Advice for plywood tiled wall.

[Redkitten]

Hi - we would very much appreciate some advice. In October 2020 we had a sole trader come in to rectify and redo some previous poor work in our bathroom. In the process he tiled two walls (the other walls are not tiled). One of those walls is the actual plaster wall and is believed to be fine. The other was over the top of a wooden frame that conceals the enclosed cistern toilet and runs behind the shower screen and out to the wall with the sink and toilet. Initially we have been very happy with the work that was done.

We have today had a visit from a professional tiler who was coming to install a new floor. He immediately noticed that there would be an impact on the wall because of the need to raise the toilet slightly. In the process of investigating that he determined that the tiles were installed direct over the ply, without a primer and without the serrated, full covering adhesive (just a dib-dab approach).

His advice was that the British Standard now (and in 2020) was that the tiles should have been installed over something waterproof and with an adhesive that was capable of holding the tiles up. One tile came away very easily while he was here (around the toilet waste) but he said the rest could go at any time.

Can anyone help us understand whether the advice we have received today is correct and what the correct - to standard - approach should be? Will this wall even last?

 

[Dave]

Yes the standard bs5385 changed and tiling to ply on walls is not advised anymore. If the tiles are loose then ir will need to be redone. I would remove the plywood and affix a suitable backer board