Advice on tiling with 60cm x 30cm wall tiles

[Lianne]

Can anyone please give me some advice on tiling with 60cm x 30cm wall tiles. I think the tiles are ceramic and approx 9mm thick. I also have a marble border.

I am revamping my shower room and really need some advice. I have tiled before but never with tiles of this size so need some expert advice.

The walls are not very good plaster - there are large patches where the old tiles pulled plaster off with them. So I am going to plasterboard the walls - I had considered stripping all plaster and attaching tiles directly to the breeze block but don't know if this is feasible. For the shower area I have purchased aquapanel board (but I couldn't afford to do the full room with this). I will be battening the walls and attaching 12.5mm plasterboard, from that point I am stuck, so any advice on the following will be really appreciated.

1. Do I need to do any further prep to the plasterboard?
2. Which adhesive should I use for this size tile? - I have heard that large tiles can sometimes have problems due to adhesive not setting in the centre!!
3. Should it be flexible? - I am assuming plasterboard may be subject to slight movement!!
4. Should the border be treated after installation due to porosity?
5. What is a really effective grout that is mould / fungal resistant?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but, I want to make sure I do this right. Many thanks for any advice you can provide.

Lianne

[Dave]

Hello lianne and welcome to the forums.......

You will need to get them walls as flat as you can with that format of tile.......
Adhesive wise i would use a single part flexible , BAL SPF is good...don't use dispersion adhesives on that size tile....

I would give the border a couple of coats of lithofin stainstop or similar...this will be better than trying to seal them once installed.

Aqua panel would be ideal for the shower area.....

And BAL and other makes manufactures make anti mould grouts.........

I would deffo dot & dab the walls with plaster board......much easier to tile onto than block work...

[DS Tiling]

Even although you are using Aquapanel the shower area should still be tanked out. All the plasterboard should be primed with an acrylic primer as a bagged adhesive should be used for this size of tile. You will have to use a trowel depth to ensure you are getting sufficient coverage and that will also depend on how flat the substrate ends up. Something like Bal single part flexible or equivalent would be fine for adhesive. Grout, something like microflex. Personally i would seal the border prior to installing especially if it is mosaic like. Lithofin stain stop or similar.

[MICK the Tiler]

If these are in fact the tiles I'm thinking of.....................Thin white glaze with a creamy coloured biscuit? Use caution if fixing them into areas that receive water splash these tiles have been known to discolour after they fill up with moisture. Made in China Me thinks.

[Lianne]

Thanks for all your comments. I didn't realise I still needed to tank the shower walls, better buy a tanking kit - is the Dunlop Waterproof Tanking kit suitable?

Dave>> great comments/advice, just one query: is 'dot and dab' suitable? I read somewhere plaster can only hold a certain amount of weight (approx 20kg I think) , so wouldn't I be overloading the existing plaster by adding the weight of the plasterboard, adhesive and tiles. I may be talking non-sense, but just want to make sure. The advice about lecithin on the border prior to fiixing will certainly be a great help.

DSTiling>> great comments/advice. Again the border prep prior to fixing is invaluable.

Mick the Tiler>> Don't know where they originate from. But they are not a white glazed tile, they are a marble effect ceramic, with a high gloss glaze - the tile store assured me they were suitable for installation in a shower, so they had better be OK.

Thanks again for all your help.

Lianne

[MICK the Tiler]

Those tiles will be fine

[Lianne]

Phew that's a relief!!

[GazTech]

Thanks for all your comments. I didn't realise I still needed to tank the shower walls, better buy a tanking kit - is the Dunlop Waterproof Tanking kit suitable?

Dave>> great comments/advice, just one query: is 'dot and dab' suitable? I read somewhere plaster can only hold a certain amount of weight (approx 20kg I think) , so wouldn't I be overloading the existing plaster by adding the weight of the plasterboard, adhesive and tiles. I may be talking non-sense, but just want to make sure. The advice about lecithin on the border prior to fiixing will certainly be a great help.

DSTiling>> great comments/advice. Again the border prep prior to fixing is invaluable.

Mick the Tiler>> Don't know where they originate from. But they are not a white glazed tile, they are a marble effect ceramic, with a high gloss glaze - the tile store assured me they were suitable for installation in a shower, so they had better be OK.

Thanks again for all your help.

Lianne

Preperation Products
Shower Waterproofing Kit
• Waterproofing Kit For Showers
• Fully Waterproof And Leak Proof
• Quick And Easy System

Size: 4kg
The Ideal Waterproofing System For Showers
Download Material Safety Data Sheet
Click here to view video



easy to use kit is fine .Gaz

[Lianne]

Hi Gaz, that's brilliant, thanks.

[GazTech]

Pleasure....

[Dave]

Hi lianne. i meant if you are knocking the walls back to block work then dot & dab plasterboard..........If you dot & dab onto existing walls then once dry screw and plug through the dabbed area's for extra strength.........

[Droopy]

I don't see why she has to tank Aquapanel. That's overkill IMO.
If she is going to tank, why not just use 12.5mm plasterboard or, even better, greenboard for the entire room?

[GazTech]

I don't see why she has to tank Aquapanel. That's overkill IMO.
If she is going to tank, why not just use 12.5mm plasterboard or, even better, greenboard for the entire room?

Even with aquapenel there are still joints need taping, and where the tray meets them...Gaz

[Droopy]

Even with aquapenel there are still joints need taping, and where the tray meets them...Gaz

So why not save the money that aquapanel costs and do it all in Greenboard?

Either that or tape using a glass fibre tape and a water resistant SPF addy.

[GazTech]

So why not save the money that aquapanel costs and do it all in Greenboard?

I can't see any problem with that, always wise to compare prices for all projects.....Gaz

[Droopy]

I can't see any problem with that, always wise to compare prices for all projects.....Gaz

I edited my last post to include taping with waterproof addy and glass fibre tape too, Gaz.

Cheaper and less hassle than tanking. IMO ofcourse.

[Lianne]

Thanks to you all for the superb info!! I feel like I have a much clearer idea of what I am doing now.

[Lianne]

Chaps due to your very helpful advice I have now got the following on my shopping list:

4x 20KG BAL Single Part Flexible adhesive (White)
2x 5L BAL Prime APD
1x Dunlop Tanking Kit
1x 1L Lithofin MN Stain Stop
Grout --- Not quite decided on the correct grout yet, but I know I need a flexible waterproof type.
Tile Spacers --- What size are suitable for this size tile?
Tile Adhesive Spreader --- What type do I require? There are so many to choose from, V shaped notch, 5mm notch, 10mm notch etc... I am right handed
Grout float --- again advice is greatly appreciated.

I missed anything? I am applying 22msq, and think I have got the correct amounts.

[DS Tiling]

You may get away with not tanking out the ****panel but it is best practice to do so and if you were one of my customers that's what i would advise you to do. Not all cement boards are certified as waterproof.

grout joint 2-3mm usually but personal choice and depending on how uniform the tiles are.

Trowel, depending on the background flatness but normally i would use an 8mm for that size of tile and remove a tile to check for coverage.

I would use Bal superflex wall grout but microflex if you want microban in it.

[Lianne]

That's great advice, thanks. I think that while I am doing the job I may as well do the tanking for the small amount of extra. Thanks again.

Lianne