Bath panel tiles falling off

[veronicac]

Please help !!

Just had bath panel tiled and the grout is cracking and the tiles bowing and coming loose. The plumber used 0.5mm ply as a base , the tilers then tiled on to this using flexi grout. Is this happening because the wrong wood was used ? The tilers did not use Silicon but do they have too ???

Confused as need to know where the issue started so can get the plumber or tiler to fix ..

Thanks

 

[macten]

1/2mm ply is far too thin.
Cement board is the best thing to use for bath panels imo.
Flexi grout is the right grout to use but 1/2mm ply will flex more than any grout can cope with.
What did they use to stick the tiles on with?

 

[brian c]

wrong plywood used,this is the problem.Its not rigid enough to do the job required,12mm should have been usedor wedi board.

 

[boxer1van]

No matter what backer board is used (cement board good as any) it needs to have a small frame work built between bath lip/sides and floor. Board should be at min 12mm thick and screwed to batons, best primed and when dried use flex adh and grout. Silicon edges all round to give flexible joint and seal

 

[veronicac]

Hi Thanks for reply . Dont know which grout they used but they said it was flexi . I have been looking on here and thinking of buying WEDI board just so i know it will be okay ?? The plumber has to take off this panel and redo the board for the tilers anyway so I think I shall not take any more chances

 

[CJ CERAMICS]

hi veronicac when the plumber takes off the old panel off please do as boxer1van says
and make sure that there is sufficient frame work for the board to be fastened to.
it needs to have batons running down the frame not just a square frame. should look like a stud wall. hope this makes sense.
chris

 

[Perry]

Yes as peps say not plywood but also plasterboard can be used i always put board flush with the timber frame and cut slots out where the metal frame for the legs are so the tiles go under the lip of the bath stops any water damage or unsightly tile trim then cut a hole 10mm smaller than a tile for the access panel so that the tile just sits against the panel and Silicon the joint which can easy be cut out if ever needed ete

 

[macten]

This is what I do:

 

[silver]

Neat work macten !! good pic

Hi Veronicac,
Apart from all the other top advice already given...........out of curiosity the thin panel that was in place(too thin) ...was it resting on the floor..... & wedged tight to the underside of the bath...and did the bath have some give to weight in it...ie when full of water and a body ... or any movement.. if so this could contribute and would "bow " the thin board & pop tiles ...and create the problem when bath is used....?

The new frame and thicker board or wedi would sort it...but take the movement out the bath if there is any.
Degs

 

[veronicac]

Thank you everyone this is a great help ,especially pictures as I know what to look for !!! I will ensure that he does this and check all he does ..

Thank you all :hurray:

 

[DS Tiling]

A frame like Macten builds and 12mm aquapanel which you can pick up in the likes of B&Q warehouse.