Cement Floor Prep ? Wall Vapor Barrier ?
Just curious on thoughts/experience of preparing cement floor for porcelain tile and vapor barrier on exterior facing bathroom wall.
I came across mention of vapor barriers on top of cement flooring before tiling. Is this suggested? or some kind of cement sealer I have seen also ? The floor is in good condition, level, free of cracks etc. and I thought tiling directly was fine as the previous tile was in good condition being installed directly to the cement. Not seeing any local requirements for it.
Also, replacing old faced pink insulation on 1 wall in bathroom, exterior facing wall. From what I found for zone 14 it wants a vapor barrier on exterior walls with insulation U-factor .125. The wall is stucco, 2x4 cavity. Installing fiberglass insulation, vapor barrier, hardiebacker 500, mortar and then porcelain tile. Not using any other waterproofing on that wall so the sandwiching of moisture shouldn't be an issue.
I had bare concrete in my bathroom. After cutting into the slab to create a recessed slope, I just created a deck mud slope and then glued a sheet of schluter membrane to the floor with thin set on the areas that would consistently have moisture. I coated the whole thing with a liquid membrane (overkill) and then set the tile. No need for de-coupling in my situation. The ground just doesn't move after being here since 1973. I may eat my words if the tile cracks come "winter" (Phoenix Arizona), but I don't suspect it will.