Paint over a waterproofing membrane
A finish applied where no finish should be.
In short: Painted membrane and missing puddle flanges found during a Tallawong investigation.
What the membrane needs
A wet area membrane bonds to the tile adhesive above it. AS 3740 expects its surface to be clean and free of anything that weakens that bond.
What was found
In a Tallawong home under investigation in November 2025, paint had been applied over the membrane in a wet area.
The flange that was not there
The same house had floor wastes with no puddle flange, so water reaching the membrane had no designed path into the drain.
Why these get missed
Both are hidden by tiles within days. Unless someone looks at the membrane stage, the first sign is a stain below.
The way out
The affected tiles come up, the membrane is repaired or replaced and the flanges fitted. The investigation report sets out each step.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Tallawong. Licensed building practitioners, NSW Fair Trading licence 366177C.
