Question 1

What is drypack?

Accepted Answer

Drypack — also called a deck mud, dry-pack mortar or floor mud bed — is a stiff mixture of sand and cement with a low water content. Because it holds its shape rather than flowing, it can be packed and screeded to a precise thickness, plane or slope, then left to cure as a solid substrate for tile and stone.

Question 2

What is shower drypack?

Accepted Answer

Shower drypack is the same material used specifically to form a shower floor or shower base. The mortar is packed and screeded so the finished surface falls consistently toward the drain, creating the sloped, flat substrate that the waterproofing and tile layers are built on.

Question 3

What is a scratch coat?

Accepted Answer

A scratch coat is a base coat of cement mortar applied over lath or a prepared substrate, then combed or 'scratched' with horizontal grooves while it is still workable. Those grooves give the next layer of mortar a mechanical key to bond into, and the coat itself helps bring an uneven surface closer to flat.

Question 4

What is a waterproofing membrane?

Accepted Answer

A waterproofing membrane is a continuous layer within a shower or wet-area assembly that manages water at a defined plane. Depending on the assembly it may be a liquid-applied coating, a sheet product, or a pan liner, and it is detailed carefully at corners, seams, curbs and drain connections.

Question 5

Do you work directly with contractors and builders?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Silveira Drypack works as a specialized trade for contractors, builders, renovators and tile professionals, as well as for homeowners coordinating their own project. Send the project details and we will discuss scope and scheduling.

Question 6

Which areas do you serve?

Accepted Answer

Silveira Drypack is based in Toronto, Ontario. If you are outside the immediate area, get in touch with the project location and we will confirm whether we can take it on.

Question 7

Does Silveira Drypack install tile?

Accepted Answer

Our confirmed scope is substrate and shower preparation: scratch coat, membrane, drypack and shower drypack. That work is what the tile setter or finishing trade builds on top of.

Question 8

How do I get a quote?

Accepted Answer

Use the quote request form and include the service you need, the project location, a short description and — where it helps — photos of the existing area. You can also call or email directly. Scope, access and site conditions all affect what a job involves, so a quote follows a review of those details.

Question 9

Why does a scratch coat need to be scratched?

Accepted Answer

The horizontal grooves increase surface area and give the following coat something to grip mechanically, rather than relying on adhesion to a smooth face alone.

Question 10

Where is a scratch coat typically used?

Accepted Answer

It is commonly used as the first mortar layer in cement-based wall and floor assemblies — for example over metal lath on a wall that will later receive a mortar bed or tile.

Question 11

Does a scratch coat make a wall waterproof?

Accepted Answer

No. A scratch coat is a substrate layer, not a waterproofing layer. Waterproofing is handled by the membrane component of the assembly.

Question 12

Which membrane system do you use?

Accepted Answer

The membrane approach is selected with the project — it depends on the assembly, the drain type and what the rest of the build calls for. Discuss the specifics with us before the work is scheduled rather than assuming a particular product.

Question 13

Where does the membrane sit in a shower assembly?

Accepted Answer

That depends on the method. Some assemblies waterproof at the surface, directly beneath the tile; others use a pan liner beneath the mortar bed with a bonded drain. The correct sequence is decided before the work starts, because it changes the order of the other layers.

Question 14

Why do corners and penetrations get extra attention?

Accepted Answer

Changes of plane, seams, curbs, niches and drain connections are the points where a continuous layer is most easily interrupted, so they are detailed deliberately.

Question 15

How is drypack different from self-levelling or thin-set?

Accepted Answer

Drypack is a stiff, low-water mix that is compacted and screeded by hand rather than poured or troweled thin. That is what allows it to be built up in thickness and shaped to a required plane or slope.

Question 16

Can drypack correct an uneven floor?

Accepted Answer

A mortar bed is often used to bring a floor to a required plane or elevation. Whether that suits your floor depends on the existing conditions, the available height and the finish that follows.

Question 17

How long before tile can go over drypack?

Accepted Answer

A mortar bed needs to cure before the next stage. The time depends on thickness, mix, temperature and ventilation on site, so it is confirmed for the specific project rather than quoted as a fixed number.

Question 18

Why does the slope matter so much?

Accepted Answer

A shower floor needs to drain. If the fall toward the drain is inconsistent or interrupted, water can sit on the surface, so the plane is checked as the bed is screeded.

Question 19

Do you work with linear and centre drains?

Accepted Answer

Both are common in shower construction and they shape the floor differently — a centre drain is typically pitched from all sides, a linear drain from one plane. Tell us which drain is specified so the base is formed to suit it.

Question 20

What do you need in place before shower drypack starts?

Accepted Answer

Generally: the drain set and at its intended height, the surrounding framing or substrate in place, and clear access to the area. We will confirm what is needed for your project when we review it.

Questions about drypack and shower preparation

General questions

Scratch Coat

Membrane

Drypack

Shower Drypack

Planning a shower or substrate build?