tiling over tiles!!?? how!!??

how would one go about prepping tiles for tiling over....???? A slurry of sharp sand perhaps??? grind away some of the glaze for a better key???or is there a proprietory brand of suitable adhesive???
am getting conflicting advice and need a pointer or two... or three
btw...is for a bathroom and includes a shower area.

cheers folks!!!

Remove all grease and dirt and scale and scum. Then do it again to remove the bits you missed. If any tiles are loose then remove those too.

wow!! dat simple!! cheers matey!!!

Use sugar soap to wash the tiles down. Then rinse off and dry.

Yep, clean the tiles thoroughly and then use an applicator tool and slide the adhesive along, but work on small areas at a time. If it's the right tool I'm thinking of, there should be parallel lines of adhesive with gaps inbetween.

Good luck .

Tozzy said:

use an applicator tool

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Are you talking about an adhesive trowel, like this?

Softus said:

Tozzy said:

use an applicator tool

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Are you talking about an adhesive trowel, like this?

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I was thinking of something very similar:



By the way, thanks Softus for reminding me about that adhesive trowel. I'm starting some tiling work in a few weeks (my first tiling exercise) so, I'm grateful that you posted up that picture.

Thanks m8.

Notched spreader . Knew it would come to me in the end .

Or you could do the job properly and remove the existing tiles first. It's not that hard (though you'll have to sort the wall out a bit afterwards).

tiletastic said:

Or you could do the job properly and remove the existing tiles first. It's not that hard (though you'll have to sort the wall out a bit afterwards).

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That's exactly what I'd do. I don't believe in keeping existing tiles up. I mean, would you plaster over plaster? Would you wallpaper over wallpaper? Exactly . A job is a good job when it's done properly as tiletastic has stated. And lets face it, I very rarely find a job which is done properly by anyone.

Tozzy said:

tiletastic said:

Or you could do the job properly and remove the existing tiles first. It's not that hard (though you'll have to sort the wall out a bit afterwards).

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That's exactly what I'd do. I don't believe in keeping existing tiles up.

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Is this a religious thing for you? How can you "not believe" in something that is often the best pragmatic choice?

I mean, would you plaster over plaster?

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This is a different question - if a wall is being replastered it's because the existing plaster is deficient, in which case it comes off easily. When tiles are out of fashion, but firmly stuck on, there's a good enough case for considering leaving them up.

Would you wallpaper over wallpaper?

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People do. And as long as the surface is clean and flat and there aren't any paint layers in between, it doesn't make removal any harder later on.

A job is a good job when it's done properly as tiletastic has stated. And lets face it, I very rarely find a job which is done properly by anyone.

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A ridiculous statement - you either set your standards far too high, or you don't see very many jobs.

How can you "not believe" in something that is often the best pragmatic choice?

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Tiling over tiles...hmm, you're going to end up with two layers of tiles! Tilertastic said that taking them off is doing the job properly and I agree. This is just individual preference though. You may want to tile over existing tiles. This is fair enough . But, say we want the tiles at shoulder height, you're going to have the tops of the two layers of tiles visible . This is why in this case, I would remove existing tiles. Even for a wet room, I would still remove them. Just my way .

I mean, would you plaster over plaster?

This is a different question - if a wall is being replastered it's because the existing plaster is deficient, in which case it comes off easily.

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I understand. Good point.

Would you wallpaper over wallpaper?

People do. And as long as the surface is clean and flat and there aren't any paint layers in between, it doesn't make removal any harder later on.

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Ok, this is fine .

A job is a good job when it's done properly as tiletastic has stated. And lets face it, I very rarely find a job which is done properly by anyone.

you either set your standards far too high

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To be honest, I can't deny that I do, but it's only for my own pride. Not to sound bigheaded or anything, but I have thought in the past that I would be hopeless in the building trade because I find myself frantically trying to reach perfection in everything that I do. I constantly feel that this is what is expected and if I don't reach this level of perfection, I just feel that I haven't done a good job. I think this is probably why it takes me quite a long time to complete jobs. I'm talking about things like:

Getting paint on door/ window furniture; slotted screw heads rotated and left at different positions:



lol I get really annoyed when people do things like this . What annoys me the most is when people paint over hinges with the screws inserted! There is no excuse for this. It's shoddy workmanship. This is the whole point of studying everything to do with building, decorating etc because I'm fed up with relying on dodgy tradesmen.

I do admit though that I'm probably too extreme in my views, but I'd rather be this way than plain lazy, oblivious to how my work looks and do a disgusting job. I believe I do some nice work because I put the time and effort in. I also study my 700 page building repairs book prior to carrying out jobs. If I am uncertain of my capabilities about doing something, I usually think twice.

or you don't see very many jobs.

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I've seen enough. We hired a 'supposed' professional tiler in about 3 years ago to do our bathroom and he hashed it up and charged us for it too.

Man, you wouldn't ever wanna see our internal doors. I kill myself laughing everytime I see them and the most bizarre mistakes even the most retarded person couldn't make .

Got local builders in to do some odd jobs too, but every job seemed like their first attempt .

I hope you get my drift .

Tozzy said:

Tiling over tiles...hmm, you're going to end up with two layers of tiles!

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Indeed so.

Tilertastic said that taking them off is doing the job properly and I agree. This is just individual preference though.

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Well, if you've never seen the effect, or had to do it, then I don't know how you can judge. Saying "Tilertastic said so" is hardly a justification for giving someone advice on a DIY advice forum.

You may want to tile over existing tiles. This is fair enough . But, say we want the tiles at shoulder height, you're going to have the tops of the two layers of tiles visible . This is why in this case, I would remove existing tiles. Even for a wet room, I would still remove them. Just my way .

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And I wonder upon exactly how much tiling experience, as a living, "your way" is based...

Not to sound bigheaded or anything, but I have thought in the past that I would be hopeless in the building trade because I find myself frantically trying to reach perfection in everything that I do. I constantly feel that this is what is expected and if I don't reach this level of perfection, I just feel that I haven't done a good job. I think this is probably why it takes me quite a long time to complete jobs.

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I applaud your goal, but it's perfectly possible to do an excellent job quickly. Personally, I strive for perfection, I accept excellence, and occasionally, when the job/customer requires it, I make do with marvellous.

I'm talking about things like...slotted screw heads rotated and left at different positions:

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Where screw heads are particularly visible, or when water/condensation runs down them, I do the same as you.


However, I don't like the third option either.

There is no excuse for this. It's shoddy workmanship. This is the whole point of studying everything to do with building, decorating etc because I'm fed up with relying on dodgy tradesmen.

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I used to think the same as you, and whilst I personally don't paint over hinges, screws, rad valves, vent plugs, compression joints, etc., you have to weigh up the time taken to avoid getting paint on things with the time taken when maintenance is required. Also, only people like you and me care about those details - most homeowners don't, and would be upset at having to pay extra for what they regard as unnecessary fuss.

I do admit though that I'm probably too extreme in my views, but I'd rather be this way than plain lazy, oblivious to how my work looks and do a disgusting job.

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Calm down - the opposite of perfectionism isn't laziness, dodginess and and shoddiness. There's a whole spectrum of degrees of care and effort.

I hope you get my drift .

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I do indeed - I hope you get mine.

To add my DIY hap'orth, I would think it depends on the original tiles, loose ones apart, if the existing ones were the ones with a fairly uneven top surface (sometimes handmade ones) or thick chunky tiles then I would proceed with caution, otherwise all I'd add it that I'd score the existing tile surface with a tile cutter in a criss cross pattern before tiling over (part of me suspects this would make no difference though) Of course another problem is that if you tile over tiles and the don't go all the way to the celing you have a bit more of a problem with the top edge, additionally if you have coving then this could cause an unsightly "step" at the coving / tile edge, same applies at the skirting boards.

Yes. Right. 'Triffic. All people are doing is listing the various circumstances when it would not be better to tile over tiles. Well done.

My point is this: sometimes there are better things to be doing with one's life than SDS chiselling off a bunch of tiles that don't want to come off without taking great chunks of wall with them, and having to make good before tiling, all because of some notional ideal that there is only one "proper" way to do things.

Caveat the existing tiles being sound, would you ALWAYS do the extra work? How about when the customer is in the twilight of their years, when all they want is a fresh look because their partner has died? Or for a family with more young children than their budget can account for, who just want something quick and cheery for the new babe? Or a neighbour, or family member, who knows you and can understand an explanation of the pros and cons, and is capable of making up their own mind?