Bathroom walls for diyer, new member

[Aethelweard]

Dear Tilers

Hi all, I've just joined the forum. I am renovating my 30s semi. I am a diyer and I have just removed some original tiles from a 1932 bathroom in my house. They were in bad condition and cracked so had to go sadly. Thing is, I want to retile, probably porcelain. Underneath the tiles was a mortar about 13mm thick and underneath that, attached to the brickwork, a render, presumably cement based, about the same thickness. Most of the render is still attached to the brick. It is not blown. In some places it has come off exposing brickwork. Should I just remove all the render, scrape the brickwork and redo it all as it was or do you think I can work with the existing render by patch repairing it and then remortaring new tiles on top of this? I feel slightly out of my depth (it's a familiar feeling ☺️) but with some experienced advice I think I could do this.
Best, Simon

 

[MarkD1987]

Hi Simon.
If the existing render is not loose or coming off in clumps I would just repair and smooth the best you can as if you have an uneven surface you will find it difficult to get the tiles flush. Just get some bonding coat for the wall make sure you pva before you do it. The just prime and tile once dry. Hope that is helpful 👍

 

[Aethelweard]

Hi Simon.
If the existing render is not loose or coming off in clumps I would just repair and smooth the best you can as if you have an uneven surface you will find it difficult to get the tiles flush. Just get some bonding coat for the wall make sure you pva before you do it. The just prime and tile once dry. Hope that is helpful 👍

That is extremely helpful! You've just saved me most probably a lot of work. So, add cement based render to repair wherever needed. Leave to dry for quite a while. Coat of PVA. Then use bonding coat of plaster. Then prime it. Then tile with tile adhesive. THANKS very much👍

 

[MarkD1987]

That is extremely helpful! You've just saved me most probably a lot of work. So, add cement based render to repair wherever needed. Leave to dry for quite a while. Coat of PVA. Then use bonding coat of plaster. Then prime it. Then tile with tile adhesive. THANKS very much👍

Don’t worry about cement based render just pva where needed then just use bonding coat. Don’t really need to do render as doesn’t need to be perfect just flat enough to tile. Then just primer and tile away. Use flex adhesive as you are laying porcelain tiles. Powdered adhesive is alway best not ready mixed 👍

 

[Aethelweard]

Don’t worry about cement based render just pva where needed then just use bonding coat. Don’t really need to do render as doesn’t need to be perfect just flat enough to tile. Then just primer and tile away. Use flex adhesive as you are laying porcelain tiles. Powdered adhesive is alway best not ready mixed 👍

Ok, thanks again Mark for clarifying it all!

 

[MarkD1987]

Ok, thanks again Mark for clarifying it all!

No problem, let me know how you get on 👍

 

[Aethelweard]

No problem, let me know how you get on 👍

Thanks, just ordered a paddle mixer. 👍

 

[Trigger]

British gypsum bonding is not designed to be tiled on directly, it should recieve a thistle finish coat first. However this may present a weight issue if you are using porcelain.

 

[Aethelweard]

British gypsum bonding is not designed to be tiled on directly, it should recieve a thistle finish coat first. However this may present a weight issue if you are using porcelain.

Hi Trigger, Thanks for your reply. Have been away and busy elsewhere until now. So I am taking a risk with weight if I apply bonding then finish and then tile adhesive. Three layers does sound like a lot. Could I ask what do you think about using cement faced tile board instead and then tile directly onto that? Best, Simon

 

[Lou]

Welcome to the forum! Glad to see you are getting on OK! I have just moved your thread to the DIY area of the forum