# Kerdi tips and tricks



## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

I have noticed a decline in the interest of Kerdi lately, and thought maybe a tips and tricks thread would perhaps spark some renewed interest. No offense to the fine manufacturers of other great waterproofing products, Laticrete and Noble come to mind, but Kerdi is just my waterproofing membrane of choice at the moment. 

I'll get the ball rolling with this neat tidbit. A template to line a niche with one piece of Kerdi. I know, green board and joint compound.....ugh. I didn't prep this shower, the builder (who was unfamiliar with Kerdi) did it. Hopefully he'll get the next one right.

BTW, though Kerdi only requires a 2" overlap, I prefer 3".


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

Here's a copy of the template for anyone who wants it.


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

nice niche is that from SC a few years back??..... I have a shower here next with kerdi


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

hey but seeing they have kerdi board now. Ya think they would have a pre made niche now:whistling


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

opiethetileman said:


> hey but seeing they have kerdi board now. Ya think they would have a pre made niche now:whistling


Yeah, you would think that. 

I actually prefer the Noble Niche, but this one was already framed in and ready to go.

Oh, and yeah, SC is where I first heard about the one piece template. This is the first opportunity I've had to use it.

Hey, who is that guy?


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

I have used the one step kerdi niche as well. wont be long beofre they have niches and other stuff.


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## Ceramictec (Feb 14, 2008)

HS345 said:


> I have noticed a decline in the interest of Kerdi lately


no decline, people are just learning to use liquids more.
by the time you get done making that Origami I would have already painted it with HydroBarrier or Hydroban


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

Ceramictec said:


> no decline, people are just learning to use liquids more.
> by the time you get done making that Origami I would have already painted it with HydroBarrier or Hydroban


No you wouldn't, not with enough coats to be waterproof.  Took me about fifteen minutes to make the one piece, and that was with taking pics. Prolly took five minutes to install it. 

Having said that, and as I mentioned before, I prefer the Noble Niches.


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## opiethetileman (Apr 7, 2005)

Like I said kerdi should have niches by now. And have kerdi flaps on them:whistling


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## POOLMANinCT (Oct 7, 2006)

i dig the kerdi, ive done about a half dozen, 1 for me the rest for friends and family.. the only thing didn't like about kerdi jobs was the price i charged.. zip zero nada....


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

People often complain about the buildup with Kerdi. Here's one instance where it works in your favor.

*edit* Does anybody know why pics don't post in the order you upload them? I even tried renaming the files in numerical order.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

Last two.....


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## Ceramictec (Feb 14, 2008)

all the Kerdi niches I have done I still prefer to use a liquid in it.
takes about 5 minutes.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

Ceramictec said:


> all the Kerdi niches I have done I still prefer to use a liquid in it.
> takes about 5 minutes.


Exactly. Building my own niches cost about $20 each...if that. Liquid. Done.

Nothing like being able to line them up with the joints! :thumbsup:



or making a stupid suggestion of having it smack dab in the center of a piece of 3/8" porcelain with 1/16" joint around the perimeter.


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## jarvis design (May 6, 2008)

angus242 said:


> or making a stupid suggestion of having it smack dab in the center of a piece of 3/8" porcelain with 1/16" joint around the perimeter.


How did that work out for you?


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

jarvis design said:


> How did that work out for you?


Wasn't the least bit easy but I got it:










Used my 4" wet circ saw to get real close. Used the turbo blade by hand to get corners square.


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## Ceramictec (Feb 14, 2008)

angus242 said:


> Exactly. Building my own niches cost about $20 each...if that. Liquid. Done.
> 
> Nothing like being able to line them up with the joints! :thumbsup:


 yep, we framed out the niche area prior to drywall & Kerdi.

worked out sweet.:clover:


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

angus242 said:


> Exactly. Building my own niches cost about $20 each...if that. Liquid. Done.
> 
> Nothing like being able to line them up with the joints! :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


How long does it take you to frame a niche in and wrap with cbu Angus?

I usually cut my Noble Niche in after I come up with a layout. You can usually line em up purdy good.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

Ceramictec said:


> all the Kerdi niches I have done I still prefer to use a liquid in it.
> takes about 5 minutes.
> 
> View attachment 46904


So you slap on one coat and you're done and waterproof? Wow, that's some good chit. :whistling


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

HS345 said:


> How long does it take you to frame a niche in and wrap with cbu Angus?
> 
> I usually cut my Noble Niche in after I come up with a layout. You can usually line em up purdy good.



I don't use CBU. I use extruded polystyrene foam. I Kerdi-Fix it into place. I use 2" for the base and 1/2" for all other sides. You can get probably 8-10 niches out of 1 sheet of 1/2". More like 25+ bottoms from the 2". I have less than $50 into both sheets. Cut your opening like you said, slide the 5 pieces into place, throw some liquid on and next day, it's ready to go.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

ApgarNJ said:


> until some guy tries to use it as a step to paint his ceiling.... :whistling



Then he deserves the result :laughing:


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

ApgarNJ said:


> until some guy tries to use it as a step to paint his ceiling.... :whistling


That's a good point. It's exactly why I treat all shower benches and tub decks as if they were a floor surface. 

It would be pretty difficult to stand on a niche, but you never know.....:jester:


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

so you cut a hole in the permabase where you want your niche, then put all 5 pieces of foam board in, and each piece is adhered with kerdi-fix? this is the pink foam or the foil faced rigid foam sheets? I can't get the pink stuff in 4x8, only 2x8.


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

Hey Angus, what do you cut the foam with, knife, table saw?


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

HS345 said:


> That's a good point. It's exactly why I treat all shower benches and tub decks as if they were a floor surface.
> 
> It would be pretty difficult to stand on a niche, but you never know.....:jester:


especially if there are two people in the shower, never know what might happen...:whistling


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

ApgarNJ said:


> so you cut a hole in the permabase where you want your niche, then put all 5 pieces of foam board in, and each piece is adhered with kerdi-fix? this is the pink foam or the foil faced rigid foam sheets? I can't get the pink stuff in 4x8, only 2x8.



PINK!!! :laughing:


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

HS345 said:


> Hey Angus, what do you cut the foam with, knife, table saw?


Shape razor, snap.


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

I don't see this as such a crazy idea. That's how Schluter says to build Kerdi-Board niches.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

it's not crazy. i might even try it next time. you stop the kerdi at the opening of the foam, and then liquid out and over that outside corner of the niche?


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## HS345 (Jan 20, 2008)

angus242 said:


> I don't see this as such a crazy idea. That's how Schluter says to build Kerdi-Board niches.


I don't either, and that's how the Noble Niches are made. Except they seem to be one piece of extruded foam and are coated with some kind of cementitious material.

Also as an interesting aside, they used to be made from the blue foam, but now are pink. :shifty:


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## angus242 (Oct 20, 2007)

ApgarNJ said:


> it's not crazy. i might even try it next time. you stop the kerdi at the opening of the foam, and then liquid out and over that outside corner of the niche?



I Kerdi right over the opening. I'll put a small bead of Kerdi fix around the perimeter of the CBU before install the Kerdi. Smooth the thinset away from the niche. Cut out Kerdi over opening. Liquid.

or

Kerdi over opening. Go back and cut an "X" in the Kerdi opening. Fold flaps into the niche. You can thinset the flaps back whole or cut them down. Liquid.


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