Help!: Tiling on plasterboard in shower cubicle

[PhiliousFog]

Hi,

I've just registered on this forum as I need some advice and having read some of the threads already I'm sure I've come to the right place!

I'm not a professional tiler but your everyday home DIY'r! I'm having to re-grout some of my tiles in my shower cubicle. I successfully removed the old grout around the 2 tiles which needed attention. I have also removed the silicon sealant along the bottom of these 2 tiles where they meet the shower tray. The sealant was going moldy despite saying on the tube anti mold!! Will not buy unibond sealant again! Have taken advice and now bought some Dow Corning 785. As a result of removing the surrounding old grout and the silicon the 2 tiles in question fell off!

Behind the tiles over the top of the plasterboard was a kind of baking paper. Not sure what this is but it was pretty perished and flaked off in my hands. I removed this paper in the space where the 2 tiles were, reomoved all the old adhesive off the tiles, spread some new waterproof adhesive on the tiles and set back on the wall, making sure I plugged the gaps at the bottom with some small pieces of wood to stop the tiles dropping whilst setting.

Well almost 24 hrs later the tiles havnt stuck and have fallen off again!!

Having read a few threads this morning, it appears that I need to treat the plaster board with a primer, such as BAL SBR?

If anyone can advise what I need to do to get my shower back to normal I'd be very grateful indeed!

Cheers

Phil

[PhiliousFog]

Just to add, I'ts just clicked what the paper is, it's the top paper covering on the plasterboard! This has obviousley got damp as a result of the cracks in the old grout and the water getting through, all makes sense now!

Will I be able to use a primer directly onto the plaster of the plasterboard?

Cheers

Phil

[rhyd4]

it is best to cut the section out and replace with some fresh, although it can be achived with primer and powder adhesive, cheaper to board imho

[grumpygrouter]

It seems to me you have got moisture ingress to your plasterboard substrate. it will be no good trying to just stick your tiles back on, it won't work. You really need to pull off the plasterboard and re-tile as your plasterboard has lost it's strength and is in danger of collapsing.

You may get away with doing a repair job on the afffected area but you will need to pull off more tiles to see te extent of any damage. In all honesty, you are better off pulling it all down, reboarding and starting again. This time, either use a waterproof backer board to tile onto or normal plasterboard which had been "tanked" prior to tiling.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Oh! welcome to the forums.

[Alan.P]

Yep, as Grumpy says, for safeties sake, at least take a few more rows off to check the condition of the board behind, chances are that the moister has risen up from the affected area causing weakness in the board

[pete f]

yes i would remove a few rows and check the board you can bet that it has perished did a job similar to this the other week damp had transfered itself into an adjoining room remove the board replace with backerboard re tile

[PhiliousFog]

Thanks everyone for your messages and advice. I guess I was hoping for an easy solution and a quick fix but it doesnt seem that's going to be the case! Will take of a few more rows to see the extent of the damp and go from there. I was hpoing to dry out the affected area, prime with BAL SBR which I've just bought and replace the tiles, grout and seal but would this work??

Any ideas on how much it should cost to get it repaired professionally and would the whole cubicle ( 3 sides need to be done) or just the affected side?

Cheers

Phil

[Alan.P]

Thing is with easy and quick fixes they normally create more work in the future, better to sort it right first time, sorry. Also, once plasterboard is damp it never dries to full strength, it's damaged, as for cost, if you post your postcode I'm sure someone off the forum will be in range to give advice and a quote.

Hope that helps, at least a little

[PhiliousFog]

Thanks Alan and sound advice. I've never been one to cut corners and do a job half hearted! I've never tiled before so not sure if this is a job I can do unassisted. Have a lot of friends in the trades and one is coming to have a look next week to advise so fingers crossed if it all needs to come down then we can do it together and perhaps I'll learn a thing or two!

As long as the job's done properly, the cheaper the fix the better as was laid off work Friday so not good timing!

Cheers

[Dave]

was laid off work Friday

Sorry to hear that...

[Alan.P]

Sorry to hear about your work situation, I hope that the damage is minimal and that you can get it fixed at a reasonable cost

Let us know how you get on.

[mikethetile]

im with the others on this, bite the bullet and sort it properly first time rather than patching again and again and then end up ripping out and doing the job properly

im sorry you were laid off

[PhiliousFog]

Thanks to you all for your good advice and kind comments.

I'll come back to you later in the week and let you know how I got on!

Cheers

Phil