A little bathroom advice please

**BOFH** · 03-02-2011

Hi chaps, I have to convert a bathroom into two soon, leaving one bathroom and an en suite.

The floor is not too cleaver I'm told, and I'll be building a stud wall. I'd like your opinion on marine ply/WBP. I was thinking of boarding out the floor and the stud wall but I'm unsure of the thickness I should be using.

The wall and floor will be tiled but there's no decision on the tile type at the moment.

So what thickness for the floor and wall WBP?

One other thing, when I had a look at the room I noticed the top of a wall that appeared to bow in a little, I'll be tiling that wall for a shower and I'm wondering what I'll do about the bow in the wall, chip it back and bond it flush?

Many thanks guys.

**Bri** · 03-02-2011

Welcome along. 25mm for the floor overboarded with cement boards. Use a cement board or similar on the wall as it will be a much more suitable surface to tile on. (Strip the old floor back to the joists, and strengthen the joists with extra noggins before putting the ply down, it should be used as a replacement for the existing floorboards).

**BOFH** · 03-02-2011

Many thanks Brian, I'm sure your right but my friend is on a tight budget and I'm trying to save as much as possible. Does the floor have to be cement boards over ply? Also what type of board for the wall brand wise, I'm trying to price up and get everything we need on the job before I start making a mess :-)

Sorry if that's a stupid question, if it's likely to move and mess up the floor especially if it's already dodgy then I guess it will have to be. Just need to work out the extra costs for him.

Cheers

**Bri** · 03-02-2011

To be fair, the walls can be plaster boarded just make sure you tank any wet areas such as the shower. Whats on the floor at the moment? You said it was in quite bad condition, how bad? Are there big holes? Does it feel solid?

**whitebeam** · 03-02-2011

If he starts skimping now, problems may arise later

**Scott** · 03-02-2011

Plaster board will be ok, may be cheaper to use a backer board in the wet area and tape the joints. Dont use ply on the walls? Or did i read that wrong?

**BOFH** · 03-02-2011

Originally Posted by Brian J

To be fair, the walls can be plaster boarded just make sure you tank any wet areas such as the shower. Whats on the floor at the moment? You said it was in quite bad condition, how bad? Are there big holes? Does it feel solid?

He says the floor used to bounce, then his father called in a chap to chop out a few boards and replaced them with an area of ply.

I can't say I felt any bounce, it's an old house 1909 I think, possibly the guy fixed the problem way back. I'll certainly use 25mm on the floor and board it to if that's the way to go.

**BOFH** · 03-02-2011

Originally Posted by Scottley

Plaster board will be ok, may be cheaper to use a backer board in the wet area and tape the joints. Dont use ply on the walls? Or did i read that wrong?

I was thinking of using ply for the stud wall and tiling on to it, one side will be waist height and the other will be floor to ceiling. But if the backer board is better and cheaper then I might go with that for the stud work. Any advice on brand? Should I re calculate my stud work from 400 to 600mm?

**Bri** · 03-02-2011

Don't use ply for the walls, plasterboard or backer boards. The one that is waist height do with plasterboard as I assume you will need a paint/paper finish for the top half of the wall.

**BOFH** · 03-02-2011

Thanks Brian, any advice on what brand of backer boards you'd recommend to go over the floor and to use on the wall.

Thanks for you help guys, saving me a proper pain in the arse!

**Scott** · 03-02-2011

I usually use hardibacker but only because the supply was local. Aquapanel and all the others do the esame job and to be honest i dint think there is much difference in the price between them. It will cost more than the ply though.