Is Microcement Waterproof, and Where Can It Be Used
The honest answer is that microcement is water resistant once sealed, and the tanking membrane underneath is what makes a room waterproof. Anyone telling you the finish itself waterproofs a shower is describing a future leak.
Where this works
- Walk in showers and level access wet rooms
- Bathroom and cloakroom floors
- Kitchen splashbacks and around sinks
- Utility rooms and boot rooms
- Covered terraces and pool surrounds, with the correct system
How we install it
- 1Waterproofing sits underneath
A liquid applied membrane goes on the boards, taped at every internal angle, pipe penetration and the tray or gully junction. That layer is what stops water reaching the structure.
- 2The finish handles surface water
Sealed microcement sheds water off the surface, which is why a shower wall stays clean and dries fast. It is doing the job a tile face does, not the job the membrane does.
- 3Detail decides the outcome
Almost every wet room failure we are called to inspect is a junction, not a field area. Trays, gullies, thresholds and shower screen fixings are where we spend the extra time.
- 4Maintain the sealer
The sealer is the wearing part. Neutral cleaners keep it intact, and a maintenance coat every few years in a heavily used shower keeps the water resistance where it started.
Common pitfalls we prevent
Frequently asked
Can microcement be used in a shower?+
Yes, over a properly tanked enclosure. The membrane and taped junctions go on first, then the microcement as the finish, sealed with polyurethane and a water repellent inside the wet zone.
Will water damage a microcement floor?+
Not in normal use once sealed. What damages it is standing water left in one place for long periods and aggressive cleaning chemicals that attack the sealer.
Can it be used around a swimming pool?+
The surround yes, with a UV stable exterior specification. The pool tank itself needs a pool specific system rather than the interior product, and we would quote that separately.
What about outside on a terrace?+
Yes with an exterior build up, a frost tolerant primer and a UV stable sealer, and with falls and drainage designed properly. Standard interior microcement outdoors will not last a winter.
How often should the sealer be renewed?+
In a domestic shower, roughly every three to five years, sooner if it has been cleaned with the wrong products. It is a light abrade and re-coat, not a re-installation.
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