Tile on Tiles

kdLeeds · 6 Jul 2006

I'm sure this will have been covered before, but I can't find a similar thread.

I am fitting a new bathroom suite and redecorating.

I have removed tiles on 2 part tiled walls which brought off lots of plaster which will be repaired before re-tiling.

A third wall is completely tiled, floor to ceiling & appears sound. I don't want to cause unnecessary work and am tempted to tile over them.

What is the professionals opinion.

Al-Glasgow · 6 Jul 2006

I am NOT a tiler.

The proffesional opinion of the tilers on this site, is to strip all the tiles, re-plaster then tile again.

Al

gcol · 6 Jul 2006

In an ideal world you should take the tiles off and redo it. However, the mess and time involved in removing them often outweighs the "unprofessionalism" of tiling over them.
If you clean the tiles properly and leave 3 days between sticking them up and grouting they should stick fine.
The only thing to consider is will the extra weight on the wall pull the plaster off?

The_Wilderbeast · 11 Jul 2006

B&Q do an adhesive that is supposedly designed for this purpose, I used it and it did exactly what it said it would do. There is nothing wrong in going on top of old tiles its just 'not proper' thats all.

grrinc · 16 Jul 2006

Adhesive that stick tiles onto tiles do exist, but conditions must be met. We always strip off tiles, and 9 time out of ten, they come off with a flick of a chisel. Imagine tiling onto these?? If you suspect that the original tiles were poorly done or perhaps past there life span, then dont take any chances. Also, weight has to be considered too, especially as tile are far more heavier then they used to be.

kdLeeds · 26 Jul 2006

Thanks to everyone for their help.

I know the right thing to do, I was just hoping that someone might talk me into the easy option.

So they're coming off.

Thanks again

Multiplex · 26 Jul 2006

No, tile on tiles is just fine. I took a photo the last time I did it:

Clean the old tiles and then paint it with a special paint using for tiling on tiles. The paint will bond with the old tiles and create a good surface for the tile adhesive to grip to.

It's too much work to take all the old tiles off and repair the wall if you have a good surface already.

Simon

gcol · 26 Jul 2006

You don't need to paint the existing tiles with anything - as long as the tiles are clean the adhesive will stick to the tiles. By adding another layer of paint in between, you're adding another layer that can fail. This is not the way to do things.

Multiplex · 27 Jul 2006

I totally disagree. I used a product that was designed for this purpose.

Ceramic tiles have a glaze that makes it difficult for tile adhesive to adhere to. By painting an adhesive that does grip the old tiles and prodives a surface for the new tiles you are ensuring a tight bond and one that will not fail.

I'm sorry but tile adhesive on its own is not good enough.

Simon.

grrinc · 27 Jul 2006

Multiplex said:
I'm sorry but tile adhesive on its own is not good enough.

Not if you have the right product in the first place. Bal White Star for example doesnt require any additional 'painting'. It is a resin based adhesive that sticks does the job very well. If you want to add additional layers, I am sure it wont hurt, but why waste time?

However, I still wouldnt tile onto tile except in very rare cases. It is very difficult to judge wether an existing tiling job is close to or past its use by date. Nothing lasts forever, so why assume your existing tiling is going to stay put, especially with the extra load is about to receive. Even if a good quality job was done in the first place, the render could be of insufficient quality to take the extra load.

Now I understand this is a DIY forum and as such, these type of solutions should be considered. But it is worth remembering that stripping back and tiling is considered to be a more proffesional job.

gcol · 27 Jul 2006

Multiplex said:
I totally disagree.

The fact that you disagree doesn't mean that what you're saying is correct.

On tubs of adhesive it often mentions tiling onto tiles and mentions nothing of any other product to improve adhesion. Yes there is tile primer out there, but that's typically for when you want to apply a paint finish... not when you want to over-tile. If it does say that it can be used before re-tiling then it's just a gimmick to get you to buy it. You don't need it and I certainly wouldn't introduce an unnecessary layer to a tiling job because:
1. The extra cost
2. The extra time
3. You don't know how it react with different adhesives

You should ALWAYS follow the instructions on the adhesive product or you'll come a cropper if/when it goes
t i t s up.

Moz · 12 Aug 2006

my assistant Gcol speaks well here ....

you can tile on tile but always adhere to what the mudmix/adhesive says , all this rubbish about PVAing walls for tiles is utter rot....

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Tile on Tiles

Moz

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