Signing in with a few questions

[Wimpy]

Hi guys

First time on the forum, hope to gain bits of knowledge from you experts!

I have read the "sticky", but still have some questions.

My son is renovating an old house, and Dad has been called in to make it habitable. Kitchen has been fitted on to the next project.

Bathroom

The bathroom has been moved upstairs, a new 22mm floor has been fitted. Plaster walls all round except where the shower, pipe, thermostat are which is plywood boxing, plus a round window - why oh bl**dy why did he have to have a round window!

Questions

a) Does the floor need WBP on top of the sound chipboard?
b) Does this need a sealing coat on top or can it just have adhesive for the floor tiles?
c) If it should be sealed, am I right not to use Unibond. What is recommended.
d) some walls will be tiled (yes you guessed correctly including the one with the round window ) am I right to start with the floor?
e) If I cut some floor tiles to use as skirting should the new plaster on the walls be sealed.
f) Should the shower area also be sealed before tiling?

When I built my house extension some 30 years ago I just tiled straight on to skimmed walls around the shower without any waterproofing preparation and just used good waterproof grout.

Sorry too many questions but if anyone can reply to any parts of this post I will be grateful.

Thanks in advance

Wimpy

 

[Karis]

Plaster walls all round except where the shower, pipe, thermostat are which is plywood boxing, plus a round window - why oh bl**dy why did he have to have a round window!

Re-plastering walls your going to tile is not a good idea as it has weight limitations, what size weight tiles are you proposing?

Is this ply boxing inside the shower area? If so I would replace it with waterproof tile backer board, or it won't last. Even in dry areas ply is not ideal tile backer board or even plasterboard (in a dry area only) is a much better bet.

a) Does the floor need WBP on top of the sound chipboard?

You can overboard crapboard but I won’t, ideally rip it up & replace with 18-25mm WBP depending on your floor joist construction. The floor must have no discernable flex, no unsupported edges, they must be fully supported with noggins. If it’s green MR board tile adhesive won’t stick to it well anyway.

b) Does this need a sealing coat on top or can it just have adhesive for the floor tiles?

The underside & edges should be acrylic primed but not normally the tile surface, always follow the adhesive manufacturers instructions. Use quality trade tailings products only, the cheap DIY products are mostly crap.

c) If it should be sealed, am I right not to use Unibond. What is recommended.

Don’t use PVA (Unibond) on any tile surface, if you need to prime use an acrylic/SBR primer but, again, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

d) some walls will be tiled (yes you guessed correctly including the one with the round window ) am I right to start with the floor?

If you mean are you right to start by tiling the floor, this is an old debate but I always tile the walls first. If you meat start at the floor then no; fix a straight batten above the floor at most one full tile above & cut the tiles to fit; allow for any floor unevenness. Work out the best tiling layout before you start.

e) If I cut some floor tiles to use as skirting should the new plaster on the walls be sealed.

It depends on the type of adhesive you use which depends on the size/weight of the tiles but see my previous comment.

f) Should the shower area also be sealed before tiling?

What are the walls constructed from? If there is any plasterboard around, then it should be tanked if you want it to last. Some will tank over any sort of plaster.

When I built my house extension some 30 years ago I just tiled straight on to skimmed walls around the shower without any waterproofing preparation and just used good waterproof grout.

Things have moved on a touch in 30 years. Be aware that even the very best waterproof adhesive & grout (apart from expensive epoxy products) is only waterproof in the sense it; doesn’t dissolve when wet, it’s not impervious & will still absorb water hence the need for a waterproof tile base.

Read the tiling forum sticky & archive posts to avoid making expensive mistakes.

 

[Wimpy]

Karis

Thanks for your prompt and comprehensive answers. I will certainly take those points onboard. Biggest problem is the time factor. Son's in Bristol staying with friends and his wife and two little girls are in Exmouth, they want it all finished yesterday!!

Not sure about ripping up the floor, it's almost like telling him he's waste some money, but it is very sound, think I might just screw on some MBP.

Just been down to our local tile shop and had a play with the plastic tile edging. It is possible to make it into a fairly decent circle without it buckling, so that might solve the round window.

Thanks again.

 

[Karis]

Biggest problem is the time factor. Son's in Bristol staying with friends and his wife and two little girls are in Exmouth, they want it all finished yesterday!!

So son’s swanning it in Bristol while you’re working your asre off in his bathroom, typical! I have the same problem & time is always a factor where the kids are concerned & they always want it done yesterday. I always tell them if you want me to do it for free, it will be done properly the way I do things & at my pace or get someone else to do it; it usually shuts them up.

Not sure about ripping up the floor, it's almost like telling him he's waste some money

Well that’s how you learn, hopefully he’ll check first next time. Chipboard is cheap crap to use anywhere for flooring but is about the worst possible tile base you can get.

but it is very sound, think I might just screw on some MBP.

Make that WBP & use 12mm minimum or a decent tile backer board. Don’t say you’ve weren’t warned, I can’t imagine he’ll be all that pleased when the tiles start coming away from the floor.

Just been down to our local tile shop and had a play with the plastic tile edging. It is possible to make it into a fairly decent circle without it buckling, so that might solve the round window.

If you cut 45 degree notches in the base of the strip, you can bend it into a curve. The distance between the notches will depend on the radius you want.