UK to the USA A better experiment would be to use Kerdi Col with the Kerdi Membrane since these two products are engineered to work together, rather than using something that Schluter ALREADY KNOWS, WILL NOT WORK. In either case it was an interesting test

Wonderful Video, great work! *****Stars

Interesting test. Have you tried testing the Kerdi fix after it was dry?

I did a mock-up of a mortar bed in a cardboard box. Let that dry and applied hydroban sheet membrane, hydroban corners and ban using mutimax lite. Let that dry overnight. Filled with water and it never leaked. I let it set for 1 1/2 months. I got tired of looking at it and dumped the water out. I was satisfied with that system.

That's a ver helpful video👍

Do you think it will have the same affect on the front side of the sheet membrane? I'm thinking for screw holes, corners, etc. The sealant may work great on the back but not the front? Your video tests are amazing!

The goat!! 🐐 thanks for making these videos they have help out a lot. 🙏🏾

Hello Isaac! Thank you for doing this great test! I know you tested these sealants replacing thinset under membranes, but what would you expand your thoughts now maybe using these 'working' sealants under shower tiles themselves, more so best with mosaics, instead of thinset under tiles? I'm doing a rectangular shower now with a KBRS manufactured hard-foam (harder than Schluter) pre-sloped shower base with 4" sealed lip boarders using Goboard. If sealants are so waterproof and adhesively effective, maybe time to dump thinset all together under mosaic shower base tiles??? Or would you still stay with a newer thinset under shower base tiles like the Laticrete MULTIMAX you seem to enjoy now? Thank you in advance if you happen to read this!

Back in the day (I’m talking 80’s/90’s/early 2000’s) it would cost roughly $150 for pan liner sand cement and lath for a shower. Prices stayed relatively stable. Now with all of these water proofing products out there is gone completely nuts. For a shower with a bench and a niche’ were talking $1484 for Schluter products not including thinset or kerdi fix, which apparently will fail anyway. (Thanks for that btw) In my 40 years of being in this buisness I’ve only seen showers fail for a few reasons. Most of which had to due with improper installation of the pan. (liner/drain/no pre-slope/nails below that dam/ or pan liner cut below that dam) If the walls are done correctly, paper backed lath, then there was never any water damage. The other reason shower fail is idiots who should not be doing tile. Then you’ve got builder grade tile installs over green board or drywall. Those usually last 10-30 years depending on amount of use. I’m not even going to touch on hot mops. I’ve never seen a shower fail above the dam. Water doesn’t sit on the walls for more then a few minutes. When originally released, untreated Hardi backer was displayed in a sealed jar of water. So in my experience all of this ridiculously price shower prep materials are just a way for coporations to stick their hands in your pockets. Your video here is proof of that. Keep up the good work.

Glad i just did a pre slope mudpan and oatey pvc liner instead of using Kerdi or shlueter. The just look like cheap materials to use for showers.

Have you tested Laticrete sealant? I've been wondering the same thing, given the limitations of thin set. I've wondered if something like Hydroban liquid membrane might actually be a better solution between the foam tray and the membrane. I know it would be waterproof, that's not at issue as long as it will cure. The problem is that I don't know how much the rigidity of the thin set might be part of the structure of the system especially around the drain given how thin the tray is right there. Have you considered that aspect?

Great. I know your technique is evolving, but given what you know today, would you use the sealant or 8+9 to seal the joints. The sealant is certainly less expensive.

Isaac, i would be curious to know if you think Rapidset is strong enough to be used instead of thinset to bond Kerdi fabric to wallboard? Do you think it could hond the Kerdi loaded up with thinset and LFT without separating?

I'd love to see the same test with Wedi 620 sealant. Also, what about Schonox AB & iFix? It's an incredible product.

Nice video. Still confused on one thing. What’s the best sealant to use to attach the membrane onto cement board? Just use thin-set and the video you made is for membrane to membrane attachment only? Please advise. Thanks

iv been doing tile for about 25 years, you wrapped a lot of things up with the simple saying, follow the money.

Is there a link to your mock up shower that you talked about in the end of this video. I’m always willing to learn more about waterproofing showers.

Thanks!

I used the Hydroban system on my shower mainly because of all the failure videos of Schluter. I understand that those failures were because of user error for the most part but as a DIY'er I'm not using a product that has ZERO room for error....for example , you need 2" overlap , if you miss measure and have a spot that's 1 3/4" LEAK!!! But that's what you get when you use non waterproof products, such as thinset, to waterproof your shower.

Not a surprise. Top contractors have been using STPE-based (moisture cured) liquid flashing sealants for years. I would never use thinset to seal anything. Virtually every major sealant manufacturer now makes STPE sealants.

thank you

I have good success with pretty much all RapidSet products, they’re pretty good, imo, and not a bad price