Hello DIYers.
Right, bear with me, long(ish) story!
In our small bathroom we built a full height cupboard at the end of the bath, in the small space (700mm) left between the bath and the wall. The partition is basically a large panel which starts at the top of the bath, by the taps, and runs up to the ceiling, all supported by timber battens.
The panel is 15mm MDF, and is tiled on the bath side. There is a power shower fitted, with the pipework electrics running through holes in the tiles and panel. All good so far.
Over the years, water from the shower as run down the tiles and must have crept through gaps in the grout. Clearly, the MDF got soaked quickly and has become warped. On a couple of occasions I have tried removing the tiles, refitting them and renewing the grout - but because the panel has bowed and has some movement, the tiles just won't stay water tight. Also, it's hard to fix tiles securely to rotten wood! Ultimately, water leaks through the panel and out to the floor.
Now, clearly I need to do something about this. I don't want to completely rebuild the entire cupboard - but I could possibly renew the panel and fix it more securely to ensure there is no movement, then re-tile and grout. Not an ideal solution, but if I do it properly I'm sure it will last.
So, what kind of board should I use for the panel? Is any board more suited to bathroom situations?
Should I stick with MDF but add some kind of waterproof covering, and ensure I seal all the edges?
What about plasterboard? But I'm not sure that would be strong enough to handle all the fixings.
Any advice really appreciated!
Right, bear with me, long(ish) story!
In our small bathroom we built a full height cupboard at the end of the bath, in the small space (700mm) left between the bath and the wall. The partition is basically a large panel which starts at the top of the bath, by the taps, and runs up to the ceiling, all supported by timber battens.
The panel is 15mm MDF, and is tiled on the bath side. There is a power shower fitted, with the pipework electrics running through holes in the tiles and panel. All good so far.
Over the years, water from the shower as run down the tiles and must have crept through gaps in the grout. Clearly, the MDF got soaked quickly and has become warped. On a couple of occasions I have tried removing the tiles, refitting them and renewing the grout - but because the panel has bowed and has some movement, the tiles just won't stay water tight. Also, it's hard to fix tiles securely to rotten wood! Ultimately, water leaks through the panel and out to the floor.
Now, clearly I need to do something about this. I don't want to completely rebuild the entire cupboard - but I could possibly renew the panel and fix it more securely to ensure there is no movement, then re-tile and grout. Not an ideal solution, but if I do it properly I'm sure it will last.
So, what kind of board should I use for the panel? Is any board more suited to bathroom situations?
Should I stick with MDF but add some kind of waterproof covering, and ensure I seal all the edges?
What about plasterboard? But I'm not sure that would be strong enough to handle all the fixings.
Any advice really appreciated!
