Tiling on damp plasterboard...

[inigo]

Hi everybody,

On a mission to sort out my bathroom problems now that I have been made redundant!

I have taken down the tiles in my bathroom shower area where water was leaking for months through a bad seal. The wall (plasterboard on breezeblock) is damp in the bottom third but very secure against the wall.

Should I dry the board out completely before tanking/putting new tiles up (is this even possible in a reasonable time) or will I need to replace the whole plasterboard (with aquapanel or tile backer etc).

If it makes a difference, the plasterboard appears cement based.
Thanks!
Inigo

 

[Karis]

Plasterboard isn’t cement based so you need to establish exactly what it is you have, it could be some form of tile backer board. Does it have a paper lining under there anywhere? Plaster board is also very soft compared to tile backer board so it should be easy to tell. If it’s PB & been wet to any degree it will most likely look & feel like mush, if so it’s had it. Plasterboard isn’t suitable for wet areas anyway unless it’s tanked so it’s best consigned to the skip.

If it’s a backer board you have, letting it dry out thoroughly before your re-tile will be fine but if it’s PB, you need to remove it & start again with a decent tile backer board. I use Aquapanel, it’s a cost effective board & works very well. Post the Tiling Forum for further advice.

 

[inigo]

Thanks – that was a really quick reply!

Using your info, it is definitely not plasterboard. It is still hard and only lightly scores with a knife. No paper and grey, cement-like in colour...

I will repost in the tiling forum as you suggest too

Thanks again!

 

[HERTS P&D]

Is it this?

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/220561

Andy

 

[inigo]

hi, could be - attaching a pic.. View media item 49802

 

[Karis]

Is it this?

http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/220561

Andy

Could well be or one of the other cement based backer boards

Sounds like you may well have a cement based tile backer board which you should get away with re-tiling as long as the tiles have come off clean, you dry it out & the bond/fixing to the substrate is sound; what’s it fixed to & how?

How old is the installation? If it’s a tile backer board you have it shouldn’t have failed if a quality trade tiling materials were use!

 

[Karis]

That looks like something the Mars Roamer may have taken but unfortunately gives no clue as to what it may be; try talking some pics further back. Can you see any writing or marks on the board? what’s the texture like?