Behind every nicely assembled shower, there is a carefully placed build plan. Proper planning is important to make sure your shower isn’t coming apart the next day.
A lot of people rely on pre-made shower kits to avoid this hassle. Here is a RedGard shower kit review to make things easier.
Pre-made shower kits are the easy way out for shower assembly. You’ll have to get the right kit though, otherwise, it all goes down the drain.
RedGard shower kit is one of the most popular shower kits, but is it worth it? Let’s see.
Features of RedGard Shower Kit: What Makes It Good?
Going through reviews and alternate options is an unwritten rule of buying anything. Once you lay a shower kit down, you can’t fix anything without taking the whole thing apart.
Here is a list of the RedGard shower kit’s features so you can decide if it is worth it.
- Easy Assembly
The main objective of buying a shower kit is to make things easier.
Shower kits are made to cut down the extra work. The separate layers are risker to lay down.
RedGard shower kit comes with everything close to ready, so they’re easier to assemble.
The RedGard shower kit comes with panels for lining, the waterproof membrane, and the accessories to work with the kit. Lining panels are usually the toughest ones to assemble.
You have to cut them by size (unless they’re pre-cut), assemble them, and cut them again if necessary.
RedGard shower kits come with pre-cut panels for your shower space. The kits usually include universal sizes and you can even customize them. This eliminates the cutting part.
The kit also comes with a pretty detailed manual. You’ll have your panel pieces assembled in no time if you follow the instructions.
Another plus point of this kit is that there’s no re-sizing necessary. You can already get the panels in the exact size you want. You won’t have to resize them because they’ll already come in the perfect size.
- Customizable Kit Options
The biggest pro of the RedGard shower kit is probably its customization benefits. The kits can be customized however you want.
You can include just the panels, pre-cut panels, or completely pre-made panels. The flexibility is one of the main reasons why RedGard is so popular with its shower kits.
Richard has both pre-made kits and customizable ones. The pre-made kits already come in a pretty big size range.
The panels go from 32”x48” to 48”x48”. Curbs are attached on the front, but you can pick a drain option. The drain openings are in the center, left, and right.
The usual options can be both square and rectangular. Extra options only come in rectangular sizes, but the plus is they have curbs on both sides.
There are angled panels and you can add leg ledges or seats if you want. Most kits aren’t customizable to this extent so this is definitely a plus.
- Fast Drying Feature
Most sealants and panels take a lot of time to dry.
Sometimes you’ll have to wait for the whole day before you can apply another coat of products.
This can be exhausting, even more, when everything else is being held up for the drying process.
RedGard shower kit comes with a fast drying feature included. This is for both the panels and the waterproof membrane.
The fast drying feature cuts down the waiting time, and you won’t have to sit through the whole day just to apply another coat.
The panels of the Redgard kit are pretty easy to assemble. You can glue them and just set them up.
Or if you opted for pre-made panel structures, you’ll just have to secure them to your cement base and be done with it. No extra layering and no extra pain.
The most interesting and important part of the RedGard shower kit is the waterproof membrane. It’s a thick sealant liquid. The sealant is easy to spread around the corners and holds up nicely without dripping.
Normally liquid waterproof materials take a pretty long time to dry, but not this one. This sealant dries up within 1-2 hours.
It dries faster if the place is dry and there is sunlight present. Another good feature of this is the color change.
The waterproof membrane is pink when you’re applying it, but it turns dark red when it is dry. So you won’t have to sit in the dark wondering if you should start preparing to put the next coating.
- Full Pre-Made Options
Not everyone wants to get a kit of parts they’ll have to assemble anyways and it is understandable. If a complete kit is what you want, the RedGard shower kit has that too.
The floor panels and wall panels also come in completely pre-made shapes. You’ll just have to assemble them and secure them to your base.
You won’t have to worry about size or shape either. RedGard already has 17 common bathroom shape panels. You can of course customize them too, so fitting will not be an issue.
Here is a general overview of the shower kit for you.
Things That Could’ve Been Better
As amazing as the shower kit is, it can use some work. The issues are minor but well, they’re still going to need attention.
The first issue is the consistency of the waterproof membrane. RedGard waterproof membrane is thick and workable, and it doesn’t drip.
Unfortunately, it makes it very hard to take it off of any surface. Unlike the VEVOR shower kit, the residues become messy and it makes the work process harder.
The second problem would be the sealant quantity. The waterproof membrane usually comes in a one-gallon size.
This only covers around 50 sq ft. You’ll need 3-gallon sizes to get all the corners and double up in there.
Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)
That was an overall highlight of the features, so it is understandable if you have more questions about the RedGard shower kit. Here are some of the FAQs and their answers, hopefully, they can help you.
There is no direct answer to this question. RedGard instruction manuals encourage using the waterproof membrane everywhere including the slope. Experienced people in multiple forums like JohnBridge think the opposite is better. The shower walls are fine but you should leave the floors alone.
Very much yes. The shower kit was designed to waterproof your whole bathroom space. You can waterproof your shower, the toilet area, and whatever other place you want with RedGard. Just make sure to properly read the instructions and do a little research before you get into it.
Yes, you can. If you’ve already coated your surface with the RedGard waterproof membrane, you don’t need any extra layers before you start tiling. You can directly lay them down, or you can use thinset if you want.
No, it won’t be enough. One coat of RedGard will only act as a barrier. If you want to completely seal your shower, you’ll need two coats of RedGard before you start tiling.
Final Thoughts
And here you have it, a RedGard shower kit review to help you with your construction. RedGard shower kit is one of the most versatile shower kits.
The sizing is nice, the waterproof membrane is top-notch and the customization option just drives it through the roof.
