Another question about tiling on plywood.

[Ascot]

Damn it! Obviously the majority of responses are not what i wanted to hear!

AliGage - yeah it's just a stud wall to make the 3rd side of the enclosure (about 800x2000mm to tile on both sides). No pipes or electrics in it but no insulation in the cavity either.

The back wall of the enclosure is already tiled so if i took off the ply on the side wall, i'd have have to cut through the jointing tape i used vertically in the corner and not replace it, but i gues that is not the end of the world.

I think it may be possible to get the ply off without disturbing anything else but if i use hardiebacker (12.5mm) i'd need to pack it out to match the 18mm ply that was on it. Otherwise it would leave a gap to the tray and throw off my tiling layout. That hardiebacker is a bugger to cut too! I think thats partly why i used ply in the first place!

As EverDon Tiling suggested, would tanking that one ply surface in the shower enclosure be an option?

 

[Ascot]

May be i could just replace the shower side with tile backer so it's safe with water?
Is there a tile backer thats easier to use than hardiebacker? I've used it before and it weighs a ton and is difficult to cut.

 

[The D]

Home - wedi - The system supplier for innovative products this is good for the job

 

[Ascot]

That looks like great stuff. Wish i had seen that website before i started this job! (I'm sure it's a bit more expensive though.)
Is it definately ok for attaching to timber studs? Mostly seems to describe it in terms of being attached to solid walls.

 

[The D]

[video=youtube;P6eXOZi9gHk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6eXOZi9gHk[/video]

 

[The D]

Ceramic Tile Distributors | CTD, Bathroom Tiles, Kitchen Tiles, Floor Tiles etc.
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[DHTiling]

May be i could just replace the shower side with tile backer so it's safe with water?
Is there a tile backer thats easier to use than hardiebacker? I've used it before and it weighs a ton and is difficult to cut.

Click the PHG wetrooms link in my signature.. much better prices on Marmox boards..and easy to cut with a utility type knife.

 

[AliGage]

Guys,

I hate to go against the grain, but i have to ask. I'm all for using the correct products, i agree ply is not a great substrate and both deano and Ed are correct in their recommendations.
However, from what the op posted i've taken this to be a stud wall built out into the room to create an enclosure space. So, with no "outside" influences (i.e no outside walls, rooms to effect any tempreture etc) would the following not be sufficient?

As long as the studwork is built well and there are plenty of regular fixings to a rigid frame. Insulate the cavity in the wall. This will keep tempreture consistant within the cavity and prevent any warping of the ply. If you then tanked the face of the ply, better yet the wall all the way round. Would the tanking not only waterproof the wall, provide a means of a de-coupler but also insult the ply from any heat transfer from using the shower?

I completely agree the ply shouldn't of been used in the first place, but, if the op really didn't want to take it out or if it was too much hassle. Do you think what i'm suggesting would be sufficient?

 

[The D]

It may work it may not but removing and re doing now is a lot better than re doing the job after it is all finished. Just my opinion

 

[Ascot]

Ok everyone. I think you have me convinced. I've pretty much got my head round taking the face off all of the fin wall and box frames that i've built and replacing them with backer board. Probably hardiebacker as i can just get it from B&Q. The wedi board sounds handy but i haven't seen any here in Northern Ireland. I'm usually a belt-and-braces type in my DIY so i'd rather do the job properly.

The only thing not done properly then will be the jointing tape at the back vertical corner. As i said, the back wall is already tiled so i wont'be able to re-apply the tape when i replace the ply side wall. I will however use silcone in the corner joint between the tiles so hopefully this will allow for any movement.

Some day this job will be done!

 

[Dan]

Take some before and after shots for us! We love pictures.