Tiling a Bathroom...Not again i hear you say

A thousand apologies if this has been answered elsewhere, but i DID search first and couldn't find the answer. ...i'm about to refurb my bathroom, floor to ceiling tiles approx 60cm x 40cm..It is already tiled so my first problem is likely to be how much damage i do to the existing plasterboard..Now i have had some advice from the guy at the tile shop who says i should use acrylic primer on the boards first ( which he kindly sold me ), and use powder mix cement based adhesive ( again which he sold me )..So far so good i hope please advise if not...Now on to my main concern.The grout in the old tiles inside my shower cracked ( after many years i might add ) and water got behind them and softened the ...wait for it...PLASTERBOARD..I know i know ...anyhow the tile shop man says that the new adhesive and grout will not do this as it is flexible , is he right ? And if so , is there any need to use Aquapanel board or can i just stick with plasterboard...All suggestions are greatly appreciated....Bill

If the PBs are knackered in the shower either through damp or tile removal.
I would replace with aqua panel. Removing the tiles can be a troublesome job, some use flat headed screwdrivers and a hammer, others use a chisel at a slight angle and hammer.
There is a tile removing tool that costs about £20-25
http://www.ptprofiles.co.uk/trowels.php
Others just rip them off and deal with the repairs/replacements afterwards, sometimes it's worth it, in the time it takes to do this, even with the extra cost of PBs taken in to consideration.

agree removal is necessary, however im in the mind that PB is always good to use, just make sure you tank the area (waterproofing, your nice new friend at the tile store will be happy to sell you some!)

this is just my preference btw!!!

1275Bill said:

i'm about to refurb my bathroom, floor to ceiling tiles approx 60cm x 40cm..It is already tiled so my first problem is likely to be how much damage i do to the existing plasterboard..

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They are large/heavy tiles & I would advise you fix to a tile backer board some of which will accept around 50kg/sqm. Raw (new) plasterboard will take 32kg/sqm but when plastered, this drops to 20kg/sqm including up to 4 kg/sqm for the addy/grout; what do your tiles weigh!

1275Bill said:

Now i have had some advice from the guy at the tile shop who says i should use acrylic primer on the boards first ( which he kindly sold me ), and use powder mix cement based adhesive ( again which he sold me )

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If it’s a quality flexibly trade product, that’s correct advice. You need the acrylic primer to prevent a possible reaction between the cement in the adhesive & the gypsum in the plaster/plaster board.

1275Bill said:

So far so good i hope please advise if not...Now on to my main concern.The grout in the old tiles inside my shower cracked ( after many years i might add ) and water got behind them and softened the ...wait for it...PLASTERBOARD..I know i know

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That’s’ the main problem with plasterboard in wet areas unless it’s tanked.

1275Bill said:

the tile shop man says that the new adhesive and grout will not do this as it is flexible , is he right ?

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Unless it’s an epoxy adhesive & grout (OTT & expensive) not really. Even the every best powder flexible addy/grout will crack if movement exceeds the elasticity of the products. The other bit he didn’t tell you is that even waterproof addy/grout is only waterproof in the sense it will not disintegrate if it gets wet, it will still absorb water (unless it’s an epoxy). This is why it’s so important that the tile base in a wet area is waterproof & if you use plasterboard (which should always be moisture resistant in a bath/shower room) you need to tank it if you want it to last.

1275Bill said:

And if so , is there any need to use Aquapanel board or can i just stick with plasterboard...All suggestions are greatly appreciated

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I would always use a waterproof tile backer board in wet areas, especially considering the size/weight of tiles your using. If you factor in the cost of the tanking when using PB, the overall cost will be about the same or even less + its less work. If your walls are stud, just fix to that but you don’t need to use battens with Aquapanel; just dot & dab them initially & use mechanical (frame) fixings through the adhesive dabs the next day to secure the boards permanently.

Thanks very much for your swift replies and sound advice..It looks like i'm going to reboard the whole room , and use aquapanel in the shower area..Am i right in thinking that Aquapanel does not need tanking ?..No doubt i'll be asking more questions soon, so watch this space... ...........CHEERS..Bill

No need to tank the Aquapanel, just seal the joints with tile adhesive & apply mesh reinforcing tape over before tiling. Make sure the joints in the boards do not line up with your tile grout lines to remove any risk of cracking. You can tile straight onto plaster board but if using MR & only half tiling, the boards must be primed before plastering. Do the plastering first down to just below the tile line & then tile over.

Sound advise
RC

Just a thought...would it be worthwhile using some pvc type panels on the wall before i install the shower cubicle..The theory being that the water will then never get to the tiles ? Or would it look naff....Bill

Bumpy

Not sure I understand what you’re proposing ; are you thinking of fixing something over the top of tiles or using decorative wall panels instead of tiles?

If you’re talking the later, I’ve never used them but have seen some newly installed around a bath/shower. I thought they looked OK but not as luxurious as large format tiles; personally, I don’t think I would have them in my own shower room but it’s a question of personal choice & the look you want really.

The panels i've seen Richard are the same size as the 2 sides of the shower that go against the wall ( Quadrant enclosure ) you get a sealing strip for in the corner and to seal to the tray..You put them up over the tiles...But i'm leaning towards your view that my nice big tiles will look better.....So without going to the extent of epoxy based adhesive and grout , will the tiling in the shower area fail like my previous job, or are modern products more flexible than the old stuff was ?...I intend to reboard the whole bathroom, and use Aquapanels behind shower tiles..Bill

There is absolutely no reason the tiles should fail again as long as you fix the backer boards securely, follow the manufacturers instructions & guidance previously posted. Use a quality trade adhesive/grout rather than cheap DIY stuff and you will need a flexible powder addy suitable for the type of tiles your laying, flexy grout also; you don’t need to use expensive epoxy products.

Just had a look at what my friendly tile shop supplied...I'ts Ultra flexible tile adhesive, and Ultra flexible grout. Both in powder form...Bill