600 x 300 Porcelain Tiles On To Walls - Tile Advice

[Retroelec]

Hi everyone.
Thanks for all the advice so far, its going pretty good considering i'm a sparky!!!
Going to start to tile the walls and have got 600 x 300 porcelain tiles (Topps Regal Vanilla ones)
Ok so the walls are skimmed plasterboard on the dot and dab and studwork and the tiles weigh 25kg per sq mtr according to the box.
Will I need to put the hardibacker boards on or will i be able to fix straight to the plaster?
I have used mapei aquadefence on the walls in the wet areas and Topps told me i needed some Bal primer for the walls to paint on before tiling.
I am using Bal single part flexiable adhesive is this ok?
I'm fully tiling the shower area and then half tiling the rest of it.

 

[One Day]

Before doing anything, as a Sparky you really need to get one of these and familiarise yourself with it thoroughly:

Now the important stuff is out of the way....
to answer your questions:

Will I need to put the hardibacker boards on or will i be able to fix straight to the plaster?
At 25kg per sqm (plus adhesive) you are over the recommended weight tolerances. Should you risk it? That's up to you! I can only say what you "should" do.

I have used mapei aquadefence on the walls in the wet areas and Topps told me i needed some Bal primer for the walls to paint on before tiling.
Topps usually don't know what they are talking about, but in this instance - yes - you will need to prime any bare plaster before using cement based adhesive. BAL primer apd or sbr would be fine.
Not sure if you need to prime before using Aquadefense though...best check the spec sheet.

I am using Bal single part flexiable adhesive is this ok?
It's as good as any and better than most.

 

[Retroelec]

Thanks for the pointers.
I think I may risk it, the plaster seems very well bonded and I assume that this is whats will fall off, and its well dried as it was skimmed nearly 3 years ago!!
Ok I will prime all the walls before tiling, should i put a few score marks in the plaster or will this make matters even worse?

Regarding this thing below, I don't really want to spend money on specialist tools that I will never use again.
Mind you it may come in handy when the tiles fall off and smash my bathroom to bits!!

 

[Dave Mitchell]

View media item 15580

 

[WetSaw]

Don't score the plaster, unless you intend using the dustpan and brush sooner than you think...

 

[Retroelec]

One more thing with this aquadefense is does not say anything about priming the wall first just brush on to plaster.
When I said I have put it on what I really meant was that I have only done a small square to see what it was like and just managed to peel it off fairly easily.
Do you think I should prime the wall first as I guess the tiles will be stuck to this?

 

[One Day]

I would prime it first. If in doubt - prime.
Just be careful that it's diluted correctly - normally something like 4 parts water to 1 part primer.

 

[Retroelec]

This is the one that Topps told me to get for the plaster walls, is this ok?
Seems to just go on undiluted, I’m guessing that if I put it on before the aquadefense stuff it will help a bit.

 

[One Day]

View attachment 98730

This is the one that Topps told me to get for the plaster walls, is this ok?
Seems to just go on undiluted, I’m guessing that if I put it on before the aquadefense stuff it will help a bit.

100% yes.

 

[Brighton Tony]

Hi! I have exactly the same situation. Did the tiles stay on the walls?

 

[Brighton Tony]

Hi! I have exactly the same issue. Did the tiles stay on the walls?