Keep Cabinets Dry
A piece of waterproof tile underlayment prevents water damage to a sink cabinet.
Plumbing drips and spills are an ongoing concern inside bath vanities and kitchen-sink base cabinets. And even the slightest leak can cause significant damage if it goes unnoticed. Mats are available that can capture a surprising amount of liquid, but a scrap piece of Schluter-Ditra tile underlayment or similar product can serve the same purpose. The material is waterproof, and any small puddles created by a drip are easier to notice than water escaping through a hole and into the kick-base area. Plus, the raised pattern on the underlayment can keep stored items dry even if the mat gets wet. If you want more containment, you could add a bead of silicone around the perimeter of the mat.
—Margaret Cush Grasso, Smithtown, N.Y.
Edited and illustrated by Charles Miller.
From Fine Homebuilding #318
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Waterproof is nice, but I shudder at the thought of trying to clean something as lumpy as Schluter underlayment. It's designed to bond with thinset, but it will also interfere with removing any type of mess.