From Drainage to Waterproofing: How to Shape the Design and Performance of Shower Systems

"In contemporary bathroom architecture, the drain has evolved from a purely functional component into a design element that guides layout, accessibility, and long-term performance. When drainage, slope geometry, and waterproofing are designed as one system, the tiled surface achieves both visual refinement and reliable function-qualities that are critical for hotels, spas, and residences. Schluter® establishes the essential drain-to-waterproofing connection in a controlled factory setting, rather than relying on field assembly."

"Schluter Systems approaches drainage as a coordinated assembly, connecting drains directly to the KERDI bonded waterproofing system. With the factory-made interface, installers simply overlap KERDI to KERDI on site, eliminating the need for field-fabricated connections. Aligning drainage components with the membrane from the outset allows designers to coordinate tile patterns and thresholds while maintaining long-term performance-even in curbless and large-format installations where traditional four-way slopes are limiting."

Contemporary bathroom architecture positions the drain as a pivotal design element influencing layout, accessibility, and long-term performance. Designing drainage, slope geometry, and waterproofing as a unified system produces visually refined tiled surfaces and reliable function, important for hotels, spas, and residences. Schluter manufactures a factory-made drain-to-waterproofing interface that connects directly with the KERDI bonded waterproofing system, eliminating field-fabricated connections through simple KERDI-to-KERDI overlaps onsite. This systems approach enables single-plane slopes with linear drains, simplifies tile layouts, reduces threshold buildup for curbless entries, and supports durable performance in large-format and curbless installations.

Read at ArchDaily