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Sir Charles Groves Hall, Manchester

The halls of residence in Manchester required a waterproofing solution for their student bathrooms.

The Challenge

The existing bathroom in this student accommodation in Manchester was in a very poor condition. All 364 pod bathrooms had leaks and the vinyl floor finish was in urgent need of replacing. In addition, the pod floors were of 18mm plywood, constructed on a steel box section frame, which sat on a concrete slab with all drainage above slab level.
The client wanted the whole floor area to run to the drain, as pooling water had become a serious issue. Easy access to the waste and trap was also required for cleaning purposes. A solution that would be effective all year round, including student holiday periods was essential.

The Solution

Wetrooms UK recommended the installation of Linear Screed Drains into the shower areas at Sir Charles Grove Halls. The drain incorporates a unique waterless trap, which is formed of a spring-loaded mechanism and keeps the trap sealed when not in use. This ensures that even when the shower is left unused for prolonged periods, the trap cannot dry out, making it ideal for situations such as guest en-suites, holiday properties or student accommodation.

Each Linear Screed Drain was installed directly into the 18mm ply floor but with a ply-routed plate rather than the standard fixing bracket. Battens were fixed to the existing timber floor and a rapid-set flexible levelling compound was poured to lay the whole room to falls.

Tilesafe waterproof membrane was then applied to the floor and wall junctions across the entire shower area of each bathroom. Flexible Wall Membrane (FWM) was applied full height to the shower walls linking to the floor membrane, to prevent any water penetration.

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Testimonial

The Linear Screed Drain was an ideal system to install into Sir Charles Groves Hall, providing a highly effective solution for use on the concrete floors in the student halls. The waterless trap means that there is no chance of the trap drying out during holiday periods.

Howard Ball

Director, CCL Wetrooms