Do I tile onto the plaster skim?

[stuartbrown21]

Hi All

I'm just about to start a wall tiling job in the tiny downstairs toilet. I've worked out what I need to do the job - my next task was to sand the emulsion paint off the plastered walls, then prime it and get going.

The walls are plasterboard, with about a 2-3mm skim of plaster on top. Can I tile directly onto this skim of plaster, or will it be too weak? Do I need to remove the skim of plaster first and then tile directly onto the plasterboard?

The tiles are typical ceramic wall tiles, 33cmx20cm.

Thanks for any help you are ale to offer me!!

[Alan.P]

Hi Stuart.
As long as the skim is sound and not falling off the board you will be fine, plasterboard with skim plaster will hold 20 kg per m2 inclusive of tile, addy and grout.

Hope that helps.

[jay]

hi i wouldnt tile over skim coat (no strength) sand back to base coat if you can.dont run risk

[Alan.P]

hi i wouldnt tile over skim coat (no strength) sand back to base coat if you can.dont run risk

So you would sand 3mm of skim that is sound, why ? skimmed plasterboard is perfectly capable of the tile type and size he's using, seems like a lot of work for nothing.

[grumpygrouter]

Maybe we have a confusion of terms? Maybe Skim in Tasmania/Australia is different to what we have here?

[doug boardley]

stuart, you'll be ok onto the plaster, not ideal, but no great shakes. Remove the emulsion and prime with an acrylic primer and you'll be ok

[jay]

hi skim coat as in top coat final coat (sanding coat ) normaly brown in color