Help!: HELP! Preparing Plaster Walls for Tiling

[stef2454]

Please Help! I am refurbishing my new house and have just ripped out my old bathroom. It has a toilet, wash basin, bath and a separate shower cubicle. I have stripped off all of the old tiles and carpet off the floor and have been left with bare plaster walls around the majority of the bathroom, except for along one wall where there was a plasterboard wall hiding some pipework. When taking the tiles off the plasterboard wall most of the plaster came off with it so i have replaced the whole lot with brand new 12.5mm plasterboard. This has left me with bare plaster walls and one half of one wall with bare plasterboard.

I have read in other threads that it is ok to tile straight onto plasterboard (the tiles i have bought are not that heavy) but where i need help is with the priming/tanking..... I have read lots (and got myself thoroughly confused!) and enough to know that i should throw out that pot of PVA and not use unless i want my tiles to fall off. So my question is this.....

What do i do to prepare my walls for tiling to give the adhesive something to stick to and waterproof my walls?

Also, what can I use to prepare the floor before i tile that too?? (it is a chipboard floor)

As i understand it i should use something like a BAL primer on the plaster and plasterboard walls????? as these will get moist/damp and have very little direct contact with running water and i should tank (completely waterproof??) the walls in the separate shower cubicle as these are most likely to get wet??

I have also read that most professional primers/tanking agents suggest using a certain type of adhesive and/or their own brand. Is this just the usual manufacturing advice to make you buy their adhesive too or can i use the big tubs of 'Dunlop Waterproof Wall Tile Adhesive' that i bought?

Is this sensible or have i got it wrong? Can anyone suggest a clear route and then suggest what products to buy? this is the first of two bathrooms i'm doing and want to get it right!!

Thank you so much for any advice and i look forward to hearing your suggestions.

[whitebeam]

Hi and welcome..

I tend to prime the plasterboard and use durobase wp, a fleece type material to tank the walls..

I would use hardie backer 6mm, single part flexible onto the existing floor, lay hardie on top and screw down..

What tiles are you fixing to the walls Ceramic etc..

Will be having any ufh and what tiles for the floor..

[stef2454]

Thanks for the advice. Any suggestions for the primer? The tiles going onto the walls and floor are matching travertine tiles.

Can i just prime the bare plaster as well?? The finish coat it in pretty good nick and just needed some of the previous adhesive sanding off.

I assume 'ufh' means underfloor heating and no there wont be any...just the floor tiles.

Thanks again!

[whitebeam]

Your mention of travertine changes things abit, if there 10mm thick that will be about 31kg m2 and your plasterboard has a maximum weight of 32kg m2..