Plasterboard in bathrooms

[ukthesis123]

I want my present bathroom, with a bath, converted to shower only. Now, someone who gave me a quote says that instead of removing the old tiling with new ones in the bathroom, by ripping off the old ones, he will plasterboard over the old tiles and the rest of the walls around the bathroom. So there's no need to take off the old tiles and the walls will be smooth. New tiles will be fixed on top of the new plasterboard.

Is this a good or bad idea and why? I don't have any experience in these matters, so any basic and non-technical advice is appreciated. His quote for the work is less and I wonder if this is the reason.

Thanks.

 

[DevilDamo]

I've never heard of it to work (as well) like that before. You'd obviously loose a little bit of internal space by applying additional layers onto the existing finish, which may influence the position of (some) existing fittings.

As soon as the new board is fixed through to the tiles, they'd crack and I could see that causing a problem. If it was me and I was re-doing the whole bathroom, I'd rip it all out and start again. Some of the tiles may be damaged/fall out when the bath is removed anyway... and if you were to then look at replacing the existing fittings, those tiles too would just fall out.

 

[ukthesis123]

Can you explain a little about "Some of the tiles may be damaged/fall out when the bath is removed anyway... and if you were to then look at replacing the existing fittings, those tiles too would just fall out."?

His quote is cheap for the work, but I wonder if it's precisely because he uses this method.

The ceiling is made of polystyrene foam and he says that strictly, these should be replaced. Is this right?

 

[DevilDamo]

Well meaning... assuming your existing bath is located in the corner of the room, there would be some mastic selant to join where the bath meets the wall tiles, which when the bath is removed, may pull some of the existing tiles away. Unless the tiles do not extend down past the top of bath?

 

[ukthesis123]

I posted the same query on another forum.

This was the general opinion:

"Too much that could go wrong. The existing tiles might not be fixed 100% to the walls. The plasterboard adhesive could fail if the tiles are not cleaned and keyed. Whack them off-and do it properly."

Would this also be yours? Re: attaching plasterbaord over the existing tiles in a bathroom and then tiling over the plasterboard, for the "new" tiles.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I would rip it all out, you'll lose area in the room, the tiles may not hold the weight of the plasterboard and the additional tiles and if they did the plaster or plasterboard underneath that may not.
Why did they not suggest to tile over the original tiles without the addition of extra plasterboard?

 

[mointainwalker]

This person sounds like a real bodger to me.

Firstly you need to make the walls really water-proof which is not done by tiling as the grout lets some water through and green plasterboard ( has he said which type he is proposing to use ? ) is only water-resistant, not water-proof.

Water-proofing is done with a cement-based board ( check carefully, they are not all water-proof) or something like "Marmox" or a water-proof membrane like Homelux or Kerdi.


As regards the poly tiles, not sure exactly what is being referred to, however there is a myth that these are banned for fire-safety.

Whilst it is true that the Fire-Service don't like them, they are not illegal.

 

[noseall]

Begs the question, when do you quit overboarding?

When the bathroom is only half the size........!

 

[RonnyRaygun]

No expert on this but aren't you supposed to use aquapanel or similar if tiling in "wet" rooms, especially around the shower?

Never understood why people want to replace their baths with showers anyway...you can have a shower in a bath but you'll be struggling to have a nice relaxing bath in a shower

 

[ukthesis123]

One is that you free up a bit of space. More to the point, as one gets older, you can slip in a bath and getting in and out (out especially) is a problem. Plus, getting into and out (especially out) of a bath may be a problem in that you could fall in the process (which happened to a neighbour).

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Never understood why people want to replace their baths with showers anyway...you can have a shower in a bath

Golden Shower Ronny?