Advice on tanking a shower with Plasterboard cut out for pipes

[westyrugby]

Hi all,

Have had shower tray fitted to corner of bathroom. Want to tank the wall area but to get the pipes in for the shower plumber has had to cut plaster board so wondering how the best way to cover the gaps would be. Cannot just patch with more plaster board as it would stick out further than the rest.

Thanks in advance

 

[WabbitPoo]

do those pipe clips protrude out in front of the plasterboard?

 

[westyrugby]

No they don't. About 2-3 mm from the front surface.

 

[Madrab]

Depends on what covering is going on top? Cover the pipe with gaffer tape, then coat with tanking primer and then cover with your membrane and tanking. Once it goes off then the surface should be fine for tiling/covering.

 

[westyrugby]

Thanks Madrab,

I have some tape in the tanking kit so was thinking of covering with that if it bridges the gap - I am assuming that is what you mean by membrane.

Other option was to plaster it using Bonding plaster with a skim on top but would prefer something quicker.

JW

 

[Madrab]

That's the stuff Westy, you use the tape to bridge any gaps, joins/joints or corners to provide a strong continuous water seal.

 

[westyrugby]

Thanks. Much appreciated.

 

[vinn]

Thats a poor installation, badly thought out. Your best bet is to start again. Use a bathroom fitter to at least first fix things.

Why didn't the plumber sink the pipes into the wall? Those are the wrong clips, you'll have to use copper strap clips to ensure there's no pipework touching the backing or tray. I'd use Pex feeds and copper stubs.
The stubs should turn 90* using cu x cu wall plate elbows that are screwed to the bricks. To prevent water hammer.
What kind of shower are you going to use?
Plaster board, even when tanked, is a bad choice for a wet backing. Plaster board should be left bare for tiling not skimmed. Using Cement backer board is best.
I try to have the shower tray butting up to the brick and studding. Your tray is set too far out for me. Doing it my way makes it more leak proof but you have to weigh up if you have left good room for the enclosure/door installation.

westyrugby, I dont understand the gaffer tape and membrane suggestions either.

 

[westyrugby]

Hi Vinn,

To be fair the plumber was brought in after the other stuff was done by the builders i.e. plasterboarding/skimming as the original plumber let me down. I did think of stripping it out and starting again but the house is already 2 months behind and under pressure to be out of rental property so have to go with what we have got at the moment.

 

[vinn]

It will cost far more in time, money and grief if you have to strip out a completed job in an occupied property.

 

[westyrugby]

Cheers. May need to re-think then.

 

[snes]

Have to agree with Vinn here - removing some plasterboard sheeting now is nothing compared to having to rip out tiles etc when the installation begins to show its shortcomings.

And plasterboard should never have been specced in the first place - AquaPanels or similar are the only reliable materials in this situation.

Well done, Westy, for thinking about a re-do. Not an easy decision for you in your circumstances.

 

[Madrab]

The gaffer tape and tanking is in response to how the OP's original question of how to best to cover the current pipe gaps and then waterproof. I don't see what's difficult about understanding that, tape to protect the copper from the acrylic primer and then take the tanking properly. I'd also suggest that wall plate elbows are not required, when using a mixer fixing kit, elbows would not be used.

Whilst I don't disagree that gyproc isn't the best material, if tanked correctly then I have found it to be an adequate substrate to tile on top of, especially moisture resistant board. It all depends on the quality and how well the tanking is performed, the preparation of the rest of the wall and then correct adhesives and grouts used to then waterproof the tile installation.

Plasterboard is only a bad material when the covering is compromised, if that is constructed correctly then there should be no bleed through to the substrate.