Tiling over bathroom wall panels

[Stringman_uk]

Hi all
Our bathroom has the PVC wall panelling around 3 walls ( the other wall is a "feature wall)
due to the incredibly hard water the panels by the (over bath) shower suffer from heavy limescale.
After trying to clean it I succeeded in marking the panels ( I suspect I took off the printed layer!)
That, and a couple of leaks meant we have decided tile around the "shower area"
The wall panels are properly fixed to plasterboard.
Would it be ok to tile onto the Wall panel direct with the correct adhesive and preparation (scoring the boards etc)
Also
Looking at the attached Photo would you advise raising the bath to the same level as the ledge?

Thanks in advance

 

[Odds]

Personally, i wouldn't bother about raising the bath and i reckon tiling on to the p.board will be fine as long as it's the right sort to do so.

 

[Stringman_uk]

Personally, i wouldn't bother about raising the bath and i reckon tiling on to the p.board will be fine as long as it's the right sort to do so.

I hoping to tile onto the wall panel not the plasterboard

 

[Odds]

"Would it be ok to tile onto the board direct with the correct adhesive and preparation..."

You can see how confusing it is.

A bad idea to tile on to the wall panel, imo.

 

[Stringman_uk]

"Would it be ok to tile onto the board direct with the correct adhesive and preparation..."

You can see how confusing it is.

A bad idea to tile on to the wall panel, imo.

Ahh yes I see - I will edit it - thanks

 

[foxhole]

Why tile , you will still have to clean the limescale off .

 

[Stringman_uk]

Why tile , you will still have to clean the limescale off .

because, as I have said the cleaners I used have damaged the panels, so they look ugly now

 

[foxhole]

because, as I have said the cleaners I used have damaged the panels, so they look ugly now

Does answer the question , why tile and not wall panel .

 

[simplesteve]

To answer the question posted - No, you cannot tile over plastic wall panels.

 

[Stringman_uk]

To answer the question posted - No, you cannot tile over plastic wall panels.

Thanks for that.
Not doubting you at all but can I ask why- I have seen tiles fixed on top of tiles and would have thought this would be the same?

Googling the answer (which we all know is a bad idea) suggests you can if you score the panels and use flexible adhesive.
Its not the end of the world as it is one whole panel and than just cutting one in half.

 

[simplesteve]

No, it is nothing like the same. Tiles can SOMETIMES be tiled on top of tiles, IF the 'second tiler' is confident in the ability and strength of the first tilers adhesive to take the weight of two tiles. I'm often asked to tile over someone else's work, but why would I ? I have no idea what is holding the original tile on, or what it's tiled onto. I'd have to be a gambling man to put all that weight of my tiles and adhesive on top of unknowns. Sure, they will stick ok. With a bit of prep, tiles will stick onto tiles, with tile adhesive; that's what it's designed to do.
Tile adhesive onto plastic ? I don't think so ( and 'why ' ?) Standard tile adhesive will not stick to plastic, it is cement after all, and not designed to be sick into some kind of petroleum based man made fabric. Sure, there will be some thing than can stick them on ( and like you, I've found them on Google ) but would you really trust using some kind of glue ( as that's what it is ) to stick heavy tiles to something that's maybe 0.5mms thick and honeycombed ( depending on your panel) ?
In short, imagine the weight of a box of tiles. Now glue that to a piece of plastic, and have a shower in front of it, hoping that the dod of silicone behind the plastic is sticking it all to the wall.

 

[Tetrarch]

However good adhesion you will get whilst fixing the tiles there is no way that you can prevent the inevitable movement and flexing that will compromise the grouting and lead to the failure of the tiling.

Personally I'd remove the panels AND plasterboard and replace with waterproof boarding of some sort

If your water is that hard consider buying yourself a water softener as this will prevent the limescale that caused your problem in the first place. It might be that this solution means that you can just replace the plastic panelling like-for-like

Regards

Tet

 

[Stringman_uk]

No, it is nothing like the same. Tiles can SOMETIMES be tiled on top of tiles, IF the 'second tiler' is confident in the ability and strength of the first tilers adhesive to take the weight of two tiles. I'm often asked to tile over someone else's work, but why would I ? I have no idea what is holding the original tile on, or what it's tiled onto. I'd have to be a gambling man to put all that weight of my tiles and adhesive on top of unknowns. Sure, they will stick ok. With a bit of prep, tiles will stick onto tiles, with tile adhesive; that's what it's designed to do.
Tile adhesive onto plastic ? I don't think so ( and 'why ' ?) Standard tile adhesive will not stick to plastic, it is cement after all, and not designed to be sick into some kind of petroleum based man made fabric. Sure, there will be some thing than can stick them on ( and like you, I've found them on Google ) but would you really trust using some kind of glue ( as that's what it is ) to stick heavy tiles to something that's maybe 0.5mms thick and honeycombed ( depending on your panel) ?
In short, imagine the weight of a box of tiles. Now glue that to a piece of plastic, and have a shower in front of it, hoping that the dod of silicone behind the plastic is sticking it all to the wall.

Thank you very much for the detailed reply.
This is exactly why I asked the question why to you.
I Understand now.
Many thanks