Sport centre jacuzzi - mosaic tiles coming loose - Tile Advice

[connell]

I've got the task of removing all the mosaic tiles as they are popping off, going ( was going) to replace with same original style mosaic, started stripping off and tiles are pinging off leaving all the old grout firmly bedded on... Originally thought the grout would just scrape off as well but it ain't going to happen.. One thought I had was to skim over and just retile over the top but after a restless night I'm now thinking about cutting my losses before I get to far into the project..
Life's to short to worry about work, plus I'm a member of a different gym
All the white dots are of epoxy resin type stuff which they've used to temporary repair in the past ( which isn't coming off either b
Could really do with a few thoughts

 

[Dan]

@MissTiler is the resident master of mosaic art.

My first thoughts are that looks a bit of a mess. And what's the substrate that has been tiled to?

 

[Dumbo]

Not my thing but first thought it needs redoing . If you tile over you are in trouble as your background is in the process of failing so ultimately your work will fail it needs stripping back .

 

[connell]

Not my thing either, especially how I'm feeling today, I'm sure it needs stripping fully back to its original fiberglass ( or whatever it was walls) I'm better losing half a days labour stripping tiles off rather than having an attempt at tiling over old adhesive and grout, called the matainance manager and he's in total agreement... Just need to tell the company I'm subbing this off

 

[Simons70]

For remove epoxy use the heat gun 190-220 C.

 

[connell]

Thanks for that, if it goes that far I'll use that

 

[Dan]

I assume its that wedi former type stuff to get those curves so it might balls up the substrate if you strip it back?

Albums for user: MissTiler - http://www.tilersforums.com/media/users/misstiler.2157/albums

Mind you Sharon's jobs there are steam rooms not jacuzzi so maybe it is fibreglass.

 

[MTiler]

Ive done a spa bath and it was constructed with fibre glass and then coated with a jel coat. A two part adhesive shouldve have been used (I used PCI Collastic) along with an epoxy grout. As has been mentioned itll need stripping back to the base, and a heat gun will help soften the epoxy.
Are you retiling it?

 

[WetSaw]

The drainage channel around the outside may give you a clue to the construction. Pop the grill off and have a peek.

 

[Mikephillips85]

I've re-tiled a lot of them like miss tiler said
-Heat gun to strip black (good luck if it in a heated pool room it gets very warm)
-Repair any of the gel coat that has been damaged removing the tiles
-Sand the shell to remove any old adhesive, grime,oils as water has probably got to the shell for a long time
-Acetone wipe
PCI collastic adhesive

 

[Just Rizzle]

if you've never done one before walk away its quite a specialist skill

 

[Dan]

Can I ask, why have the mosaics fell off? Wrong adhesive?