Help please! Last week I installed a new shower in my daughter’s flat and it is leaking, I think through the tiled walls. I built the walls of 12mm WBP exterior ply sealed with (one) coat of oil-based primer, as suggested on the tile-cement tub. The cement is waterproof and specifically claims to be suitable for tiling over wood. The grout is waterproof and mould resistant, claimed to be suitable for showers.
I grouted using a rubber float, pressing it well in and smoothing the joints with my finger (I never seem to have a handy implement for this). The cement was buttered all over on the back of each tile (rather than on the wall) and lightly ridged i.e. a continuous layer of cement. Perhaps I didn’t mix the grout quite as stiff as the 4:1 cement/water ratio recommended but not too far off and it certainly wasn’t sloppy. The tiles are 200 x 250 mm but with a border tile at mid-level, a mosaic of natural stone (marble or similar) sealed with Stain Stop (3 coats, 1 before grouting and 2 after). I took the opportunity to apply Stain Stop to all the grout as a further measure (I hoped) against mould and water penetration.
How might the tiling have failed and how can it be fixed without starting from scratch? If absolutely necessary I would tile over the current tiles but I’m not keen on that solution.
Nick
I grouted using a rubber float, pressing it well in and smoothing the joints with my finger (I never seem to have a handy implement for this). The cement was buttered all over on the back of each tile (rather than on the wall) and lightly ridged i.e. a continuous layer of cement. Perhaps I didn’t mix the grout quite as stiff as the 4:1 cement/water ratio recommended but not too far off and it certainly wasn’t sloppy. The tiles are 200 x 250 mm but with a border tile at mid-level, a mosaic of natural stone (marble or similar) sealed with Stain Stop (3 coats, 1 before grouting and 2 after). I took the opportunity to apply Stain Stop to all the grout as a further measure (I hoped) against mould and water penetration.
How might the tiling have failed and how can it be fixed without starting from scratch? If absolutely necessary I would tile over the current tiles but I’m not keen on that solution.
Nick