My 1st Job Shower bath tiling preparation: plaster and wooden windowsill

[A SMITH]

I'd appreciate your suggestions on preparation for tiling over my bath.

Photo shows the old bath. The new bath will be in by the end of the week. The soil pipe will be boxed in to the width of the bath using Aquapanel, and a mixer shower and concealed bath valves will be attached to it.

All three walls surrounding the bath, and around the window, will be tiled (DIY) with 75x150mm "farmhouse" ceramic tiles, 9mm thick, from the tub up to the ceiling. The wall at the head of the bath will only be tiled to the width of the bath.

The old skim plaster is mostly still OK. There are a few patches where I've removed loose skim plaster. Some paint and tile adhesive from the 70s remains over the bath.

The windowsill is solid wood.

I'd like to start the tiling in the middle of next week at the latest, so I'm hoping I won't need to do anything that takes ages to dry.

So my question is what should I do to prepare this mess for tiling - board the walls with Aquapanel or something? Tank the plaster directly? Some other solution?

 

[Qwerty]

Remove all paint and old adhesive using a 4" blade scraper. Remove any loose plaster and ensure the wall is reasonably flat.

That wooden window board is in the shower zone and destined to rot. Look to remove the window board and replace with a waterproof board and tank all shower walls. Avoid aquapanel as it is water resistant, not waterproof. This goes for the soil pipe also.

 

[WetSaw]

The soil pipe is waterproof surely?

 

[Qwerty]

The soil pipe is waterproof surely?

Hahaha, Yes, but the wall behind it, the batons and the floor beneath it isn't. Unless you know different? I was of course referring to the soil pipe boxing in my first post!!!

 

[WetSaw]

My sarcasm gene has a mind of its own..

 

[A SMITH]

Thanks for this. Surely tanked aquapanel is as waterproof as tanked plaster, though?

What's the more-waterproof alternative?

 

[Qwerty]

It is, but only you can decide if the walls require overboarding of not. My advice would be to use normal plasterboard in the corner over the soil pipe and tank everything. Cheaper, easier to purchase and will be just as water tight (if done correctly)

 

[Kevbos]

The room is not a wet room .does not need tanking .unless you have a solution to bridge it onto bath. Where it leaks .just make sure tiles are stuck with good adhesive .and grouped well .and silicone all joints internal etc in wet areas .then look after the tiles and silicone. Nothing lasts forever .

 

[Kevbos]

Most leaks are around bath or shower tray edges .or from pipes etc leaking .

 

[Tile Shop]

The room is not a wet room .does not need tanking .unless you have a solution to bridge it onto bath. Where it leaks .just make sure tiles are stuck with good adhesive .and grouped well .and silicone all joints internal etc in wet areas .then look after the tiles and silicone. Nothing lasts forever .

This has got to be a joke, right? Using your method, damn right it won't last forever!

Grout is not waterproof (unless you insist on using epoxy), adhesive is not waterproof no matter how "good" it is, plaster and plasterboard also not waterproof. And you're advising not to tank it??? Moisture will still be getting to the background no matter how much silicone you put on the internals!

The only difference between this and a wet-room is the base. Its still an intermittent wet area. Water is still hitting the walls. There is still a high level of humidity and condensation. Its not all about leaks, there should be as much care in protecting the substrates as there is in filling in the gaps. Stop giving bad advise. You'll be telling him to spot fix it next!

@A SMITH , stick with the advise from @Plan Tec Tiling and if anyone tells you not to tank it, ignore them.

 

[Kevbos]

It is a bath area .it is not subject to sustained amounts of water .most bathrooms shower area etc only have problems when water gets past weak points .these are areas where grout will crack etc .90 per cent of damage done in these areas results from water passing through edges of baths. Shower floor or tray areas .are you being purposely blind to this .a wet room is a room in which everything is tanked into a drain..once again read what I write .how can you tank a wall onto a bath edge.

 

[Kevbos]

I have tiled for wb Simpson's. Stone and ceramics .the tiling company .on massive construction and house building sites .most this work was not tanked before tiling .tanking is a waste of time if whole room is not tanked into a drain.

 

[Flintstone]

Kev your waffling a load of rubbish again.

The best bet is to tank the walls down to the floor, then fit the bath, so it's all water proofed around this weak point you keep going on about

 

[Kevbos]

Disagree all you like .a wet room or properly tanked room can only work properly if whole room done .

 

[Kevbos]

Your just moving water to floor then what ?

 

[Flintstone]

The water is going into the bath and down the plug hole mate. This is a shower above a bath, the aim here is to stop the walls getting wet and rotting due to regular soaking from the shower

 

[Kevbos]

Then why tank below bath .?

 

[Tile Shop]

It is a bath area .it is not subject to sustained amounts of water .most bathrooms shower area etc only have problems when water gets past weak points .these are areas where grout will crack etc .90 per cent of damage done in these areas results from water passing through edges of baths. Shower floor or tray areas .are you being purposely blind to this .a wet room is a room in which everything is tanked into a drain..once again read what I write .how can you tank a wall onto a bath edge.

1. Tank wall
2. Bath in to the wall
3. Tape joint between bath and wall with a healthy overlap and using the tanking solution to stick it down.
4. Tank over tape
5. Tile wall
6. Cut off excess tape beyond tile face.
7. Grout tiles and silicone to bath.

Theres how. And i did read it again and you make no sense. According to you a shower is not a shower if its over a bath. Now thats what i call being purposely blind

 

[Kevbos]

A wet room is tanked into a drain mate .what you just said you do is no good. The movement of the bath each time it's filled and emptied etc will over time cause the tanking to break away .your talking rubbish .at no point have I said a shower is not a shower if it's over a bath .you carry on being the Mr right .there is no tanking solution that sticks to bath edges

 

[Tile Shop]

A wet room is tanked into a drain mate .what you just said you do is no good. The movement of the bath each time it's filled and emptied etc will over time cause the tanking to break away .your talking rubbish .at no point have I said a shower is not a shower if it's over a bath .you carry on being the Mr right .there is no tanking solution that sticks to bath edges

Oh for the love of god! Now you really are being stupid.

Tanking will stick to both the wall and the bath. Tanking is flexible. The tape is flexible and will move with the bath. Like silicone does.

I'm really going to try hard to put this in a way that anyone would understand. Simple......

A shower above a bath or tray will still spray water on the walls yes? Regardless of whatever is below, lets say, knee height, those walls are gonna get wet. Correct?

Without tanking, where does that water go? Over time, through the grout, into the substrate. Tank it and it will drain into the bath or on to the tray.

I truly am sorry but I can't make it any more idiot proof. If i have to get my crayons out and draw you a picture, i will do it for you tomorrow. I wouldn't do it for anyone but you are coming across as rather special and i don't understand why you're not getting it.

 

[Tile Shop]

Ok, lets try this. Would you tank a shower cubicle? As in, with a standard tray, not a former.

 

[Kevbos]

Ok mate you know best .

 

[Kevbos]

Get this your cutting corners .if you tank a whole room it's waterproof .if you do what your saying it isn't. A wet room is a wet room. Doing half a job is what your suggesting

 

[Kevbos]

Tell me what you recommend is the better option .draw both scenarios in crayon .use a blue one to show where water goes in both options .my blue crayon goes down drain where does yours go

 

[Tile Shop]

And back to my previous question without side stepping it. Shower cubicle, tray...... tank whole room, tank just the cubicle or no tank at all?

 

[Kevbos]

If it's got a tray just tile it .as the silicone is only thing stopping water getting to walls etc .like the thousands of homes done each day by countless house builders .if you tank walls it only forces water down any way to floor you haven't tanked .what is the point

 

[Qwerty]

@Kevbos your posts are tantamount to trolling. You have made your point that you disagree with tanking in this scenario. Everyone has disagreed with you and the OP can digest all the information before them to make a decision. I don't think we need to hear from you again on this matter. Thank you for contributing though.

 

[Kevbos]

Alot of disagree s with my comment on what a wet room is .... A wet room is a wet room to be clear .A wet area is a wet area .there is a difference .learn your tech boys .tanking a wall onto a bath edge does not make it a wet room. Sort your little world of tiling minds out and sort it out .A wet room is a whole room tanked into a drain . Disagree all you like your wrong ... stop selling yourselves as something your not ...

 

[Kevbos]

Learn what a wet room is .not an area .read the messages before you mug me off .you all saying cutting corners now way to go .

 

[Flintstone]

Kev, nobody has said anything like that, are you a troll or what ?