Bathroom Help - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

PaulR · 02-10-2008

Hi

Hi, I'm not a DIY person by any stretch, so I'm looking for some guidance and assistance please

I have a bathroom in an upstairs loft conversion. Its probably 6 months old and contains a square shower cubicle - we moved in 3 months ago. Recently we had some water leakage in the ceiling downstairs and after making holes in the celing and using the shower, we established we have a leak from the shower walls. Its not the tray, nor the seals around the tray, nor the trap and I don't believe it to be the seals around the cubicle or in the corner of the wall where the walls join, as we have done some lengthy tests and the silicone all looks in tact

When we run water at certain points on the shower wall, the leak when looking from below is almost immiedate and comes out of the bottom of the plasterboard as you look up from below.

With some assistance, we have established that the grout in places is no longer solid and the board behind the tiles is plain unskimmed plaster board, with adhisve put straight on to attach some quite large tiles.

I would like some help on what to do next. My insurance company who are only covering the damage, but not the reparation work to sort the shower out, have advised I remove the enclosure, strip the walls back, replace the plasterboard in the shower area with some Aqua panels, simply by cuttting it out and reaffixing with aqua fitments and tape and then re-tiling. Another friend of mine has suggested re-grouting

I am thankfully able to source the same tiles (these are 2 foot by 1 foot) and I wonder if they are too large and heavy. But I also do not have anyone I know who are able to complete all this work. I know a good tiler, but he is not confident of removing the all current tiles cleanly and then replacing the board

Does any one have any advice, any contacts or suggestions of where I could go or who to speak to, to get some

Many thanks - rather depressed by the whole affair

I'm based on the Essex - Herts borders!

DB-Tiling · 02-10-2008

if the water is coming from the back of the plasterboard are you sure the shower is not leaking when turned on?

**whitebeam** · 02-10-2008

You don't say what the tiles are, If the adhesive is tubbed stuff if you do take the tiles off soak in water and it may soften up and you will be able to scrape it off

faithhealer · 02-10-2008

Hi Paul, hopefully a member in your area will give you a shout.

I think you can rule out regrouting, it sounds like your plasterboard will be ruined by now.

trying taking a tile off, you have nothing to lose, post a picture of what you find and we will probably be able to point you in the right direction

PaulR · 03-10-2008

Many thanks for your replies so far, to reply to the questions:

The leak only appears when we spray parts of the wall. The shower will run happily into the tray all day with no leaks showing

The tiles are large stone type tiles. I'm not hot on cermaics or whatever, but they are a kronos tile, called florence stone and are quite heavy

I think taking a tile off is a good idea, but my experience in this area consists of a hammer! What is the best way to cleanly take a tile off, if you give me some pointers, I'll have a bash tomorrow (less of the bashing though!)

Finally, one last question

If I do get the tiles down and we conclude it just needs some aqua board up or similar, can you simply slap that in, once you've taken the walls back and tape it up to the normal platerboard, or is it more complicated!

...or should I be calling a bathroom fitter or tiler to do the job!?

thanks again

**MICK the Tiler** · 03-10-2008

Hi Paul,

Pull the taps off m8 and check whether there is silicone around them the water maybe getting down behind the taps when water is sprayed onto the wall.

PaulR · 03-10-2008

will do, thanks. Its a bar mixer, will it just pull off?

**MICK the Tiler** · 03-10-2008

You won't need to pull the whole tap out just the cover flange, they should be either a push fit with a rubber seal ring or it maybe a screw on type.

faithhealer · 04-10-2008

Hi Paul, pick the spot where you think the water is getting through, try to dig out the grout with what ever tools you have, a screwdriver will be better than a stanley knife! (we have enough Stanley knife storys on the forum thankyou) If the tile still seems solid you might be lucky but if the plaster board is shot it should be easy to lever out!
pm me if you want my no.

PaulR · 04-10-2008

Hi, I've dug out the two tiles and one mosiac I think the problem is, but I can't shift the tile off. I have the added problem of the mix bar tap now being in the way and I don't have any plumbing skills to progress it.

Is this where I turn the water off and hope I wonder. I was hoping to be able to get the tile off and post a photo...

faithhealer · 05-10-2008

If the tiles are still stuck at least you the wall is still good. When you look through the gap between the tile can you see adhesive or wall. I ask this because if the wall tiles have been 'dot and dbbed' as opposed to full coverage, this means that any water can run between the 'dot and dab' through to the floor. If you can find where your water comes from for your shower and look for any type of isolation valves. I wouldn't turn your mains off unless you have someone to help you paul. If the water does not appear when the water is just falling into the tray I would say it is just a grout failure some where therefore leave the mixer on.

PaulR · 05-10-2008

There is no separate isolator for the bathroom, it all just runs straight off the mains. I can see the underneath of the two main tiles I have removed the grout from, but I see nothing when I run the shower, so I'm led to believe that the issue is not from the water supply

I am going to have to remove these two tiles though. They cover the entire width of the shower cubicle and I don't think I'll have piece of mind if I just regrout.

Is taking a hammer to them my only real option now