tiling onto brick

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Apologies if this is a slightly repeated question.

I am refitting a bathroom and have stripped all the old damaged plaster back to the brick work. The brick work is very poor and uneven with poor quality/sandy mortar.

First off should i consider repointing the brickwork or is this total overkill?

I intent to seal the surface with a PVA sealer.

Its been suggested to "Dot Dab" the plasterboard and tile directly onto this. I am not keen on this idea and would rather used battons but as i say the brickwork is really quite uneven so this may be incredibly time consuming.

I am now looking at using "hardibacker" tiling board on all the walls rather than just around the shower/bath. i have also read that you can dotdab this into place and then mechanicaly fix directly onto the wall as long as you tka e anote of the locations of the dot dab and fix through these points. Is this a bit of a bodge or accaptable practice?

Finally am i am slightly unsure what order i should be proceeding in? I have the suite and obviously need to run all the pipe work and test this before laying flooring. Should i do this then install the suite then fix boarding and til etc or should i complete the plumbing, and then fix all flooring and wall boarding, then fit suite and finally tile.

Many thanks for any advice!

Jamie
 
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I am refitting a bathroom and have stripped all the old damaged plaster back to the brick work. The brick work is very poor and uneven with poor quality/sandy mortar.
First off should i consider repointing the brickwork or is this total overkill?
No, re-point the brickwork if the mortar joints are in poor condition.

I intent to seal the surface with a PVA sealer.
NEVER use conventional PVA for tiling applications, its unsuitable, remains water soluble & your tiles could end up on the floor. Why do you want to seal it?

Its been suggested to "Dot Dab" the plasterboard and tile directly onto this. I am not keen on this idea and would rather used battons but as i say the brickwork is really quite uneven so this may be incredibly time consuming.
You can use Moisture Resistant plaster board for dry areas but should always use a waterproof tile backer board in wet areas; or tank the plasterboard which will cost more or less the same.

Initial dot & dab fixing is ideal for uneven walls, as long as you mechanically fix through the dabs it’s not going anywhere. But are any solid brick external walls involved, these do not bode well for over boarding without a damp barrier & additional insulation.

I am now looking at using "hardibacker" tiling board on all the walls rather than just around the shower/bath. i have also read that you can dotdab this into place and then mechanicaly fix directly onto the wall as long as you tka e anote of the locations of the dot dab and fix through these points. Is this a bit of a bodge or accaptable practice?
No it’s not a bodge; I & many other tilers use it as a standard method of fixing backer boards. It’s standard installation on most tile backer boards. You should not rely solely on adhesive for any boards (including PB) that are being tiled; some tiles are very heavy & the whole lot could end up on the floor. Hardibacker will serve you well but use 500 (½) for walls not 250 (1/4).

Finally am i am slightly unsure what order i should be proceeding in? I have the suite and obviously need to run all the pipe work and test this before laying flooring. Should i do this then install the suite then fix boarding and til etc or should i complete the plumbing, and then fix all flooring and wall boarding, then fit suite and finally tile.

Not quiet that cut & dried; don’t fit the wall boards over the old floor or it’ll hinder you getting it up. You can board out the walls before fixing the new floor but you will need a temporary floor to stand on & need to take account of any concealed pipe runs. Next locate & temporarily fit all the sanitary ware (over a temporary floor if necessary), do all the pipe runs, fittings & test; fit service valves to all the H/C water supplies as it will enable you to quickly remove & refit the sanitary ware when you come to laying/fixing the floor & later the tiling.

Many things to catch you out particularly if you intend tiling a suspended timber floor. Please read the Tiling Sticky & Forum Archive posts before doing any more work or buying materials, it could prevent you making disastrous & potentially expensive mistakes. It’s important to use only quality trade tilling materials of the correct type for your tiles & tile base; cheapo own brand & DIY stuff is mostly crap. What size/type of tile are you going to be laying?
 
Thanks so much for the detailed response! Have read through the sticky on tiling but is just good to have the additional re-assurance!

I am definately going to re-oint the worst of the mortar areas now.

I had intended sealing the brick work to kind of firm up the loose mortar etc in order to stop further deterioation etc. however this was if I was to proceed with fixing battons directly to the wall and then plasterboard to this. WHilst still my preffered option i am led to believe this will be extremely hard.

Two of the walls involved are external but they are cavity walls. Again if i were to use battons i would fit some form of insulation.

When people talk of a barrier for external walls do they refer to a paint on sealant or an actual sheet material?

Many thanks again for all your advice.

Much appreciated!
 
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If they are cavity walls then you have no problem, you won’t need any additional work to combat damp (assuming there is no damp problem). If the walls are dusty & need sealing, you can use PVA as long as you don’t intend tiling over them, you should never use PVA as a tile primer; alternatively use an SBR/acrylic primer/sealer.

The barrier used on solid external walls can be either a waterproof render or in the case where additional insulation is being installed, a physical vapour membrane between the wall & insulation.
 

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