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Updated September 2026
Waterproofing is the membrane system installed underneath tiles that stops water reaching the structure of your home. In a shower, bathroom, laundry or balcony, the tiles you can see are the wear layer. The waterproof membrane under them is what actually keeps the room dry. NHK Tiling is a licensed tiling contractor that has waterproofed and tiled Sydney wet areas since 1995, working under NSW contractor licence 316043C with $20 million public liability insurance. Waterproofing is done to AS 3740, the Australian standard for waterproofing of domestic wet areas, before a single tile is laid.
A membrane is only as good as the surface under it. NHK Tiling prepares the substrate first: the floor and walls are cleaned, cracks and gaps are addressed, and falls to the floor waste are checked so water drains where it should. Junctions, corners and penetrations get bond breakers and reinforcing, because these are the points where cheap waterproofing jobs fail. The membrane then goes on in coats, with the manufacturer-specified curing time observed between coats and again before tiling. Rushing that curing window is one of the most common causes of membrane failure, and it is the step a tiler who waterproofs properly never skips.
Most tile leaks are membrane problems, not tile problems. The usual causes are a membrane applied to a dirty or unstable surface, no bond breakers at the joints, coats applied too thin, or tiling started before the membrane cured. The repair cost is the painful part: fixing a failed membrane means stripping the tiles, redoing the waterproofing and retiling the room. That is why it is worth getting right once. If you have noticed damp carpet beside a bathroom wall, paint bubbling near a shower, or grout that never quite dries out, those are the early signs worth acting on before the damage spreads.
Where waterproofing and tiling are split between two trades, each can point at the other if a problem appears later. NHK Tiling does both as one job: the same licensed contractor prepares the surface, installs the membrane, checks the falls and lays the tiles, and stands behind the whole system. It is how the business has worked across the Hills District and Sydney since 1995, and it is backed by a 100% workmanship guarantee. For bathroom renovations this pairs naturally with bathroom tiling; for outdoor areas, with outdoor tiling.
Yes. Wet areas in NSW homes must be waterproofed in line with the Building Code of Australia and AS 3740, and the work must be done or supervised by an appropriately licensed contractor. If a bathroom is being renovated, the waterproofing is not optional and it is not a corner worth cutting.
Typically one to two days for a standard bathroom: surface preparation, then membrane coats with the manufacturer-specified curing time between them and before tiling. Exact timing depends on the product used, the weather, and the size of the area. It is built into the tiling schedule, so it does not add a surprise delay to the job.
No. A membrane needs a prepared, stable substrate to bond to. If an existing tiled area has a failed membrane, the tiles come up, the surface is made good, and the waterproofing is done properly before retiling. Anything less moves the leak rather than fixing it.
It depends on the size of the wet area and the condition of the surface underneath. Waterproofing is usually quoted as part of the tiling job rather than as a separate line, which keeps one contractor accountable for the finished, sealed room. For how tiling jobs are priced overall, see the 2026 Sydney tiling cost guide, or call 0402 462 570 for a free quote on your specific job.
Insured and licensed tilers are accredited to handle most types of tiling projects. At NHK we specialise in bathroom, kitchen, outdoor space tiling. We can also handle all types of tiling jobs – anywhere you are in Sydney.
Safety is our #1 priority. And to ensure everything is safe and secure, we use high-quality tools, keep training our crew, and acquire a $20M Public Liability Cover. Public Liability insurance can protect us, our workforce and our clients in case injuries or damages happen on the job site.
We use a customer-centric approach which means, clients, come first. Regardless of your needs, with our combined knowledge and expertise, we’d be able to give you the right advice about the type of tiles suited to your space.
We’re professional and we genuinely care for our workers, and we have prepared a required statutory form of insurance for them.
We only use high-quality materials & work with a wide range of products for indoor and outdoor tiling, such as ceramic, granite, marble, limestone, sandstone, natural stones, porcelain, cobblestone and more.
Backed by 30 years’ experience, there is no tiling job that we cannot undertake. Offering you 100% attention to details & quick turn-around – you will be amazed at our work’s quality.
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