Tile and stone pre-cover inspection checklist

Membrane continuous, up walls and sealed at penetrations

Continuous coverage with laps and corners detailed per the manufacturer, turned up the wall to the required height, sealed to the drain flange and around pipe and fixture penetrations.

Thinset on hand is one the membrane maker lists

Bag label photographed and checked against the membrane manufacturer's list of compatible setting materials for bonding tile to that membrane.

Slope to drain formed before the finish setting bed

Positive fall to the drain checked with a level across the floor, no flat areas or reverse pitch, pre-slope present under bonded pans.

Drain top set for the finished tile thickness

Adjustable drain strainer or grate frame measured so the finished tile and setting bed land just above it and water runs onto the grate, not against its rim.

Wet-area curb or entry sized for tile over the membrane

At the curb, threshold or curbless entry of each wet area, height checked against tile plus setting bed and the glass or door detail, curb tops sloped inward.

Weep holes at clamping-ring drains kept clear

On a traditional mortar-bed pan, weep holes protected with gravel or the drain maker's guard so the setting bed does not plug them.

Flood test filled, held and observed before tile is set

Water dammed at the drain and held for the specified duration, level marked at the start, ceiling and connections below checked dry at the end.

Movement joint locations marked per the layout

Soft-joint locations marked at perimeters, changes of plane and over any existing joints in the substrate, so setters leave them open instead of grouting through.

Membrane cured and dry after the flood test

Test water drained, surface dry, and the cure time on the membrane manufacturer's instructions elapsed before the first thinset goes on.

Membrane surface clean and unpunctured where tile goes

Walked just before setting: no dust, overspray or debris on the membrane, no cuts, scuffs or fastener holes; any damage reported to the super, not tiled over.

Membrane edge flat enough to tile over

Where the membrane stops outside the wet area, its edge lies flat with no ridge or lap buildup that would telegraph through the tile or break the plane.

Valve bodies and stubs at depth for the finished wall

Where shower valves and supply stubs come through the wall, their depth checked against board, membrane and tile so trim plates will seat on the finish.

Niche and bench sized to the tile module

Where the drawings show niches or benches, openings sized to the layout so cuts are balanced, sills and bench tops pitched back into the shower.

Each wet area released to the setters by the super

Release recorded per room after the flood test result is logged, naming who released it, before the setters start on that area.