Securing a bath & sorting out a mess of soggy plasterboa

[dhutch]

I presume with GRP baths its typical to secure the top edge to the wall due to the flex. Rather than just standing it on the floor?

I ask because mine is not and having removed the sealant and bottom row of tiles (due to failed grouting and loose tiles) the top of the bath moves about all over the place. Great.

Sadly the tiles where laid onto plasterboard, dot and dabbed onto the exterior and interia wall (unrendered brick) and have been leaking enough to cause the PM to disintergrate.
So having gone to rake out the grout to redo it, found the tiles loose, and the the PM rotten, I now have a 6inch high hole through to the brick wall and a bath that moves all over the place.



Obviously the full job would be bath out, PB off, cementboard on, bath back, and retile. However as ive just moved into the house, that is like this throughout, im looking for a short-mid term bodge!

One thought is to get some 12inch tiles, strip off another 6inches of tiles in the hope the PM is a bit more solid, and bridge the gap with the tiles, siliconed onto the bath. Proberbly silconing the tiles together rather the grouting, due to the lack of support for them.

Or i could try and splice in some new PB offcuts before doing the above. The current tiles are 2" tiles and having removed them and destroyed the backing in the process putting them back wont be the easyiest job, espcially onto a wonky substraight.

But obviously i need to stablise the top of the bath first. Possably with some 1*2 timber screwed/glued (access dependant) to the wall. Then screw through the lip edge of the bath into this. and or stick with sealant.


Any other thoughts?


Daniel

 

[foxhole]

If you are happy with 12inch tiles around, strip back and cut out plasterboard, replace with aqua panel or similar then tile, if you strip out to 11" and board you can cut each 12" tile down to get a snug fit and grout.Bath should be secured to wall ideally a baton running full length under bath rim for support and seal with silicon before tiling , then again once tiles are grouted, gives a double seal, less likely to leak.

 

[dhutch]

If you are happy with 12inch tiles around, strip back and cut out plasterboard, replace with aqua panel or similar then tile, if you strip out to 11" and board you can cut each 12" tile down to get a snug fit and grout.Bath should be secured to wall ideally a baton running full length under bath rim for support and seal with silicon before tiling , then again once tiles are grouted, gives a double seal, less likely to leak.

Yeah, i might even have a go at returning the 2inch tiles (now without backing mesh) having cobbled in a pb patch with some drywall adheasive, with the aim getting something back and making it last as long as it does. Atleast being direct on a brick wall if its a little damp its not going to rot batterning/studwork. Having watched a house with dryrot be gutted, im all for not having that! But at the moment the only way we can use the shower (only one in the house of three, all at work each morning) is with a polythene sheet gaffa taped to the upper tiles running into the bath and i just dont have a weekend free between now and christmas.

I do need to stablise the wall however. Some 2*1 and PU foaming adheasive might be the game...

Daniel