Opportunity to do it right.

Obsessionfatale · Jun 8, 2014

Hi,

I am new to tiling and new to this forum.

I have recently purchased a house and would like to redo the bathroom. I have had a new boiler and had the airing cupboard knocked into the bathroom to allow for a separate shower.

I have been looking through the forum for a bit but can't seem to find the exact answers I am after.

My questions are:

1. I currently have floorboards, is it best to remove them completely and replace with something else or just overboard? Which materials would be best, some seem to say ply is OK and others do not, backing board?

2. The walls are 12.5mm plasterboard, part stud and part dot and dab. They have previously been tiled and painted but are in good condition. What is the best preparation. Is it to remove any paint and prime with an acrylic based primer?

3. Where is the best place to start when tiling? Seems to be a preference thing, although walls seem to be favourite just leaving the bottom row till last.

4. Would it be advisable to fit the bath suite first then tile or vise versa?

Sorry for all the questions and I'm sure most have already been answered, it's just that I have the opportunity to the job right and would like a bit of advice for piece of mind.

Thanks

RDTiling · Jun 8, 2014

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Taking each of your questions in turn:

1. If the floor boards are deflection free, then you don't need to replace them, but can get away with overboarding. For this, you can use 6mm hardie backer board, glued (non-flexibl tile adhesive) and screwed to the existing floor boards.

http://www.jameshardie.co.uk/images...ent_backerboard_installation_guide_manual.pdf

Hardie recommend a non-flexible adhesive for 'gluing' the hardie boards to the floor boards, but I know many on here use flexible adhesive.

If you decide to use ply wood, you will need to use 18mm WBP plywood, and prime using an acrylic primer (don't use PVA!)

2. If walls are in good condition, remove the paint and then prime with an acrylic primer. If any of the paper has come away from the plaster board, the board should really be replaced.

3. Exactly as you say, its a matter of preference. I do walls first and then the floors. If you decide to tile the floor first, be sure to cover the tiles with a protective cover before you tile the wall (you don't want to drop a wall tile onto your nicely tiled floor!)

4. I usually have the bath fitted first and then tile from there.

Good luck with you bathroom.

Rich

prceramics · Jun 8, 2014

what he said 🙂

Obsessionfatale · Jun 9, 2014

Thanks for the advice.

I think the hardie board seems the better option, can you recommend anywhere to purchase it from?

With regards to removing the paint is this just a matter of sanding? Also how do you transition between wall and floor, in terms of preparation? Is it worth buying a tanking system?

Thanks

RDTiling · Jun 9, 2014

I get my Hardie from a company called CTD. Alternatively, you could look about online.

You could use a product called No More Ply (NMP) instead of Hardie. The main difference being that NMP uses its own glue to stick it to the floorboards. You would need to use this to validate any manufacturers warranty.

You can try sanding the paint off, or if you have a steamer, leave it turned on in the bathroom with all the widows and doors closed for about 20 minutes. You can then go in with a scraper and try scraping the paint off.

Strictly speaking you should tank walls, however many people don't want to pay the extra for it. If you want to do it properly, Id recommend tanking the walls, particularly the wall with the shower on it and also the wall that runs the length of the bath. Make sure you tape the joints too.

I've never tanked a floor, however at the same time I've not yet had to tile a a wet room, so perhaps it would be better for someone else to advise on this point.