TECH TALK –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– products and systems that facilitate elimination of the shower curb, people of all ages are “going curb- less” purely for the sophisticated, streamlined design. Regardless of the reasons for it, the noticeable shift toward curb- less showers is making it increas- ingly important for building design professionals and tile contractors to know the unique and criti- cal shower design and installation requirements when there will be no curb at the shower entry to function as a dam. Proper plan- ning and high-tech installation materials and shower components are key to containing the water and channeling to a drain, all of which can be applied to the even more challenging goal for the entry into the bathroom to also be transition-free. Recessing the subfloor A shower cannot be totally curb- less unless the subfloor where the shower will be constructed is recessed, and the recess is suf- ficient to accommodate the com- bined thickness of all the materials below the tile.The size of the show- er and placement of the drain(s) are key factors in determining the required recess, as they’ll dictate the required thickness of the floor mud, foam shower base, or other material used to form the sloped base for the tiled shower floor. The installation method or sys- tem that will be used is also key, ARDEX Americas now offers a sin- gle-source, in-floor heating system, called ARDEX FLEXBONE HEAT. It is German-engineered and delivers heat faster and more efficiently than any other electric in-floor heating systems available. It is ideal for all types of tile, stone and other manufac- turer-approved floor coverings. The FLEXBONE HEAT system includes three major components. The membrane is a 3-in-1 solution for heating, uncou- pling and waterproofing. It has 81% less air space under the membrane for faster, and more efficient heating. The heating cables are manufactured to the highest safety and quality stan- dards with aluminum tubing and FEP cable insulation. The cold/hot junc- tion is self-contained in the cable and there are 34 cable sizes available in both 120V or 240V. Finally, there are three options available in the ARDEX FLEXBONE® HEAT thermostats, includ- ing a Wi-Fi enabled option. When installing the system, you can also qualify for a complete system warranty. www.ardexamericas.com 66 TileLetter | March 2019