Damp behind tiles - how long do I need to leave to dry??? - TilersForums.co.uk | Tile Forums

somehelpplease · 10-06-2007

Hi,

bit of a long story - getting ready to have the living room re-plastered last week and found a patch of mould on the wall which is on the otherside of the bathroom. We have gone to remove the grout and sealant today in order to stop the water leaking in, and have found basically a patch where the bath joins the wall where the wall has crumbled and its back to the brick on a section about 20cm wide x 3cm high. The depth of the gap is probably about 7-10cm in the widest parts.

What should we do? It's difficult to tell how damp the bricks are, and we were thinking of using something to fill in the gap (expanding foam?) and then putting the tiles back on top, but my dad thinks we should leave the whole thing to dry out for a couple of months - this is our only bathroom!!!!

anyone got any advice about whether it would be ok to go ahead and do this now or whether we should try and let it dry. Would it make it dry out quicker if I use a hairdryer or something?

Thanks

**Varley** · 10-06-2007

First of all you would need to find the source of the damp, is it a leak, is it rising or pentrating damp, a burst pipe? No point in just covering something like that up without rectifying the situation first.
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Regrdless of the problem, I would advise that you wait for the wall to dry before re-tiling it.

somehelpplease · 10-06-2007

the source of the damp is definately the tiles themselves - we havent been here too long and when we looked some of them (they are mosiac tiles) were virtually falling out where the bath joins the wall, and just n the spot where the shower falls onto them. Its quite an old flat (c1900).

Not sure how long it will take to dry the wall out - any ideas. I know Im being a bit dozy, but it just doesnt feel damp anymore!

**Varley** · 10-06-2007

If there is a shower there the area will need to be tanked (waterproofed) before being re-tiled, that is probably what the problem has been. I would leave a about 4 weeks to dry out before tanking and tiling.

**Dave** · 10-06-2007

hi there welcome to forums. firstly if damp has ingressed into the wall it could have damaged the plaster by which i mean when it got wet it would have softened and then as it drys the plaster becomes unstable i.e. crumbly, i would remove tiles until you get to were the wall is dry , remove any damp plaster and patch back in with one coat plaster this dry's rapidly when completely dry then you can re-tile, not much point in tanking area were tiles come off unless you are going to do whole lot, use a siutable adhesive and modified grout, re-seal around the bath and could also be worth while re-grouting all the tiles and give it a fresh look.. dave...

somehelpplease · 10-06-2007

"if damp has ingressed into the wall it could have damaged the plaster by which i mean when it got wet it would have softened and then as it drys the plaster becomes unstable i.e. crumbly, i would remove tiles until you get to were the wall is dry , remove any damp plaster and patch back in with one coat plaster this dry's rapidly when completely dry then you can re-tile, "

Thanks - that sounds exactly what has happened, and thats what we have done - removed the tiles until we have got to bits that seem totally solid instead of crumbling away..... when do you think we could use the plaster then - would it be sensible to leave it a bit to let the air to it then do you think?

GazTech · 10-06-2007

Once tiles and loose plaster have been removed,should only take a few days for brickwork to dry well enough to prime wih acrylic and re-plaster

**Varley** · 10-06-2007

Is it a power shower you have installed, just trying to think of how the damp got so bad behind the tiles in the frst place and what will be done differently this time to prevent it happening again.

somehelpplease · 10-06-2007

know what you mean, but I think the grout and sealant just got a bit past its prime - we have discovered lots of things in this house that have made us re-name the man that sold it to us as 'roger the bodger'.......

**Varley** · 10-06-2007

Aye, few of them about, had similar problems when i moved into my house mate, everything botched up, good luck sorting it out.

**wivers** · 10-06-2007

Sorry to hear about your house mate. Good thing is that now you know that you are doing it yourself it will be done correctly and the way you want it. Always try to take possatives from the negatives..... thats what my mother inlaw toild my mrs to do with me!!

**Varley** · 10-06-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by wivers

Sorry to hear about your house mate. Good thing is that now you know that you are doing it yourself it will be done correctly and the way you want it. Always try to take possatives from the negatives..... thats what my mother inlaw toild my mrs to do with me!!

Aye, and look what she got stuck with