Bathroom antics

[JDLDIY]

Well, I'm just about to start the next project which is to relace the bathroom suite, tile and decorate etc. The thing is that it's the only bathroom we have and with 2 small kids I know that I will be interrupted along the way.

So, I'll need to strip the walls of their tiles and do quite a lot of preparation to them before retiling them. In the meantime we will need to use the bath and shower so I will need to be able to seal the bare plaster as there will inevitably be water splashing everywhere. What should I use? I was thinking of using primer/sealer. Whatever I use has to then be OK to be tiled on top of with some fairly heavy marble tiles.

Many thanks for your suggestions.

JD

 

[ellie]

I have a simalar situation, bathroom, no tiles and kids, so to keep the walls dry for the time being I've fitted a shower curtain across the wall.

 

[JDLDIY]

I have a simalar situation, bathroom, no tiles and kids, so to keep the walls dry for the time being I've fitted a shower curtain across the wall

Hmm.not a bad idea ellie, thanks. I'm still going to look for a paint on finish which I can then tile over later though, I think the primer/sealer would do it but I also just thought of using a kitchen/bathroom paint - not sure whether either of these would be OK to tile on top of though.

JD

 

[p.pittstop]

you can't tile on paint without mechanically removing it as to british and european standard. so my advise is to use an apd primer which you can tile directly on

 

[JDLDIY]

you can't tile on paint without mechanically removing it as to british and european standard. so my advise is to use an apd primer which you can tile directly on

Thanks for the advice, what's an apd primer?

JD

 

[tylerb]

Acrylic based not water based.

BAL do one called apd

Ty

 

[JDLDIY]

Hope it's OK to resurrect this old thread of mine - the job's getting closer (althought the missus doesn't believe it).

Just wanted to maks sure I'm going the right way about this. Firstly I'll have to strip the walls where there is a lot of preparation to do - I can already see various layers of pva and tile cement where some of the existing tiles have fallen off. So, I'm hoping to get the stripping and prep done within a couple of days, after which it will have to be back to use as the only family bathroom. So, does giving the walls an application of apd (I actually have some in the garage) waterproof them sufficiently that we can continue to use the shower?

Secondly, the wall tiles we have are unsealed tumbled marble mosaic tiles. They should look great when done!! What is the order of play, is it to lay them to the wall, then clean them and seal them and then grout them?

Lastly, I take it that I shouldn't use ceramic tile adhesive as they aren't ceramic, but haven't seen any other tile adhesives on the shelves at the DIY stores. What should I be looking out for?

That's it - not looking for you guys to do all my research - I'll be hotfooting it from here to the BAL website to see what I can find in the way of advice, read here that they do a professional tiling guide anyone got a link or is that something I need to look for in stores?

Many thanks

JD

 

[Mudster]

Use a powdered adhesive desinged for natural stone, and make sure it's white. Grey adhesive may stain the stone.

Fix, clean then seal throughly before grouting.

Don't buy a regular wall grout for these, the joints are susually too wide to cope.

I usually mix wall and wide joint grout 50/50 for this kind of job, if you do this, it MUST be mechanically mixed, otherwise you'll get colour patches.

BAL will have a suitable primer.

Rather than going to DIY stores go to your nearest TIle Distributor, not a little high street shop, but a big warehouse type place, these guys will have the correct materials you need.

 

[JDLDIY]

Thanks Mudster for the advice - much appreciated. I've done some tiling before but only with larger ceramic tiles, how much harder is this if any? Just trying to decide whether to get someone in to do it.

JD

 

[nellyb]

Granfix do a new adhesive called multifix which is suitable for fixing marble. This is a ready mixed,self priming adhesive which saves a lot of messing about with cement based powders if the tiles don;t need bedding too thickly, which as they are mosaics they probably won't. Although it is self priming it will probably comb on easier if the walls are primed.

As for going to big sheds, in my experience, I've found them on the whole far more expensive than smaller independent outlets

 

[Mudster]

Personally I wouldn't touch granfix, I use Ardex BAL or Nicobond. Depending on the substrate and the product to be fixed.

Also I'm not referring to places like Topps tiles, I don't class them as Wholesale TIle distributors, I do class them as Retailers.

I'm referring to commercial tile distributers, the people who Supply Topps and Tile Magic. You will half the price of a small independant buying from these guys, and they will sell direct, I've never found a problem so far.

My advice, there are many tiling jobs that can be attempted by a competant DIYer and a little thought, stone mosaics isn't one of them if it;s any sort of large area you intened to cover.

Get someone in, ask them if they are used to dealing with stone and natural products and get the fit done professionally.

I'm a marble and Limestone wholesaler, I starded this business from being a fitter so I do know this side of the tiling business.