Tiling a Bathroom General Questions

[DARTHVADER]

I'm about to start refurbing my bathroom and have a few questions.

The bathroom is small approx 2.0m x 1.7m.

There are two layers of wall tiles applied on all the walls currently and I have already removed a small test area, which invariably removed chuncks of plaster back to the breeze block in places.


Given the fact that the plaster looks as though it will be badly damaged when I remove the rest of the tiles I'm planning to strip right back to the breeze block completely. Or would I be better leaving whats left and having this re-plastered?

If I go the plasterboard route would I fit via dot and dab or would it be better with plugs and screws? would you use an aqua type panel around the bath (planning an over bath shower) Does the aquapanel mean I don't have to tank around the bath area? or would it be more economical to just plaster board right round and paint a tanking paint/sealer on the the bath area?

I'm planning on some floor tiles too. The floor is concrete but I'm not sure on how level this will be until I pull the old tiles up. If floor is level can I tile directly onto the concrete, or do I need to seal it with anything first. I do not want to tile on top of the old floor tiles as these have been put in v badly (cut around the vanity unit for the basin and also cut around the toilet etc)

I have a second toilet shower room upstairs which I can use giving me a good window of time to do the works.


Many thanks,

 

[alternativetiles]

The ideal way would be:-
to strip off
Use an aqua panel type product
tank the joins and half way up the wet areas
tile with nice large tiles silicone all internal corners afterwards
self level the floor with latex screed
tile the floor
grout

seal grout with sealguard for example

You will have a cracking (excuse the pun) bathroom that will be leak free.

If you are going back to blockwork don't put plasterboard back on unless you are on a tight budget. If you do then don't skim the plasterboard with plaster (no need and not as good) just tank it and tile it.

 

[DARTHVADER]

Thanks for the reply alternativetiles.

Are you saying that Aqua panels all around the whole room would do instead of plasterboard? or would you use aqua panel in bath area only and just tile sraight to the breeze block in the other areas? (can you actually tile directly to breezeblock, as my thoughts are it wouldnt be flat enough?)

 

[alternativetiles]

You can tile onto blockwork, prime with SBR primer then use a single part-flex adhesive.

Depends on your circumstances to be honest. Say you have 5 kids all teenage girls who live in the shower, then I would aquapanel the wet area walls and board out the others with plasterboard and tank the joins and halfway up the wet areas walls.

If you are retired on your own then plasterboard the lot and tank the joins and wet areas.

You can tile directly to the blockwork as said but it would be easier for you if the surface is nice and flat to tile onto, maybe it will be maybe not once you remove all the tiles.

 

[DARTHVADER]

Thanks again alternativetiles.

I live on my own and my two boys stop at weekends and they will use the shower maybe once a week max. Myself on a daily sometimes twice basis.

Think I'll probably use plasterboard right round the blockwork as I suspect it will not be flat enough to carry tiles. I'll tank the area around the shower prior to tiling as you have suggested.

One more question please...would you mechanically fix the plasterboard with plugs/screws or dot and dab to the breezeblock?

 

[alternativetiles]

Plasterboard - dot and dab I suppose. Maybe a builder on here who is more knowledgeable may correct me.

 

[DARTHVADER]

OK Thanks again for your input.

 

[bananaspark]

I've recently been there, rapid set floortile adhesive 'plastered' onto the breeze worked a treat (not so hard to skim it flat as i found out).

its rock solid now (ready for tanking) and takes up less space than flimsy plasterboard, so you get a bigger bathroom.

if you do this, dont forget to soak the walls with water first.

b/

 

[DARTHVADER]

ok thanks for that b/spark.