Is Plywood ok for a partition wall?

[Ronski]

I've got an en-suite that we are building, it will quite likely be tiled with Limestone, although we have not made a final decision.

At the moment the room is a bare shell, 2 walls are stud partition walls, my question is what would be the best covering for these walls in relation to tiling onto it?

Wall 1. 3.1m long x 2.3m high



The studs are 90 x 38mm, at about 400mm centres, the other side of the wall has 12mm ply with 12.5mm plasterboard, so the walls pretty sturdy.

Wall 2. 1.45m long x 2.3m high

The studs are 38 x 63mm, at about 400mm centres, the other side is 12.5mm plaster board. This wall will have a shower cubicle on.

I had intended on using 12mm or perhaps 19mm plywood.

What's your recommendations please?

I will be doing all the work/tiling myself.

[whitebeam]

I don't like ply on walls, plasterboard would be my choice or there is 12.5mm hardie backer which will take 40kg of weight m2

[Dave]

I would use a backer board of some description...not plywood....

1: it is not thermaley stable.
2: It will not support the weight of stone tiles.

Hardi backer 500 from most out lets or Knauf aqua panel from tile giant are great to work with..

wickes also sell the knauf aqua panels..

[dagger]

as above unless your tiles and addy weigh 32kg or less per m2,
then like whitebeam, i would use 12.5mm plasterboard.

[Gazebo]

Plasterboard, tanked in wet areas I presume guys.

[Ronski]

Thanks for all your replies. I'll use a backer board, now just to find who can supply it at the best price - I have accounts with Jewsons and Builders Center, so shall give them a ring.

I've also got one wall which is Thermalite block, I presume it would be better to batten and board this wall, or can I tile straight onto it?

The fourth wall is some sort of block - it's very rough, looks like loads of little balls all stuck together, which I presume would be ok to tile straight onto.

[dc tiling]

i would dot and dab a 12mm plasterboard onto the thermalite blocks a lot quicker than batten and boarding as to the fourth wall im not too sure mate. hope this helps
Darren

[Ronski]

i would dot and dab a 12mm plasterboard onto the thermalite blocks a lot quicker than batten and boarding as to the fourth wall im not too sure mate. hope this helps
Darren

Thanks for your reply

I neglected to mention that will be the wall with the bath on it, so with that in mind wouldn't Aquapanel be better?

And also if using Limestone tiles, would plasterboard take the weight?

[CJ CERAMICS]

if you are unsure about the weight being placed upon the plaster board i would recommend that you use hardi on all walls including the bath wall so as to make sure that the weight is not an issue.
chris

[dagger]

Thanks for your reply

I neglected to mention that will be the wall with the bath on it, so with that in mind wouldn't Aquapanel be better?

And also if using Limestone tiles, would plasterboard take the weight?

depends on what limestone?

i belive applestone is the most heavy, and of course anything 20mm thick is out of the question.

you will need to pick your tiles first, weigh them, and then decide what to clad the walls with!
obviously, the safest bet is wedi,marmox etc. but this can cost a fortune and is not needed if the tiles ar less than 32kg inc adhesive.

platsterboard = £8.98 for 2400x1200.
wedi = £32.99 = 2500x600.

[Dave]

I am fitting 45 mtrs of applestone next week...and i weighed it....23.5kg a mtr plus 3.5kg for adhesive and grout...

Now moleanous limestone is heavy stuff for walls...

[dagger]

my point proven dave, hes gotta get the tiles first!
i hate seeing good money go to waste!

[Dave]

But personally, whilst the room is stripped out i would backer board it out, then no probs..

The room i am doing next week the customer had the same oppurtunity, BUT plastered the walls instead.....now i am fixing nearly 50 backerboards..stuck and mechanicaly fixed as well.....reminds me..need a new drill..

[dagger]

But personally, whilst the room is stripped out i would backer board it out, then no probs..

The room i am doing next week the customer had the same oppurtunity, BUT plastered the walls instead.....now i am fixing nearly 50 backerboards..stuck and mechanicaly fixed as well.....reminds me..need a new drill..

there goes some good money...

[doug boardley]

hardie backer type board for me, taped (waterproofing) in the wet areas

[Ronski]

platsterboard = £8.98 for 2400x1200.
wedi = £32.99 = 2500x600.

Remind me not get plasterboard from wherever you do , last time I got some from Jewsons it was just under a fiver, and it's only £6.67 at Wicke's.

But personally, whilst the room is stripped out i would backer board it out, then no probs..

The room i am doing next week the customer had the same oppurtunity, BUT plastered the walls instead.....now i am fixing nearly 50 backerboards..stuck and mechanicaly fixed as well.....reminds me..need a new drill..

Exactly why I left this room without any plasterboard until now, as I wasn't sure what to do the walls in.

hardie backer type board for me, taped (waterproofing) in the wet areas

I think to be on the safe side I will use Aquapanel not only due to the as yet unknown weight of the tiles, but also it's unaffected by moisture. Wickes are cheaper than Jewsons and I have a 10% off voucher, that will shave £20 off the cost.

Reading the Knauf instructions, there's two ways to install this stuff.

1. To leave a 3mm gap between joints and then fill with flexible adhesive and tape
2. Use the Knauf adhesive mastic and then butt joint them, scrapping off the excess when set.

Seeing as the second way implies it's stronger and Wickes sells the adhesive, I'll think I will do it this way, unless there's any reason to do it the other way.

[dagger]

Remind me not get plasterboard from wherever you do , last time I got some from Jewsons it was just under a fiver, and it's only £6.67 at Wicke's.



Exactly why I left this room without any plasterboard until now, as I wasn't sure what to do the walls in.



I think to be on the safe side I will use Aquapanel not only due to the as yet unknown weight of the tiles, but also it's unaffected by moisture. Wickes are cheaper than Jewsons and I have a 10% off voucher, that will shave £20 off the cost.

Reading the Knauf instructions, there's two ways to install this stuff.

1. To leave a 3mm gap between joints and then fill with flexible adhesive and tape
2. Use the Knauf adhesive mastic and then butt joint them, scrapping off the excess when set.

Seeing as the second way implies it's stronger and Wickes sells the adhesive, I'll think I will do it this way, unless there's any reason to do it the other way.

you need chamfered edge not square edge, which is cheaper!
but i was quoting from the last time i went to b and q.

square edge is for plastering, and chamfered edge is for tape and jointing. but you knew that right!

[Ronski]

you need chamfered edge not square edge, which is cheaper!
but i was quoting from the last time i went to b and q.

square edge is for plastering, and chamfered edge is for tape and jointing. but you knew that right!

I did, but I've always had it plastered so have not bought tapered edge recently, last time was when I first started out in the mid nineties, and I think it was less than £3 a sheet then.

[dagger]

well it would appear to me with all the posts added you have all the information you need!

best of luck!

Dagger.

[Ronski]

well it would appear to me with all the posts added you have all the information you need!

best of luck!

Dagger.

I appear to have upset/offended you, if so I'm sorry, it was not intended

[doug boardley]

give and take advice in a friendly way guys please

[dagger]

offended, me, never!

your studding looks perfect, chamfered edge plasterboard, taped and jointed with plasterboard adhesive, providing your tiles and adhesive are less than 32kg.(tanking wet areas of course!)

otherwise,

Wedi board, marmox, knauf, no more ply, hardibacker, or wicks waterproof board!

but remember, even though the boards are more stable you still need to sort the joins in the boards out!

good luck..

dagger!

[Ronski]

offended, me, never!

your studding looks perfect, chamfered edge plasterboard, taped and jointed with plasterboard adhesive, providing your tiles and adhesive are less than 32kg.(tanking wet areas of course!)

otherwise,

Wedi board, marmox, knauf, no more ply, hardibacker, or wicks waterproof board!

but remember, even though the boards are more stable you still need to sort the joins in the boards out!

good luck..

dagger!

Thanks for the compliment, I try to learn what I can and do my best.

What do you mean by sort the joins in the boards out?

Using plasterboard would save quite a lot of money, what is involved with tanking?

And I presume it would only need tanking in the shower and around the bath area?

PS. The Wickes board is Knauf Aquapanel.

[dagger]

you still need to tape and join backerboards, the boards are waterproof but the joins are a weakspot!, so you will need to put skrim tape over the joins and screed with a flexable adhesive!

tanking in you situ is easy, paint on so to speak!

2 coats, one coat left to right , second coat top to bottom!

[dagger]

I do wet rooms quite often so:



this is a wedi board (tilebacker) room and i am taping the joins with wedi tape and tanking paint!



and a bit later, but you see what i mean about the joins in the boards!

[dagger]

finished job:

[Ronski]

According to the large commercial instructions, when using the Knauf Aquapanel joint adhesive there's no mention of using scrim tape, these instructions also imply that it stronger, as you can use 600mm centres on the battens, where as the domestic/small commercial instructions state using 400mm centres and the scrim tape, with flexible adhesive.

This information is on the Knauf website Knauf Drywall - Aquapanel - Drywall for Wet Areas

Now the only problem I have is deciding which way to go as some posters say use plasterboard and tank, and others say use a backer board.

Edit: Very nice looking job Dagger, and I spy a laser level, wonderful inventions them.

[doug boardley]

Ronski, it depends on the weight of your tiles, as to what substrate to use, cement boards will bear more load than plasterboard

[dagger]

if your tiles are less than 32kg including adhesive you can use both, if more use tilebacker.

that said i have NEVER known anyone to not reccommend sealing the joins in any board aquapanel or other!

grout is water replellant, so water goes into the grout, and dries out through the grout (hence the change in colour), if you are not suitabliy "tanked" the water in the grout can "ebb" into the wall, if where it ebbs is on a join you have a failure!

just my opinion, but i am pretty sure of myself..

[jay]

im with dagger on this one